Duke Signs Australian 2012 Olympic 400-Meter Finalist Steven Solomon

By Adam Kopet, DyeStat Editor

Steven Solomon has been approved for one more year in the NCAA that he will spend competing for Duke, according to a Duke sports information release. The Australian was granted a one-year extension of athletic eligibility by the NCAA.

Solomon first garnered world attention in 2012. At 19, he won the Australian National Championships over 400 meters in 45.54. He went on to place eighth in the Olympics, after running 44.97 in the semifinals. That time still stands as his personal best.

After the Olympics, Solomon enrolled at Stanford. He ran for the Cardinal for two years, but his athletic career was marred by injury. He owns the Stanford school record in the 400 at 45.36. Solomon also ran the 400-meter leg on Stanford's NCAA championship winning distance medley relay team in 2014.

Solomon won his fifth Australian National Championships 400 title this year, however he did not have the IAAF World Outdoor Championships standard. However, Solomon picked that up with a 45.19 win at the TrackTown Summer Series - San Francisco meet last week, where he competed as a guest athlete.

Solomon will complete his move to Durham, N.C., this month before making the trip to London in August for the IAAF World Outdoor Championships.