Five Aggie alums entered in IAAF World Indoor Championships

BIRMINGHAM, England – Five Aggie alums will be competing in the IAAF World Indoor Championships, which begin on Thursday and continue through Sunday, March 1-4.
 
The group includes Deon Lendore (400m, Trinidad & Tobago), Bralon Taplin (400m, Grenada), Donavan Brazier (800m, United States), Fred Kerley (4x400 relay, United States), and Lindon Victor (heptathlon, Grenada).
 
Coverage of the World Indoors will be available on NBC Sports Network at the following times: Friday, March 2 (7:30 to 9:30 p.m. CT), Saturday, March 3 (4 to 6 p.m.), and Sunday, March 4 (3 to 5 p.m.). Extended coverage is available on NBC Sports Gold through its subscription service.
 
Taplin is the current world leader in the 400m with a 44.88 he ran on Texas A&M's Gilliam indoor track. The next fastest entry is 45.53 by Michael Cherry of the United States, who ranks ninth on the 2018 world list. Lendore clocked a best of 45.85 this year and ranks fifth among the entries.
 
Brazier has produced the second fastest time in the 800m this indoor season with a 1:45.10, which is just a 0.10 off the American record set in 1992 by Johnny Gray. Brazier only trails a 1:44.21 run by Kenya's Emmanuel Korir when the pair finished first and second in the Millrose Games in early February.
 
Kerley has a season best of 45.18 this season, which ranks fourth in the world and is second among Americans. With only two per country qualifying in each event, a third-place finish at the U.S. Championships kept Kerley out of the 400m field at the World Championships, but he will be in the relay pool for the United States 4x400.
 
Victor will compete among a field of 12 athletes as he and his brother, Kurt Felix, represent Grenada in the heptathlon. The top career best score among the field is a 6,479 by Kevin Mayer of France. Victor's best score is 5,976 while Felix holds the national record for Grenada at 5,986.
 
First in action will be Victor as the start of the heptathlon begins with the 60m on Friday at 10 a.m. (4 a.m. CT) and continues throughout the day. Following in the morning session that day are Lendore and Taplin in the heats of the 400m at 11:20 a.m. (5:20 a.m. CT). Brazier will race in the first round of the 800m that evening at 7:13 p.m. (1:13 p.m. CT).
 
The heptathlon continues for Victor at 10 a.m. (4 a.m. CT) on Saturday with the 60m hurdles. The morning session that day includes the heats of the 4x400 relay, where Kerley is part of the United States relay pool, at 12:31 p.m. (6:31 a.m.).
 
Saturday's evening session includes the finals of the 800m at 7:35 p.m. (1:35 p.m. CT), heptathlon 1,000m at 7:50 p.m. (1:50 p.m. CT) and 400m at 8:20 p.m. (2:20 p.m. CT). The final of the 4x400 relay will conclude the meet on Sunday at 5:25 p.m. (11:25 a.m. CT).
 
IAAF World Indoor Championships, Birmingham, England – March 1-4, 2018
 
Donavan Brazier           United States            800m
Fred Kerley                     United States            4x400 relay
Deon Lendore                Trinidad & Tobago  400m
Bralon Taplin                 Grenada                    400m
Lindon Victor                 Grenada                    Heptathlon