Bluffton grad Bassitt seventh in heat, misses final at national

EUGENE, Oregon – Trevor Bassitt has been clearing hurdles for a long time.They usually bring out his best. After all, the Bluffton High School graduate is one of the best men's hurdlers in the world, competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics.But in the lead up to and then during this weekend's USA Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field in Oregon, Bassitt faced a remarkable amount of adversity.And – while Bassitt said he wasn't going to use it as an excuse – it played a role in him not qualifying for Sunday's finals.Before Saturday's semifinal, Bassitt said on social media that he had suffered a partial tear of his hamstring. "(The doctors) told me I had little chance to be here, and I didn't want to listen to that," Bassitt said in a post-race interview posted on CITIUS MAG's YouTube channel. "I was like, 'I'm just gonna hammer this recovery, pray to God for some supernatural healing and then get out here.'"Bassitt did make it to the semis, but finished seventh in his heat in 52.14, failing to qualify for the final."Came out here today, came off Hurdle 1, felt good," Bassitt told CITIUS MAG. "Went to pick up speed, and it just tightened up on me, and it wouldn't let me go any faster."Aldrich Bailey had the fastest time in the heat (49.0) and Craig Allen was runner-up (49.04). Both qualified for Sunday's final.Bassitt declined to blame his injury for his performance."The hamstring's not an excuse," he said. "If I didn't feel like I was ready to come out here and win or make a team, I wouldn't be out here."Bassitt did have to deal with one other issue in his heat.Late in the race, another competitor, Jarrett Gentles, fell into Bassitt's lane.So, Bassitt did what he always does. He hurdled him.Bassitt was asked by CITIUS MAG if he considered filing a protest because of the obstruction."I was in, like, seventh (when it happened)," Bassitt said. "If I was in the mix and that happened, for sure."It's not that was the reason I wasn't gonna be in that final."Bassitt was coming off a third-place finish June 20 at the Meeting de Paris in France. He ran a 48.14 there, behind fellow American (and Olympic Gold Medalist) Rai Benjamin and Qatar's Abderrahman Samba.Bassitt was asked by CITIUS MAG if he was "satisfied" with his season."'Satisfied' is not the right word, but it's been a really good season, time wise," he said. "It's been my best season since turning pro. The season's not over."