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Godwin named relay leg for Team USA
Elija Godwin
Elija Godwin will be representing Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics as a relay leg. - University of Georgia Athletics

It appears Elija Godwin will be heading to Tokyo after all.

The former Newton Ram and current Georgia Bulldog placed sixth in the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., last weekend. He ran a 44.94 in the 400m final, the third-fastest time for a collegiate sprinter in the event, but missed the cut to automatically qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

This week, however, the University of Georgia athletic department announced Godwin had been named as a relay leg for Team USA.

Wednesday morning, Georgia’s Track & Field twitter account sent out a photo of Godwin walking in a Team USA sweatshirt while hauling luggage that had Nike and Team USA logos imprinted on them. The picture was accompanied by a caption, which read: “Know what that means if Elija Godwin is leaving #TrackFieldTrials21 in Oregon with Team USA gear?? Ticket PUNCHED.”

Godwin’s selection to the Team USA relay team was later confirmed on GeorgiaDogs.com, the official website for University of Georgia athletics.

Godwin, a junior, has been nothing short of historic thus far in 2021. He set the record for the fastest indoor 400m relay leg in collegiate history with a 44.21 and shattered several program records for the Bulldogs during the SEC Outdoor Championships.

The Olympic Games are scheduled to take place July 23-Aug. 8 in Tokyo.