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Thursday, March 28, 2024
NEWS  |  CAMPUS

Demps to run for U.S. in 4x100 relay Friday

Former Gators running back and sprinter Jeff Demps gave up a chance to play in the NFL so he could run for the United States in the Olympics.

After he finished seventh in the 100m with a time of 10.27 seconds and failed to qualify for the team at the U.S. Olympic trials in June, it looked like Demps had made the wrong decision.

Then, on July 24, he was added to the U.S. pool of runners to replace injured sprinter Mike Rodgers, who suffered a stress fracture in his left foot.

Demps became the 10th Gator to reach the Olympics for track and field.

On Friday, Demps will run the first leg of the 4x100-meter relay preliminaries.

"I was very excited," Demps said in a statement released through his agent, Nohemy Baltodano. "This is an opportunity of a lifetime."

Demps was successful in the 4x100 when he was at Florida, winning three Southeastern Conference titles, an NCAA title and earning two All-America honors in the event.

Demps was an integral part of the Gators track and field team that has won three consecutive NCAA Indoor Championships.

Due to a hamstring injury, he was unable to compete when the Gators won their first-ever outdoor national title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

While at Florida, Demps was also known for his speed and his exploits on the football field.

In his football career at Florida, Demps played in 51 games and ran for 2,470 yards and 23 touchdowns.

In 2011, he split time with fellow senior running back Chris Rainey, and ran the ball 98 times for 569 yards and six touchdowns.

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Demps is one of 37 Gators competing in London, and he is the only athlete in UF history to win a championship in two different sports.

Former UF athletes have won a total of 13 medals so far at the 2012 Olympic Games. Six medals were gold, including two from swimmer Ryan Lochte.

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