Joe Greene

[Dane Pound]

Made it to the semi-finals in the 400 meters in Beijing yesterday. A sixth place finish in the semi-final heat so he won't go through to the finals but still a great showing.

 

Here's an article on him from the Rochester Paper. A Golden Showing for Hometown Hurdler - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

 

A golden show for a hometown hurdler

Greene just short of record in winning the 400 hurdles

 

James Johnson

Staff writer

 

The moment Joe Greene wanted to enjoy arrived Saturday afternoon at the University of Rochester.

Spectators, including family members and friends, gave Greene a strong ovation before he settled into his starting block for the Empire State Games open men's 400-meter hurdles final.

 

"I loved that," said Greene, an Edison graduate. "Throughout my entire college season, I didn't get any recognition.

"They would talk about other people's accomplishment, and then it was 'Lane 5, Joe Greene.'

 

"To be in my hometown and get this recognition is great."

Greene will represent the United States at the World Junior Championships Aug. 15-20 in Beijing. The sophomore at the State University at Albany is ranked third in the world in this event among juniors (20 and under).

 

The intermediate 400 hurdles is an event that Greene ran only occasionally in high school. Greene said he approached his Albany coaches in the spring about taking on the event.

 

By the end of the outdoor season, Greene was an All-American and the America East Conference champion.

Talk about a quick learner.

On Saturday, Greene won the open men's 400 hurdles in 51.38 seconds, despite knocking down his first and last hurdles. He finished just shy of the Empire State Games division record, a hand-timed 51.1-second clocking set 28 years ago.

 

"Today told me I still have more in me with competition," Greene said. "I've only broken 51 four times.

"I can go 49, too. That's my goal for the end of the season."

 

Greene later wiped out about a 30-meter gap to give the Western open men's 1,600 relay team a third-place finish during an outstanding 45.67-second anchor split.

 

"He has that desire, pure grit, a positive attitude that he never loses," said Greene's friend and former Edison teammate, Terrell Gissendanner. "If you beat him, he makes it a goal to beat you. That's what it takes to be a champion.

 

"I'm so excited for him. It's crazy. One of our own keeps going farther and farther."