EUGENE, Ore - Carroll's Brian Smith II got his first taste of the national stage at the USATF U20 Championships, competing in a very deep 400m preliminary field on Thursday afternoon.

Running in Heat 1, Smith posted a time of 47.92, finishing 22nd overall against a field loaded with athletes who either met or were near the World U20 standard. With only the top two finishers from each heat plus the next three fastest times (nine total) advancing to the final, Smith fell just short of qualifying for the next round.

The race was especially competitive in his heat, which produced multiple automatic and time qualifiers, and required a sub-46 performance to comfortably secure advancement. Despite that, Smith held his own in a national-caliber field and gained valuable experience competing against some of the top junior 400m runners in the country.

His appearance at the meet marks a strong step forward, putting him in the mix at one of the premier U20 competitions in the United States and continuing to build momentum heading into next season.