Former Eastern Kentucky University All-American Ole Hesselbjerg represented Denmark in the preliminary round of the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2016 Summer Olympics on Monday.
Hesselbjerg did not advance to the final; however, he finished 31st out of 45 total competitors with a time of 8:40.08. He entered the event ranked 44th out of 45 steeplechasers.
Hesselbjerg is EKU's first Summer Olympian since Jackie Humphrey-Corbin won the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100-meter hurdles (12.83) and competed at the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea.
Former Colonel sprinter Dallas Robinson qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia as a member of the U.S. Bobsled Team.
Hesselbjerg was a two-time NCAA bronze medalist in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (2014 and 2015), and he holds the EKU record in the event at 8:33.2.
He was also a multiple-time Academic All-American and he graduated from EKU in May of 2015 with a degree in physics.