Clayton native Johnny Dutch, a nine-time high school state champion and the reigning NCAA 400-meter hurdle champion, has elected to turn professional and forgo his senior season at the University of South Carolina.

"I'm just ready to make the next step to the professional circuit. I'm excited about where it will take me," Dutch said in a press conference announcing his decision. "I felt like I've done as much as I could have on the collegiate level."

We'll have more on Dutch's decision in next week's edition of the Garner-Clayton Record.

Clayton graduate Johnny Dutch was second in the USA Track and Field National Championships in the 400-meters hurdles behind Bershawn Jackson last weekend. Dutch and Jackson ran the fastest times in the world this year.

Clayton native Johnny Dutch finished second in the U.S. Track and Field Championships 400-meter hurdle event Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa. Dutch finished in 47.63 seconds, which is the second-fastest time ever by a collegiate athlete in the event. He also remained unbeaten in the event against collegians, taking second behind world standout Bershawn Jackson (47.32).

Dutch elected not to run in the 110-meter hurdle competition after winning the 400. He won the NCAA 400-meter hurdle championship earlier this summer.

Clayton's Johnny Dutch finished second in the semifinals of the 400-meter hurdles Friday at the U.S. Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Dutch finished in 49.69 seconds, more than a second behind semifinal round winner Bershawn Jackson.

Dutch will run for the national championship this afternoon (Saturday) at 2:18 p.m. Coverage of today's events will be on ESPN from 1 until 2:30 p.m. and on NBC from 3-4 p.m.

Competition in Dutch's other event, the 110 hurdles, begins later Saturday afternoon.

Former Clayton High track standout Johnny Dutch is one of 10 finalists for the The Bowerman, an award given by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association to the top collegiate male in NCAA track and field.

Clayton native Johnny Dutch won the NCAA Division I 400-meter men's hurdle championship Friday in Eugene, Ore. Dutch rallied by Washington State's Jeshua Anderson down the stretch of the event to win in 48.75 seconds.

Dutch also qualified for the 110-meter championship but was eliminated after a false start in the event.

The Gamecocks' 4x400-meter relay team, with Dutch taking the second leg, finished fourth in the meet.

We'll have more on Dutch's weekend in this week's edition of the Garner-Clayton Record.

Five area track and field standouts finished among the nation's best
at the two biggest indoor meets of the season over the weekend.

The
Nike Indoor Nationals for prep athletes were held in Boston, while the
NCAA Division I Championships took place in Fayetteville, Ark.

Three
former Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference stars placed in the top-six
in the men's 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA meet. Ronnie Ash, a
Knightdale product running for the University of Oklahoma, won the
event in 7.56 seconds.

Clayton's Johnny Dutch finished 12th in the semifinals of the 400-meter hurdles during the IAAF World Track and Field Championships Sunday in Berlin. Dutch was sixth in his heat at 49.28 seconds.
Dutch, a nine-time NCHSAA state individual champion at Clayton High School, is a 20-year-old rising junior at the University of South Carolina. His semifinal heat time was a tenth of a second quicker than his first round run on Saturday.

Former Clayton High hurdler earns berth on U.S. track and field championship team.

Clayton native Johnny Dutch continued his impressive track and field season Sunday, finishing second in the men's 400-meter hurdles at the U.S. Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. Dutch finished in 48.18 seconds, his best time ever and the second-fastest time in the world this year. He also qualified for the World Championships to be held in August in Berlin.

We'll have more on Johnny's performance in this week's print edition of the Garner-Clayton Record.