Norwood finishes fourth in World Track Championships 400 meters final

Morgan City High grad Vernon Norwood finished fourth Thursday in the World Track and Field Championships men's 400 meters. The race was in Budapest.

Norwood posted a time of 44.39 seconds, 0.17 second off the pace set by winner Antonio Watson of Jamaica (44.22) in a field of eight athletes.

Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain, who won the Sunday semifinal heat where Norwood finished second, was second in the finals with a 44.31. American Quincy Hall was third at 44.37.

Norwood's time was 0.13 off his personal best of 44.26, set in the semifinal heat Sunday.

Norwood lived in the New Orleans area until his family came to Morgan City after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He graduated from Morgan City High in 2011.

Norwood became a hometown hero when, at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he was part of two USA medalist relay teams: the men's 4x400 relay team that won the gold medal, and the mixed 4x400 team that won a bronze medal.

The track at Morgan City High's stadium was renamed in Norwood's honor.