LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's Khallifah Rosser posted his fastest time of the season Saturday while finishing fifth in the 400-meter hurdles finals at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore.

Rosser, running in lane 8, ran aggressively and held the lead early against a talented field that included world No. 1 Rai Benjamin and 2018 U.S. champion Kenny Selmon. Rosser was still in third rounding the final turn and battled valiantly to the tape in an effort to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

He wound up fifth in 48.81, which is a season's best time and also bettered the Olympic standard. It was just off his personal best of 48.65 that he set while finishing third in the 2018 USA Track & Field Championships.

Benjamin won Saturday's race in 46.83, Selmon was second in 48.08 and David Kendziera was third in 48.38 to earn the three spots on the U.S. Olympic team. Aldrich Bailey was fourth in 48.55, Rosser was next at 48.81, Isaiah Levingston was sixth in 49.25, Cameron Samuel was seventh in 49.27 and Trevor Bassitt was eighth in 50.03.

Rosser, who won the NCAA Division II championship in the 400 hurdles while competing for Cal State LA in 2016, joined Bassitt, won a national title in 2018 at Ashland, in the finals as former Division II champions. 

He continues an impressive trajectory in a promising career. Rosser competed in the Olympic Trials for the first time in 2016 and, after winning his first-round heat, finished fifth in the semi-final round and did not advance to the finals despite having the seventh-fastest time in the field.

In 2018, Rosser had a tremendous performance, finishing third at the USA Track & Field Championships shortly after concluding his Cal State LA with a third All-American award.

In 2019, Rosser finished seventh at the USA Track & Field Championships and, despite battling injury early in 2021, he emerged as a top contender in the 400 hurdles once again this week.