EUGENE, ORE. -- Cal State LA national champion Khallifah Rosser is hoping his third trip to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials is the charm after earning a second trip to the 400-meter hurdles final with another top performance on Friday.

Rosser, a 2016 NCAA Division II champion in the 400 hurdles while at Cal State LA, qualified for the finals after finishing second in the second of three semifinal heats on Friday. He was also second in a first-round heat on Thursday and continues to enhance his status as one of the premier hurdles in the world.

Rosser, who was fifth in the finals at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, was one of six automatic qualifiers for Sunday's finals as the top two in each heat advanced. The three fastest times outside of the top six also earned a spot in the finals. Rosser's time of 49.72 was 10th overall.

Interestingly, in Rosser's first U.S. Olympic Trials appearance in 2016, he had the seventh-fastest time in the semifinals, but in that year the top four finishers in each heat regardless of time reached the eight-hurdler final.

Rosser was fourth in the nation in 2023, missing the world championships by one spot.

In 2022, he made the U.S. team for the World Championships with a third-place finish at the USATF Championships. He finished fifth in the world that year.

Rosser is looking for his first trip to the Olympics.

Rai Benjamin and CJ Allen, who were 1-2 in the nationals in 2023, had the two fastest semifinal times on Friday. The third member of the U.S.  team in 2023, Trevor Bassitt of Ashland, enters Sunday's finals with the fifth-fastest time after winning the first of three heats on Friday.

Rosser was second in his heat to Caleb Dean of Texas Tech, who won with a time of 48.92 that is No.4. Rosser edged Vance Nilsson of the Arizona Flames TC with a time of 49.72 to 49.77 for the second automatic qualifier, although he'll need to run faster on Sunday for a shot at the Paris Olympics. Rosser needs a top-three finish as well as a time that beats the Olympic qualifying standard of 48.70.

The 400-meter hurdles final is set for Sunday at 5:20 p.m.