TEMPE - Below is a super short and casual Q&A with Justin Robinson the morning of Tuesday, August 29 in the Sun Devil Track and Field coaches offices. Robinson is ASU's third ever athlete to earn a medal at the World Championships following Ryan Whiting (2013, silver) and four-time gold medalist Dwight Phillips (2003, 2005, 2009, 2011). Robinson is a two-time world champion following a pair of phenomenal performances at the World Athletics World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. On the final day of competition, Robinson ran the third leg of the men's 4x400 for Team USA where he split 44.74 to help the men to a world leading 2:57.31 first-place finish. This win came after Robinson helped the 4x400 mixed relay to a world record (3:08.80) a week earlier. Full World Championships Results. Team USA collected 29 total medals in Budapest.
Robinson wasn't the only Sun Devil in Budapest. Chris Benard '13 (USA), Maggie Ewen '18 (USA), Beatrice Llano '22 (Norway), Dubem Nwachukwu '23 (Nigeria), Jorinde van Klinken G '22 (Netherlands), and Turner Washington '20, G' 23 (USA) also competed.
Benard: Triple jump, 9th overall (16.62m)
Ewen: Shot put, 6th overall (19.51m)
Llano: Hammer throw, 21st overall (69.11m)
Nwachukwu: 400m, 31st overall (45.60)
van Klinken: Shot put, 9th overall (19.05m)
van Klinken: Discus, 4th overall (67.20m)
Washington: Discus, 14th in second group qualifying (63.57m)
On the World Championships experience
"Man it still hasn't sank in, it feels unreal. Just going over and seeing all the love that track and field gets was amazing by itself. Being on the stage and accomplishing what we did as a team on the relays was amazing. Being a part of a world record team was always a dream of mine and I'm just happy to have been able to accomplish it this early in my career while continuing to grow my career."
On what he was thinking about hours after that world record race specifically
"It really didn't sink in until later that day when we were back at the hotel and the teammates were all congratulating us - especially the big names like Fred Kerley, Noah Lyles and other people saying 'Good job' and things of that sort. That's when it all really kicked in - during the post-race interviews and stuff it hadn't sunk in just yet."
On what he took away from the whole 2023 season
"I learned to get through the ups and downs. I wanted to be in an individual event at the World Championships but fell short by one sport. I learned to stay optimistic and continue to strive and fight and give it all my best, even if I fall short a little bit. Just never give up."
Robinson's 2023 resumé:
United States Men's 4x400 Relay, 2:57.31 - World Lead
Quincy HALL 44.54
Vernon NORWOOD 44.01
Justin ROBINSON 44.74
Rai BENJAMIN 44.02
United States Mixed 4x400 Relay, 3:08.80 - World Record
Justin ROBINSON 44.47
Rosey EFFIONG 50.38
Matthew BOLING 45.13
Alexis HOLMES 48.82
Robinson wasn't the only Sun Devil in Budapest. Chris Benard '13 (USA), Maggie Ewen '18 (USA), Beatrice Llano '22 (Norway), Dubem Nwachukwu '23 (Nigeria), Jorinde van Klinken G '22 (Netherlands), and Turner Washington '20, G' 23 (USA) also competed.
Benard: Triple jump, 9th overall (16.62m)
Ewen: Shot put, 6th overall (19.51m)
Llano: Hammer throw, 21st overall (69.11m)
Nwachukwu: 400m, 31st overall (45.60)
van Klinken: Shot put, 9th overall (19.05m)
van Klinken: Discus, 4th overall (67.20m)
Washington: Discus, 14th in second group qualifying (63.57m)
Champ is home ??????@Justin_Malik2 pic.twitter.com/jD93oib1yB
— Sun Devil Track and Field/XC (@SunDevilTFXC) August 29, 2023
On the World Championships experience
"Man it still hasn't sank in, it feels unreal. Just going over and seeing all the love that track and field gets was amazing by itself. Being on the stage and accomplishing what we did as a team on the relays was amazing. Being a part of a world record team was always a dream of mine and I'm just happy to have been able to accomplish it this early in my career while continuing to grow my career."
On what he was thinking about hours after that world record race specifically
"It really didn't sink in until later that day when we were back at the hotel and the teammates were all congratulating us - especially the big names like Fred Kerley, Noah Lyles and other people saying 'Good job' and things of that sort. That's when it all really kicked in - during the post-race interviews and stuff it hadn't sunk in just yet."
On what he took away from the whole 2023 season
"I learned to get through the ups and downs. I wanted to be in an individual event at the World Championships but fell short by one sport. I learned to stay optimistic and continue to strive and fight and give it all my best, even if I fall short a little bit. Just never give up."
Robinson's 2023 resumé:
- 2023 World Championships (Men's 4x400 relay, 2:57.31 - World Lead)
- 2023 World Championships (Mixed 4x400 relay, 3:08.80 - World Record)
- 2023 USA T&F Outdoor Championships (4th place, 44.47 lifetime PR)
- 2023 NCAA Championships (4x400: 2nd place, 2:57.78 No. 3 time in collegiate history)
- 2023 NCAA Championships (4x100: 4th place, 38.54 - program record)
- 2023 NCAA Championships (400m: 4th place, 44.51 - No. 2 ASU history)
- 2023 Pac-12 Championships (4x100: 2nd place, 39.11)
- 2023 Pac-12 Championships (4x400: 3:01.57 - Pac-12 title)
- 2023 USA T&F Indoor Championships (400m: 1st place, 45.40 - program record)
United States Men's 4x400 Relay, 2:57.31 - World Lead
Quincy HALL 44.54
Vernon NORWOOD 44.01
Justin ROBINSON 44.74
Rai BENJAMIN 44.02
United States Mixed 4x400 Relay, 3:08.80 - World Record
Justin ROBINSON 44.47
Rosey EFFIONG 50.38
Matthew BOLING 45.13
Alexis HOLMES 48.82
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Top of the medal table ???? #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/J4KD2XLspp
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 29, 2023