2023 Track & Field Roster
Godwin, Elija
Elija Godwin
- Weight:
- null
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Covington, Ga.
- High School:
- Newton
Bio
2019 SEC Co-Men's Freshman Runner of the Year
2021 NCAA Outdoor First Team All-American (4x100m Relay)
2021 Tokyo Olympics - Bronze Medal (Mixed 4x4oom Relay)
2022 NCAA Indoor First Team All-American (4x400m Relay)
2023: Outdoor – Ran a season-best time of 44.55 to place second in the 400-meter dash final at the SEC Championships…Previously posted a time of 44.91 to place third in the prelims of the SEC Championships…Clocked a 45.90 in the first round of the NCAA East Prelims to advance to the quarterfinals, where he finished second with a time of 46.05…Finished third in the 400m prelims at the NCAA Championships, running his second-fastest time of the season (44.73)…Victorious in the 400m at the GT Invite with a 45.43…Runner-up in the 200m at the Spec Towns & Torrin Lawrence Invitational with a 20.33… Ran the anchor leg on the 4x100m relay team that posted a time of 38.62 (No. 2 in school history) at the NCAA Championships, finishing seventh in the prelims…Ran the anchor leg in the 4x200m and the opening leg in the 4x400m at the Texas Relays, helping both teams finish first with respective times of 1:20.22 and 2:58.82…The 4x400m time marked a school record for the Bulldogs and ranked No. 4 in collegiate history.
Indoor – Matched his school record with a 44.75 to win the NCAA 400-meter dash title…Set the school record with a 44.75 for gold medal honors at the SEC Championships to become the No. 5 all-time collegiate performer…Had a win at the Tiger Paw Invite with a 45.63…Part of the winning 4x400m relay team at the Tiger Paw Invite with the second-fastest time in school history (3:02.90)…Also finished second in the 4x400m relay at the SEC Championships after the foursome completed the race in 3:03.32.
2022: Outdoor – Had a season-best 200-meter dash time of 20.49 to win the Torrin Lawrence Memorial…Won the 200m at the FSU Relays thanks to a 20.75…Earned silver medal honors in the 400m at the SEC Championships with the second-best time of his career (44.81)…Qualified for Nationals in the NCAA East Prelims quarterfinal after registering a 45.35 for fourth…Won the Torrin Lawrence Memorial 400m after running a 45.70 and also swept the FSU Relays and Georgia Tech Invitational…Ran a leg on the school record 4x400m relay at the Tom Jones Memorial that finished third with a 3:02.10…Qualified for Nationals in the 4x400m relay after taking sixth in the quarterfinal after recording a 3:03.77...Ran an anchor leg of 44.87 on the 12th-place and Second Team All-American 4x400m relay after the Bulldogs clocked a 3:03.73…Earned a bronze medal in the 400m after setting a school record with a 44.50 in the NCAA Championships final.
Indoor – Rocketed to No. 2 in the school record books with a 20.60 for fifth in the 200-meter dash at the Tiger Paw Invite…Came within .01 of his personal record in the 400m with a 45.38 to take second at the Tiger Paw Invite…Finished 10th at the SEC Championships after completing his two laps in the 400m in 46.72…Earned Second Team All-America honors in the 400m by taking 14th (47.18) at the NCAA Championships…Won the Samford Invite with a meet record 400m of 47.73…Part of school record 4x400m relay at the SEC Championships that captured the school’s first title in the event with a 3:02.59…Ran a leg on 4x400m with a then school record time of 3:04.07 to win the Razorback Invite…Earned First Team All-America honors in the 4x400m relay team with a 3:05.46 for fourth place at the NCAA Championships.
2021: Outdoor – Ran the leadoff leg for the mixed 4x400-meter relay team at the Tokyo Olympics that won round one with a 3:11.39 before Team USA captured the bronze medal in the final…Set a school record with the country’s fifth-fastest 400-meter dash time in 2021 (prior to the NCAA Championships) with a 44.61 to take third at the SEC Championships…Won the 200m at the Torrin Lawrence Memorial with the fourth-best time in UGA history (20.32) while also finishing first in the event at the Spec Towns Invitational with a 20.53…Advanced to Nationals after registering a 46.03 for 11th in the 400m first round at the NCAA East Prelims...Finished 11th in the semifinal round of the 400m at the NCAA Championships thanks to a 46.18…Won the 400m at the Tom Jones Memorial (45.34) and the Torrin Lawrence Memorial (45.86)…Leg of 4x100m relay team that set a school record and took second at the NCAA Championships with a 38.54 to lock down a First Team All-America certificate…Also ran on relays that had then school record times for second-place finishes of 38.57 and 39.02 at the NCAA East Prelims and SEC Championships, respectively…Part of 4x400m relay team that finished fourth at the Tom Jones Memorial with a time of 3:05.53, which ranks ninth on the school’s all-time top-10 list.
Indoor – William Jay MacKenna Athletic Scholarship recipient...Finished one spot out of qualifying for the 400m final after taking ninth with a 46.04 at the NCAA Championships…Registered runner-up honors in the 400m final with the second-fastest time in school history (45.37) at the SEC Championships…Won the Razorback Invitational after clocking a 45.56 in the 400m…Had a season-best time of 6.80 to take second in the 60m at the Clemson Invitational…Ran the anchor leg (44.68 split) of the school record 4x400m relay (3:04.72) to earn third at the SEC Championships…Closed the 4x400m relay with a 44.21 (fastest indoor 400m relay leg in collegiate history) split as the Bulldogs took fourth with a 3:04.84 at the NCAA Championships.
2020: Indoor – Ran a career-best time of 6.76 to take second in the 60-meter dash prelims at the Bob Pollock Invitational…Improved his personal best to 21.01 (fourth in school history) in the 200m by winning the Bob Pollock race… Bettered his personal record to 46.60 in the 400m prelims at the SEC Championships before going 45.96 to take third in the event at SECs…This time ranks third in school history and seventh on the 2020 national performance list to earn an invitation to the NCAA Championships.
2019: Outdoor - Named the SEC Co-Men’s Freshman Runner of the Year…Won the 400-meter dash at the Torrin Lawrence Memorial with the seventh-fastest time in school history at 45.92…Grabbed top honors in the 400m at the Spec Towns Invite with a 45.99…Finished with the ninth-best 200m time in UGA history (20.59) to win Torrin Lawrence…Also had 200m wins at the Spec Towns Invite, Mt. SAC Relays and Yellow Jacket Invite to complete the season sweep in the event…Had a season-best time of 10.47 to win the 100m at the Yellow Jacket meet...Ran the anchor leg on the 4x100m relay that won the 4x100m relay at the Spec Towns meet with a 39.72…Sustained an injury prior to the conference meet that sidelined him for the rest of the year.
Indoor - Capped off his first collegiate indoor season at the SEC Indoor Championships, competing in three events at his first postseason meet...Finished 10th in the 400 meters (47.07), 14th in the 200 meters (21.14) and run a leg on the 4x400 meter relay team that finished ninth with a time of 3:15.95...Began his Bulldog career at the UAB Blazer Invitational with a first place finish in the 300 meters (33.54) and running a leg on the 4x400 team that placed fourth (3:17.87)...Followed up with a fifth place showing at the Clemson Invitational in the 200 meters (21.27) and a leg on the third-place 4x400 team with a time of 3:12.04.
High School: Ran on the 4x400-meter relay squad that earned a silver medal with a 3:05.26 at the 2018 World Junior Championships…Sped to a personal-best time of 45.83 in the 400m to become the 2017 Brooks PR champion…Finished third in the 200m in the 2017 Prefontaine Classic on Oregon’s outdoor track with a 20.71…Clocked an indoor personal record of 21.86 at the Dunamis Super Meet…Was third in the 400m at the 2018 USA Junior Outdoor Championships after registering a season best 46.00.
Personal: Undecided major.
2021 NCAA Outdoor First Team All-American (4x100m Relay)
2021 Tokyo Olympics - Bronze Medal (Mixed 4x4oom Relay)
2022 NCAA Indoor First Team All-American (4x400m Relay)
2023: Outdoor – Ran a season-best time of 44.55 to place second in the 400-meter dash final at the SEC Championships…Previously posted a time of 44.91 to place third in the prelims of the SEC Championships…Clocked a 45.90 in the first round of the NCAA East Prelims to advance to the quarterfinals, where he finished second with a time of 46.05…Finished third in the 400m prelims at the NCAA Championships, running his second-fastest time of the season (44.73)…Victorious in the 400m at the GT Invite with a 45.43…Runner-up in the 200m at the Spec Towns & Torrin Lawrence Invitational with a 20.33… Ran the anchor leg on the 4x100m relay team that posted a time of 38.62 (No. 2 in school history) at the NCAA Championships, finishing seventh in the prelims…Ran the anchor leg in the 4x200m and the opening leg in the 4x400m at the Texas Relays, helping both teams finish first with respective times of 1:20.22 and 2:58.82…The 4x400m time marked a school record for the Bulldogs and ranked No. 4 in collegiate history.
Indoor – Matched his school record with a 44.75 to win the NCAA 400-meter dash title…Set the school record with a 44.75 for gold medal honors at the SEC Championships to become the No. 5 all-time collegiate performer…Had a win at the Tiger Paw Invite with a 45.63…Part of the winning 4x400m relay team at the Tiger Paw Invite with the second-fastest time in school history (3:02.90)…Also finished second in the 4x400m relay at the SEC Championships after the foursome completed the race in 3:03.32.
2022: Outdoor – Had a season-best 200-meter dash time of 20.49 to win the Torrin Lawrence Memorial…Won the 200m at the FSU Relays thanks to a 20.75…Earned silver medal honors in the 400m at the SEC Championships with the second-best time of his career (44.81)…Qualified for Nationals in the NCAA East Prelims quarterfinal after registering a 45.35 for fourth…Won the Torrin Lawrence Memorial 400m after running a 45.70 and also swept the FSU Relays and Georgia Tech Invitational…Ran a leg on the school record 4x400m relay at the Tom Jones Memorial that finished third with a 3:02.10…Qualified for Nationals in the 4x400m relay after taking sixth in the quarterfinal after recording a 3:03.77...Ran an anchor leg of 44.87 on the 12th-place and Second Team All-American 4x400m relay after the Bulldogs clocked a 3:03.73…Earned a bronze medal in the 400m after setting a school record with a 44.50 in the NCAA Championships final.
Indoor – Rocketed to No. 2 in the school record books with a 20.60 for fifth in the 200-meter dash at the Tiger Paw Invite…Came within .01 of his personal record in the 400m with a 45.38 to take second at the Tiger Paw Invite…Finished 10th at the SEC Championships after completing his two laps in the 400m in 46.72…Earned Second Team All-America honors in the 400m by taking 14th (47.18) at the NCAA Championships…Won the Samford Invite with a meet record 400m of 47.73…Part of school record 4x400m relay at the SEC Championships that captured the school’s first title in the event with a 3:02.59…Ran a leg on 4x400m with a then school record time of 3:04.07 to win the Razorback Invite…Earned First Team All-America honors in the 4x400m relay team with a 3:05.46 for fourth place at the NCAA Championships.
2021: Outdoor – Ran the leadoff leg for the mixed 4x400-meter relay team at the Tokyo Olympics that won round one with a 3:11.39 before Team USA captured the bronze medal in the final…Set a school record with the country’s fifth-fastest 400-meter dash time in 2021 (prior to the NCAA Championships) with a 44.61 to take third at the SEC Championships…Won the 200m at the Torrin Lawrence Memorial with the fourth-best time in UGA history (20.32) while also finishing first in the event at the Spec Towns Invitational with a 20.53…Advanced to Nationals after registering a 46.03 for 11th in the 400m first round at the NCAA East Prelims...Finished 11th in the semifinal round of the 400m at the NCAA Championships thanks to a 46.18…Won the 400m at the Tom Jones Memorial (45.34) and the Torrin Lawrence Memorial (45.86)…Leg of 4x100m relay team that set a school record and took second at the NCAA Championships with a 38.54 to lock down a First Team All-America certificate…Also ran on relays that had then school record times for second-place finishes of 38.57 and 39.02 at the NCAA East Prelims and SEC Championships, respectively…Part of 4x400m relay team that finished fourth at the Tom Jones Memorial with a time of 3:05.53, which ranks ninth on the school’s all-time top-10 list.
Indoor – William Jay MacKenna Athletic Scholarship recipient...Finished one spot out of qualifying for the 400m final after taking ninth with a 46.04 at the NCAA Championships…Registered runner-up honors in the 400m final with the second-fastest time in school history (45.37) at the SEC Championships…Won the Razorback Invitational after clocking a 45.56 in the 400m…Had a season-best time of 6.80 to take second in the 60m at the Clemson Invitational…Ran the anchor leg (44.68 split) of the school record 4x400m relay (3:04.72) to earn third at the SEC Championships…Closed the 4x400m relay with a 44.21 (fastest indoor 400m relay leg in collegiate history) split as the Bulldogs took fourth with a 3:04.84 at the NCAA Championships.
2020: Indoor – Ran a career-best time of 6.76 to take second in the 60-meter dash prelims at the Bob Pollock Invitational…Improved his personal best to 21.01 (fourth in school history) in the 200m by winning the Bob Pollock race… Bettered his personal record to 46.60 in the 400m prelims at the SEC Championships before going 45.96 to take third in the event at SECs…This time ranks third in school history and seventh on the 2020 national performance list to earn an invitation to the NCAA Championships.
2019: Outdoor - Named the SEC Co-Men’s Freshman Runner of the Year…Won the 400-meter dash at the Torrin Lawrence Memorial with the seventh-fastest time in school history at 45.92…Grabbed top honors in the 400m at the Spec Towns Invite with a 45.99…Finished with the ninth-best 200m time in UGA history (20.59) to win Torrin Lawrence…Also had 200m wins at the Spec Towns Invite, Mt. SAC Relays and Yellow Jacket Invite to complete the season sweep in the event…Had a season-best time of 10.47 to win the 100m at the Yellow Jacket meet...Ran the anchor leg on the 4x100m relay that won the 4x100m relay at the Spec Towns meet with a 39.72…Sustained an injury prior to the conference meet that sidelined him for the rest of the year.
Indoor - Capped off his first collegiate indoor season at the SEC Indoor Championships, competing in three events at his first postseason meet...Finished 10th in the 400 meters (47.07), 14th in the 200 meters (21.14) and run a leg on the 4x400 meter relay team that finished ninth with a time of 3:15.95...Began his Bulldog career at the UAB Blazer Invitational with a first place finish in the 300 meters (33.54) and running a leg on the 4x400 team that placed fourth (3:17.87)...Followed up with a fifth place showing at the Clemson Invitational in the 200 meters (21.27) and a leg on the third-place 4x400 team with a time of 3:12.04.
High School: Ran on the 4x400-meter relay squad that earned a silver medal with a 3:05.26 at the 2018 World Junior Championships…Sped to a personal-best time of 45.83 in the 400m to become the 2017 Brooks PR champion…Finished third in the 200m in the 2017 Prefontaine Classic on Oregon’s outdoor track with a 20.71…Clocked an indoor personal record of 21.86 at the Dunamis Super Meet…Was third in the 400m at the 2018 USA Junior Outdoor Championships after registering a season best 46.00.
Personal: Undecided major.
Georgia Track & Field Outdoor National Championships Video Recap
Monday, June 16
Georgia Track & Field Outdoor NCAAs Day 2 Recap
Friday, June 13
Georgia Track & Field Feature: Throwers Profile
Monday, June 09
Georgia Track & Field Outdoor SEC Championships Day 3 Video Recap
Monday, May 19
