BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jasmine Jones is ready to race toward the medal stand at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Jones, the daughter former Buffalo Bills safety Henry Jones, will compete in the 400-meter hurdle final at 3:25 p.m. Thursday, Eastern time. The event includes American teammate and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
The race will be shown live on NBC and re-air later Channel 2 and Peacock.
Jones finished third on June 30 at the U.S. Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., running a personal-best 52.77 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone took first at 50.65 seconds — a new world record — and Anna Cockrell was second at 52.64.
The week in Paris began Sunday, when she won her heat with a time of 53.60, seconds. Then she qualified for the final with a second-place finish in her Tuesday heat at 53.83 seconds.
Now comes the final. Jones ranks 23rd in the world with a personal best of 52.77 seconds. She will be on the outside, in Lane No. 9, when they race for the gold.
"One thing about Jasmine is she always rises to the occasion and she definitely will surprise people," said Jordan Jones, Jasmine's brother, who is in Paris cheering for her. "I know the competition is stiff. Sydney is great. The other girls are really great. But I'm not going to count Jasmine out."
Jones recently completed her fourth season at USC, where she competed in hurdles, sprints, and jumps. She ranks in the top seven all-time on the Trojans' all-time list in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles.
Back in high school, Jones was a 12-time individual champion in the state of Georgia, where she attended Greater Atlanta Christian School. She helped the Spartans will a state title as well, in 2019.
Henry Jones played in 144 games over 10 seasons with the Bills, from 1991 to 2000. An All-Pro safety in 1992, he had 18 interceptions, including four that were returned for touchdowns, during his Buffalo years. He forced seven fumbles, recovered another nine, and made 663 tackles in Buffalo.