Husker hurdler, national champion Darius Luff falls just short in Olympic Trials

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Dozens of Lincolnites gathered in the Railyard on Thursday as Nebraska senior Darius Luff raced for a spot in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Luff qualified for the trials earlier this month after securing a national championship in the 110-meter hurdles.

Kia Itzen said her daughter and Luff went to Lincoln High School together. She said it’s incredible to see him accomplishing his dreams.

“Having someone here from our city make it into the Olympic trials, it’s a big deal,” she said.

Itzen has been following Darius throughout his historic career at Nebraska, and she couldn’t be prouder.

“He should be really, really proud of his career in general,” she said. “He is racing with the, you know, fastest people in the world. So we’re really proud to see him do this.”

Mike Brown has known the Luff family for years.

He is a fellow Lincoln High graduate but attended the school a few years before Luff.

Brown said this gives Lincoln kids hope that they can follow their dreams, too.

“That really shows people that, hey, doesn’t matter what it is, where you’re from, what you can do,” he said.

Luff recorded a time of 13.37 seconds in the 110 hurdles, good for a 5th-place finish.

But he needed a top-2 finish to qualify for the Olympics.

It’s a tough finish for the Husker senior, but back home, the city couldn’t be prouder of the hometown kid.

“He’s building a lot of dreams and building up people’s self-esteem,” Brown said.