OHIO — University of Akron alumnus Clayton Murphy is a step closer to winning another Olympic medal. 

Murphy finished second in the 800m semifinals early Sunday with a time of 1:44.18, behind Peter Bol of Australia, who finished with a time of 1:44.11.

The 24-year-old of New Paris won bronze in the same event at the Rio Games in 2016. 

“I really am worried about myself and what I can do. As long as I’m in the best shape that I can be in, the healthiest I can be, and as mentally confident in myself as possible, I think the sky’s the limit," Murphy told Spectrum News.

During the trials, Murphy came in first place. With just seconds left of the run, Murphy was in fifth place, but sprinted the last 40 meters, finishing with a time of 1:43.17 — the fastest time recorded so far this year. 

Unfortunately, during the semifinals over the weekend, another Ohio native missed qualifying for the finals.

Christina Clemons, a former Ohio State track star, missed qualifying for the 100m hurdles final Sunday by just 0.09 seconds, coming in fourth place. 

The 800m final takes place Aug. 4 at 8:05 a.m. EST.