Godwin is fromCovington, Georgia and is a student at theUniversity of Georgia. Initially, Godwin only ran on the track to condition himself forfootball. Then, once he began to train more seriously, he would run mostly100 m and200 m. This was until his coach, Kevin Barnes, looked at his split times and suggested he run an open400 m race. Godwin ran 47.40 for the 400 m at his first race.[2]
On May 7, 2019, Godwin suffered a severe injury during a training session when he was impaled by ajavelin while running backward sprints at Georgia track and field practice prior to the 2019 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[3] The accident left Godwin with wounds to his back and shoulder and collapsed his left lung. Emergency services attended to him and ground off part of the javelin before he was taken to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Centre, where the rest of it was removed by surgeons.[4]
On May 15, 2021, he ran a personal best 44.61 at the Cushing stadium inTexas at the SEC Outdoor Championships to meet the Olympic qualifying standard.[5] At theNCAA Outdoor Championships, Hayward Field,Eugene, Oregon he finished fourth in his heat in a time of 46.18.[6]
Indoors, Godwin finished 7th in his heat of the 400 m at the SEC Championships and did not make the final, but returned to anchor theUniversity of Georgia's 4 × 400 m team with a winning 44.95 leg.[11] At the NCAA Indoor Championships, he finished 4th in his heat of the 400 m and anchored Georgia to 4th in the 4 × 400 m final.[12]Outdoors, Godwin was the runner-up at the SEC Championship meet in 44.81, behind Champion Allison of Florida who ran 44.74.[13] At the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Godwin placed 3rd in a personal-best 44.50 behind Allison (44.41) and defending champion Randolph Ross (44.13) of North Carolina A&T.[14] Competing for the United States at the2022 World Athletics Championships inEugene, Oregon Godwin won bronze in the mixed 4 × 400 m relay and then gold in the men's 4 × 400 m relay, completing the first leg in a team also consisting ofMichael Norman,Bryce Deadmon andChampion Allison.[15]
His mother, Ginger Luby, was working her job as an administrator in a doctor's office when she received the call that Elija had been injured by the javelin in 2019.[21] Godwin has one brother, Okon Godwin and a sister, Kyaundra Ward. He graduated fromNewton High School inCovington, Georgia in 2018. Godwin received special recognition from Covington's city council by way of a proclamation that made 10 September 2022 "Elija Godwin" day.[22]
United States
