Trayvon Bromell, a former student-athlete at Baylor University is one of the young up-and-coming sprinters in the world of track and field. Bromell, along with other young sprint stars like Andre De Grasse of Canada, will be looking to take the throne after Usain Bolt transitions to life after track.
Bolt has been the ‘King of Sprinting’ for the past eight years and successfully defended his three Olympic titles earlier this month in Rio. If Bolt continues with his decision to retire after next season, athletes such as Bromell or De Grasse have the opportunity to become the fastest man in the world.
Coming into the Olympic Games, Bromell had a good season, finishing second behind fellow American Justin Gatlin in the 100 meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. Bromell ran a sizzling time of 9.84, which at that time, ranked as one of the fastest times in the world.
Although Bromell wasn’t as successful in Rio, many track and field fans did not know he strained his Achilles tendon prior to the Olympics. Despite a strained Achilles tendon, Bromell still managed to make the 100m Olympic final and anchor the U.S. 4x100m relay against the world record holder and nine-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt.
Bromell finished eighth in the 100m final and his relay team was eventually disqualified due to an illegal exchange between the first two runners. Still, Bromell competed with grit and courage.
For those who watched the race, you noticed that Bromell made a tumble as he crossed the finish line in the 4x100m relay. I imagine this was most likely due to his leg injury, which may require surgery.
The 21-year old has a bright future in the sport of track and field. I wish him a speedy recovery and much success throughout his track career.
Watch Bromell Anchor the 4x100m relay against Jamaica’s Usain Bolt.
By Dr. Brandon Spradley
Dr. Spradley is the Director of Sports Management at the United States Sports Academy, and can be reached at bspradley@ussa.edu.