The Next Big Thing

Published by SPIKES on December 4, 2015

“Honestly, I’m probably the most boring person in the world,” says world 100m bronze medallist Trayvon Bromell. Sorry, Tray, but we disagree.

In 2014, the 19-year-old Trayvon Bromell was branded one-to-watch after he ran 9.97 to break the world junior record and become the first teen to record a sub-10 100m. He didn’t slow down in 2015, ending the season with a world championship bronze medal and a pro contract with New Balance. Doesn’t sound boring so far, does it?

There’s more: this year the Baylor University corporate communications student dipped below the 10-second barrier seven times. His 9.84 PB at the US Outdoor Championships in June ranks him fourth in the world for 2015, and the 10th fastest in history.

Reflecting on his achievements so far, Bromell describes 2015 as “unpredictable”. At the Beijing world champs he cruised through to the semi-final as second fastest (9.91), before squeezing in to the next round in 9.99. In a thriller of a final, which Usain Bolt won in 9.79, Bromell finished tied third with fellow NCAA sprinter Andre De Grasse of Canada.