Two weeks ago, the sprint world got to see young Trayvon Bromwell, come ever so close to the 10 second barrier with sizzling runs of 10.02 and 10.01 at the Texas Relays. In the process becoming the first "breakout" sprinter of the young season.
If the question on the table was "Who’s next", it was rapidly answered by the host Gators at last weekend’s Florida Relays, as their sprint corps put their "Dukes" up and delivered an answering blow to the early season sprint wars. Florida had already threatened to be a force with relay marks of 38.29 and 3:01.26. at the Texas Relays
Florida has consistently produced to level sprinters. John Capel, Bernard Williams, Keron Clement, Calvin Smith Jr., and Gino Hall being the most recent to represent the US in Olympic/World Championship competition. At home in Gainseville last weekend junior Dedric Dukes emerged as a threat to become the next international representative for Florida.
Dukes started out with a PR 10.27 in the 100. Not especially notable except it came INTO a -1.8mps wind. The real fireworks came when he took the track in the deuce and rolled to a 19.97 clocking into a -0.3! Dukes took over the world lead, and became the twelfth collegian ever to run under 20.00. That was only part of his weekend however, as he ran a leg on the Gators 38.55 4×1 early in the meet before Dukes (44.6) teamed up with Najee Glass (45.8), Hugh Graham Jr (45.3) and Gino Hall (43.9) to win the 4×4 in a world leading 2:59.73 – second fastest ever in collegiate history!
Running sub 20 moves Dukes into truly elite status and could give us another youngster to potentially battle at World’s where sub 20 is now a requirement to to in any medal conversation – almost to be a finalist. Splitting sub 45 in the relay, means he has the speed endurance to repeat it. That’s huge. Definitely one to watch. I’ll be adding him to my current "Sprinters Watch List" of:
YOUNG SPRINTERS WATCH LIST
Tyreek Hill
Trayvon Bromwell
Marvin Bracy
Charles Silmon
Dentarius Locke
Bryshon Nellum
Diondre Batson
Armon Hall
Levonte Whitfielfd
Michael Cherry
Dedric Dukes