EUGENE, Ore. – Given the rocketing trajectory of his up-and-coming track career, it's easy to forget that Trayvon Bromell was a late bloomer on the national scene.
After being slowed in his early teens by injuries to his left hip and both of his knees, his breakout moment didn't come until June of 2013, when Bromell, then 17, clocked a high-school record 9.99 seconds in the 100 meters at the Great Southwest Classic. That performance helped the St. Petersburg, Fla., native earn recognition as the 2013 Gatorade National Track and Field Athlete of the Year.
By that point, Bromell had already signed a letter of intent to Baylor University, thanks in large part to a strong relationship with sprint coach Michael Ford.