Jordan Mitchell, 18, shattered the school and regional record in the 100-meter dash, crossing the finish line in 10.32 seconds at the Holiday Invitational.
The previous record of 10.45 seconds had stood since 1995, set by Marcus Thompson, who was in the stands to witness his record fall. Mitchell's time is not only a personal best but ranks among the top 20 high school times in the nation this year.
A Year of Breakthroughs
Mitchell's meteoric rise began last spring when he won the regional championship in his first year of varsity competition. Since then, he's been working with former Olympian coach Diana Foster to refine his technique.
"Jordan has natural speed that you can't teach," Coach Foster said. "But what makes him special is his dedication. He's in the weight room at 5 AM, watching film, working on his start. This record is the result of months of hard work."
"I knew I had something special when I felt the first 30 meters. Everything just clicked today." — Jordan Mitchell
College Prospects
Mitchell has received scholarship offers from several major track programs, including the University of Texas, Oregon, and LSU. He plans to make his college decision in the spring.
For now, Mitchell's focus is on the state championships in February, where he hopes to lower his time even further and claim the state title.