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Florida’s Fastest High School Runners of All Time

Fast things are awesome, whether it be a cartoon of a roadrunner swiftly evading a coyote or an NFL receiver sprinting away from a safety. Seeing the fastest humans on the planet is captivating. World class sprinters such as Usain Bolt command respect around the world due to their abilities.

The world’s fastest sprinters are from many different countries. Bolt represents his Jamaican roots with many other Jamaicans.  The world’s top endurance runners typically originate from Kenya. The United States has also produced its share of elite racers.

Florida high schools have played a key role in producing some of our nation’s fastest competitors. Three people come to mind when determining the most distinguished runners from the sunshine state.

 

Bob Hayes

Matthew Gilbert High School, Jacksonville

Undoubtedly one of the most iconic athletes to arise from Jacksonville, Bob Hayes broke world records regularly throughout his career. In high school he played football for the 1958 Gilbert Panthers, helping his team to an undefeated season capped by a state championship title.

He won two Olympic gold medals in 1964, one in the 100-meter dash and the other for the 4×100-meter relay. His accomplishments earned him a seventh-round NFL draft pick as a receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. He helped Dallas win their first Super Bowl in 1972 while carving out a career with over 7,000 yards receiving and several team records.

Hayes’s blinding speed helped him build a historical legacy. He passed away in 2002, spending his final moments in the same place his career began, Jacksonville, Florida.

 

Justin Gatlin

Woodham High School, Pensacola

Gatlin was often labeled the fastest runner on his high school track team. His speed helped his team win a state championship and earned him a scholarship as a sprinter for the University of Tennessee.

In college Gatlin won six consecutive NCAA sprint titles, helping the Tennessee Volunteers win two NCAA titles. His contributions to the Volunteers track team made them one of the top track schools in the nation.

Gatlin had an outstanding Olympic career, winning a gold medal in the 2017 100M sprint. He also earned three silver and two bronze medals, giving him a collection of six total Olympic medals.

Despite recent talk of retirement, Gatlin has elected to compete in the 2021 Olympics at 38 years old and is still one of the fastest humans on the planet. However his career ends up, he will always be known as the fastest man from Woodham High School.

 

Houston McTear

Baker High School, Baker

Houston McTear dominated track meets throughout his whole career. He was selected as the 1975 High School Athlete of the Year by Track Field and News. He broke school and world records while competing for Baker High School.

He is the only Florida high school athlete to win both the 100- and 220-yard races four times. He set a world record for the fastest 100M dash by a high school athlete at the 1976 Olympic Trials with a staggering 10.16-second performance. To this day, it’s held strong as the third fastest of all time.

McTear passed away in 2015 at 58 years old. Although not a globally-recognized track star, McTear will go down as one of the fastest high schoolers to ever lace up a pair of sneakers.

 

 

 

Written by: Cameron Jones

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