Jamal Walton was the MVP of last year's FLYRA/flrunners.com Middle School State Championship. An eighth grader on the Miami Gardens Xpress Track team, Walton came away with gold medals in the 100,200 and 400. As a fifteen year old he is making an even bigger splash. Running unattached against a college field at the University of Miami Invitational, he finished second in 47.73 in the quarter mile and concluded the day with a personal best 21.52 to finish ninth. This past weekend at the 2014 CARIFTA Games in Martinique, Walton (running for the Cayman Islands National Team) broke Usain' Bolt's U17 record 400m mark of 47.33 when he was sixteen years old, posting an amazing 47.28. That time would put him second in the state behind Jeffery Green of Miami Northwesterns 47.27 and tied for fifth in the country in 2014!
We caught up with his coach Darius Lawshea for his thoughts on the race, Walton breaking the record, and what his future holds.
"He has always run AAU, but doors are starting to open for him at a early age. Running overseas is something beautiful and so much to see and learn for both of us. Ive been coaching him since he was 7 years old so now its about putting him and great hands to help him grow as a athlete and adult. "
"Yes I witnessed the race and I got video of it. It waw amazing to watch a 15 year old go 47.28 in the 400m with the crowd going crazy! He also qualified for the 200m tonight running a 21.5 going into the finals ranked 3rd. The future is bright for him because he is learning more then the average athlete by competing internationally for two years now. Miami Gardens Xpress Track and Field Club is very proud and the kids love him alot."
UPDATE: Walton finished fourth in the 200 in 21.64 and was a member of the 4x400m relay team that was also fourth.
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