Picture this: a teenager, barely old enough to vote, steps onto a Texas track and does what neither Usain Bolt nor Noah Lyles could at his age—blazes through the 100-meter dash in a time that has the track world screaming, “Who is this kid?” On April 18, 2025, a high school senior unleashed a performance so electrifying it’s being called historic, leaving fans in a frenzy. The hype is real, and the numbers back it up. But who could outshine the legends at just 18?
Meet Brayden Dashun Williams, a senior from Duncanville High, who is now the fastest high school sprinter in U.S. history under any conditions. This Georgia signee has track fans losing their minds after clocking a wind-assisted 9.82 seconds in the 100-meter dash at a regional meet in the Texas State Semi-Finals. The time, aided by a +6.0 m/s tailwind, smashed the U.S. high school all-conditions record, previously set by Matthew Boling at 9.98 (+4.2 m/s) in 2019.
So, what exactly makes this 9.82 so monumental? Well, Williams didn’t just run—he dominated, glancing back at his rivals mid-race with a swagger that screams future star. Even for these wind-assisted unofficial timings, Williams’ 9.82 is faster than any high schooler has ever run, wind or not, and it’s a time Bolt and Lyles never touched in their teens. Williams’ mark, though wind-aided, is a statement.
According to FloTrack, only five U.S. high schoolers have ever broken 10 seconds, even with wind: Christian Miller, Issam Asinga, Boling, Trayvon Bromell, and now Williams. Williams’ earlier 9.99 (+2.6 m/s) at the Texas A&M Bluebonnet Invitational on March 8, 2025, already made him the fifth to do so. So, track fans, are you ready for Brayden Williams to take over the sprinting world? Well, they are already celebrating the feat.
Fans rally behind Brayden Williams despite wind-assisted record
Sure, the +6.0 m/s tailwind made it ineligible for official records, but fans on X aren’t letting that dim the shine of this high school senior’s historic run. From awe to fierce defense, the online reactions paint a picture of a fan base hyped for a new star. One user summed up the raw fear Williams’ time inspires: “If I’m in high school looking at MileSplit & I see some guy in my heat running 9.8, I might crash out.” So, why are fans so quick to crown Williams despite the wind?
The comparisons to past high school phenoms show fans contextualizing Williams’ feat while brushing off the wind critique. One user pointed to Matthew Boling’s 9.98 from 2019, run with a +4.2 m/s wind: “It was like a 5+-something wind. Made the internet go oooh and aaaah, but he only hit this time one other time legally.” Fans seem to argue that while wind helps, it doesn’t fake raw talent. So, what makes Williams’ run stand out beyond the numbers?
For many, it’s about potential. Fans see Williams as a harbinger of the track’s future, with one boldly stating, “These are the future stars of the sport, I think.” This reaction reflects a belief that Williams’ 9.82, wind or not, signals a ceiling higher than most. Another user estimated, “6.0 m/s is a hurricane…but, still – 9.8 is wild. He’s probably got a 9.95 legal in him right now.” They suggested that, wind-aided or not, Williams is already knocking on the door of sub-10-second runs in legal conditions.
But how do fans reconcile the wind’s impact? Some dive into the math, defending Williams with calculated optimism. One user noted, “9.82 is 9.82; however, apparently the wind gained him about 0.25 of a second. So a 10.07-ishhhh, no wind. Wind conversions should be taken lightly, though.” Another chimed in, “6.0 or not… that’s still hella fast… adjusted to 10.04 or thereabouts.”
These fans acknowledge the +6.0 m/s wind—well over the legal +2.0 m/s limit—but argue the adjusted times still place Williams among the elite. Still, why the emotional investment in a Texas teen? Regional pride plays a role, especially for Texans. One fan declared, “Texas is built different. I wish More Texan athletes would stay in state for college athletics.”
This reaction implies Williams’ run is a point of state pride, part of a legacy of Texas producing sprinting prodigies like Trayvon Bromell and Matthew Boling. Even those who question the wind can’t deny the run’s wow factor. One user admitted, “My first thought was also ‘What was the wind?’ And it turns out it was +6.0 m/s. Still a great time under all conditions.”
This balanced take reflects a fanbase that grapples with the wind’s role but refuses to let it overshadow Williams’ achievement. The phrase “under all conditions” echoes the record he set: the fastest U.S. high school 100-meter time ever. With the UIL Outdoor Championships in May 2025 on the horizon, will William’s silence the doubters with a legal sub-10?
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