If you tuned into the Texas Relays on March 30, 2025, you might’ve seen Tia Jones torch the 100m hurdles, clocking a sizzling 12.57 seconds to kick off her outdoor season with a win. Yeah, sure, the wind might’ve had some hand in that, but it was still an emphatic comeback for her after an injury-riddled season. But while her life on the track has been anything but sensational, the same can’t be said about her personal life off the track. With a messy case looming over an alleged assault with ex-fiancé Xavier Worthy stirring drama since April, one track icon was quick to point out the similarities between this and one other such incident. Who was this icon? Well, some call him Justin Gatlin.
So what did he have to say? Well, “I enjoy watching Tia run,” he said on the ‘Ready Set Go‘ podcast, before dropping a Kobe Bryant reference: “Y’all remember when he had the little scandal going on in Denver and he still had to play basketball? This man showed up on the court with ice in his veins, and he played to win.” Gatlin’s vibe is clear—Tia’s got the talent to rise above the noise, just like Kobe did in 2003. But what’s his game plan for her?
Gatlin’s not just tossing out nostalgia—he’s got a playbook for Jones to own this moment. “That’s what she needs to do right now, define herself,” he urged. “Go out there, win every race you can win, drop hot times when you can drop hot times, and show the world that you are a bona fide star and you’re unflappable.” He’s hyping that 12.57 at Texas Relays as proof she’s on it, noting, “A little bit of wind, but it shows that she dominated the rest of the field.”
After watching her shine indoors, only to get derailed by injury, Gatlin’s stoked: “She’s on a comeback now.” The controversy? He shrugs it off: “Whatever goes on off the track, so be it… But when you step on the track, she’s ready to rock and roll, and that’s what she has to do—lock her mind in.” So, how does this set her up for the battles ahead?
Jones Storms Back; Texas Relays Win Signals a Fierce Comeback
Tia Jones kicked off her outdoor season with a bang at the Texas Relays on March 30, 2025, blazing through the 100m hurdles in a jaw-dropping 12.57 seconds to take the win. Sure, the wind was a sneaky +2.2 m/s—past the legal 2.0 limit—but she still left the field eating dust by over two-tenths, per official results.
After an injury knocked her out of the indoors in 2024, this was a massive flex, her fastest opener in years, and a sign she’s shaking off the rust. For fans, it’s a hype moment—Tia’s got that NCAA title from LSU in 2022 and a U20 world record (12.72) from 2018 in her bag. But what’s fueling this comeback? Now, this wasn’t just a random hot run—Jones is on a mission.
That 12.57, wind-aided or not, backs it up—she’s already clocked a 7.95 in the 60m hurdles indoors in 2023 before the setback, and this Texas Relays W screams she’s ready for more. “It shows that she’s getting ready for outdoors,” Gatlin added, pointing to the grind ahead in the brutal 100m hurdles scene. With the crowd buzzing and her name lighting up the scoreboard, it’s clear Tia’s got the tools to shine.
So, can she keep this momentum rolling against the world’s best? The 100m hurdles is a war zone—Danielle Williams, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, and a stacked field are ready to throw down—and Tia knows it. Gatlin’s all in, saying, “It shows that she’s getting ready for outdoors, and she’s going to need to get ready ‘cuz… It’s always a fight, and she knows that too.”
Gatlin’s betting she can channel Kobe’s clutch gene to turn heads all season: “I remember watching her run indoors… now she’s on a comeback.” Fans are split—some see a champ rising; others worry the off-track saga could trip her up. If she takes Gatlin’s advice and keeps dropping heat, this could be her redemption arc. Can Tia lock in and turn that Texas Relays spark into a full-on outdoor takeover?
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