Former world indoor champion Trayvon Bromell has shared his thoughts on the evolving nature of sprinting, emphasizing how unpredictable the sport has become compared to previous generations.
Reflecting on the differences between past and present sprinters, Bromell highlighted how the dominance of figures like Usain Bolt, Justin Gatlin, and Tyson Gay made it easier to predict race outcomes. Today, the competitive field is much more balanced, with multiple top-tier sprinters, including Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, Fred Kerley, and Bromell himself, all capable of winning on any given day.
The American sprinter pointed to the Paris Olympic Games 100m final as evidence of how much the sport has changed. Unlike in previous years, when one or two athletes would stand out as clear favorites, the current era features a level of competition where race winners are far less predictable.
“We look back at the past—Bolt, Gatlin, Tyson, Yohan [Blake]—and we could often tell who was going to win by a big margin,” Bromell noted. “Now, it’s completely different. You never know who’s going to cross the line first.”
This uncertainty, he believes, makes the sport more exciting and worth appreciating. Having missed out on the Paris Olympics due to an injury that forced him to withdraw from the US trials, Bromell had to watch the Games from home. Though it was a difficult experience, it gave him a fresh perspective on how much sprinting has evolved.
Seeing some of his competitors rise to the occasion in Paris further fueled his competitive drive. One of the sprinters who impressed him the most was Kishane Thompson, whom Bromell had been following for a while. Watching him make it onto the podium was both surprising and inspiring.
“Obviously, I competed against a lot of the guys who went and got on the podium,” he said. “I had watched some of them for years, working their way up, and seeing it all play out was incredible. The races were entertaining from the preliminaries to the final.”
Bromell emphasized that the 100m final was a perfect example of how thrilling and competitive modern sprinting has become. Instead of one dominant figure, the race was so close that the winner wasn’t clear until the very end.
“You honestly couldn’t pick who was going to win,” he said. “For it to end in an almost blanket finish, that’s where sports become truly interesting.”
Now back on the track, Bromell is determined to make up for lost time. He kicked off his 2025 season with a victory at the Texas Tech Corky Classic before competing at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, where he finished fifth. He then improved to second place at the Millrose Games, showing signs of returning to top form.
Despite an injury scare that forced him to withdraw from the US Indoor Championships, Bromell remains focused on the upcoming outdoor season. With his eyes set on redemption, he is determined to prove that he can still compete with the best in this new, unpredictable era of sprinting.
