By Joshua Koch
For 26 years, the record remained unbreakable.
In 1998, Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt High School set the initial national record for the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 39.99 and then proceeded to break its own record at the UIL State Track & Field State Championships months later clocking in at 39.76.
No one had touched it, until now.
At the Victor Lopez Classic, held each year at Rice University, on Saturday, the Atascocita boys 4x100-meter relay team – composed of Tory Blaylock, Landon Fontenot, Jordan Parker and Jelani Watkins – shattered the record.
As Watkins, an LSU-signee, pulled away from the anchor for Duncanville in the final 100 meters, he crossed the line at a final time of 38.92 seconds.
Watch the National Record-Breaking Run
“This outstanding performance not only showcases the individual talents of each leg but also underscores the exceptional teamwork and dedication of the entire relay team,” Atascocita track and field coach Elton Ervin said.
The previous national record holders were Milton Wesley, Monte Clopton, Michael Franklin and DeMario Wesley of Fort Worth O.D. Wyatt.
“We fixed things we needed to, we locked in and great things came in a national record,” Parker said in an interview with Texas MileSplit. “First high school team to run a 38, it’s a blessing man, thank God.”
Ervin added: “This monumental achievement is a testament to the hard work, perseverance, and excellence embodied by our student-athletes.”