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Forbes
6 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
10 High School Track And Field Athletes Who Were Competitive On A World Level In 2025
Arcadia, CA - April 12: Jane Hedengren of Timpview (Utah) wins the women's 2 mile invitational ... More during the 2025 Arcadia Invitational at Arcadia High School in Arcadia on Saturday, April 12, 2025.(Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) MediaNews Group via Getty Images A new age of track and field athletes is growing up before our eyes, and in 2025 we witnessed one of the most talented crops in some time. From a legendary season in Utah from Brigham Young University recruit Jane Hedengren, to a best-in-show sprint campaign from Texan Tate Taylor, here are 10 high school athletes who changed the game in 2025. And when we say changed the game, we mean this : Every single one of these teenagers were competitive on a world level. So what does that mean in the immediate future? With the U.S. Outdoor Championships fast approaching on July 31 in Eugene, Oregon, we could see a few of these athletes step to the line and compete for spots on Team USA ahead of the World Championships in September in Tokyo. Dumas, a high school junior from Voorhees, New Jersey, made a massive impression over her final high school competition of the 2025 season, winning three individual championships in the 400 meters, the 800 meters, and the 400 meter hurdles at New Balance Nationals Outdoor. What's more, Dumas ran times that were respectable on the world stage, clocking efforts of 51.14 (World No. 59), 2:00.11 (World No. 75) and 55.99 (World No. 64). Interestingly enough, Dumas' performance in the 400 meters surpassed a New Jersey state record formerly held by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. 9. Dana Wilson, Greensboro Day School (NC) By the end of the 2025 high school season, Wilson was the sixth-best performer in prep history over 100 meters, with a personal best time of 11.02 seconds. Coming from a small prep school in Greensboro, North Carolina, Wilson searched for the best competition to run against – which led to outings at the Pepsi Florida Relays and the USATF Under-20 Championships – and that strategy proved fruitful, because she finished the year with the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 performances at 100 and 200 meters. Her time over 100 meters stands as the 36th-best effort in the world. 8. Brayden Williams, Duncanville (TX) No one in high school history has run as fast as Brayden Williams. That is technically true. When it comes to the fastest wind-aided 100 meter time in prep history, the 18-year-old from Duncanville High School achieved that feat, stopping the clock in 9.82 seconds in April during a postseason race in Texas. Williams went on to finish second at the Texas State Championships – only to Tate Taylor (who's No. 3 on this list) – pocketed three sub-10 performances (all wind-aided) over the spring, and won the USATF Under-20 100 meter championship in Eugene. He's off to the University of Georgia in the fall. 7. Owen Powell, Mercer Island (WA) Ever since Alan Webb exploded on the scene and set a new high school national record in the mile in 2001 – clocking a remarkable time of 3:53.43 that still stands today – high school boys have been trying to recreate that magical season. Many have tried since, and many have not quite reached that apex. What Webb did manage to do, however, was re-set the bar for others to go after the sub-4 mile. Powell, the son of University of Washington coaches Andy and Maurica Powell, was the best of the American high schoolers in 2025, hitting a top time of 3:56.66 indoors and 3:58.12 outdoors on his way to the record books – the first accounting for a new national indoor record and the second landing at No. 7 all-time outdoors. He also ran 1:46.63 for 800 meters and 3:36.49 for 1,500 meters, with the latter achieving the No. 2 mark in prep history and reaching No. 161 on the world list (as it currently stands). 6. Jackson Cantwell, Nixa (MO) Not only did Cantwell have one of the greatest high school throwing seasons in history, earning the second-best shot put mark of all-time in 76 feet, 11.25 inches, but the Nixa High School junior was also the No. 1 football recruit in the country – and better yet, he was only 16 years old. The 6-foot-8 and roughly 280 pound offensive lineman is headed off to the University of Miami in December, where he could spend one more season throwing before he commits full-time to football – and if that happens Cantwell would be throwing at the age of a traditional high school senior. Let's hope that happens. Both of Cantwell's parents – Christian and Teri – were track and field Olympians, with Christian earning Olympic silver in 2008 and a World Championship title outdoors in 2009. While Cantwell's football future seems incredibly bright, there's no question his shot put mark mark in May at the Missouri State Outdoor Championships will go down as one of the craziest throws of all-time – it's only roughly four feet shy of Michael Carter's 46-year-old national record of 81 feet and 3.5 inches. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: Sadie Engelhardt (USA) places fifth in women's 1,500m heat in ... More 4:08.87 during the Sound Running Sunset Tour at Jack Kemp Stadium at Occidental College on July 12, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) Getty Images 5. Sadie Engelhardt, Ventura (CA) The teenager from California made the unique decision to opt out of high school competition in 2025, both to avoid over-racing and create additional opportunities against professional competition. That wasn't necessarily a bad decision. The North Carolina State University recruit competed in professional fields at the Millrose Games, Track Fest, the Music City Distance Carnival and the Sunset Tour, with the final event producing Engelhardt's top time at the 1,500 meter distance this year in 4:08.87. In June, she also clocked an 800 meter time of 2:02.50. Considering Engelhardt competed U.S. Olympic Trials in 2024, we just may see her line up at the U.S. Outdoor Championships. RENTON, WASHINGTON - JUNE 12: Boys 800m winner Cooper Lutkenhaus (C) poses with runner-up Patrick ... More Hilby (L) and third-place finisher Trey Sato during the Brooks PR Invitational at Renton Memorial Stadium on June 12, 2024 in Renton, Washington. (Photo by) Getty Images 4. Cooper Lutkenhaus, Northwest (TX) Not since Michael Granville has a high school athlete taken the 800 meter distance by such a storm. And even grander: Lutkenhaus has done it at the tender age of 16. The Texas teenager, a rising high school junior at Northwest High School near Fort Worth, became the only American high schooler in history to surpass the 1:46 barrier for the distance in June, clocking a new high school record of 1:45.45 at the USATF U20 Championships. Granville's former national record of 1:46.45 had held since 1996. Now Lutkenhaus is entered in the men's 800 meters in the U.S. Outdoor Championships. Maybe it's a stretch to think the Texan can compete for a bid to the World Championships – but hey, crazier things have happened. Lutkenhaus will face up against World Indoor champion Josh Hoey, world qualifier Brandon Miller and former NCAA champion Shane Cohen. 3. Tate Taylor, Harlan (TX) Taylor's season may be over – he's not currently entered in the men's 100 meters at the U.S. Outdoor Championships – though he surely left a mark by season's end. In May, the 17-year-old high school junior from Harlan became the fastest high schooler in history when he ran a wind-legal 9.92 seconds at the Texas State Outdoor Championships – former record-holder, Issam Asinga, is currently holding a 4-year doping hand-out following a failed drug test following his record 9.89 from the South American Championships in 2023. That 100 meter time by Taylor still stands as the ninth-fastest performance in the world and is the fastest under-18 effort in history. Taylor ran just once more after the Texas State Championships, clocking a time of 10.10 for 100 meters. THE 2025 ESPYS PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE - Hosted by comedian, actor and writer Shane Gillis who will ... More bring his comedic energy to the stage as he joins a star-studded group to celebrate the most memorable moments in sports. "The ESPYS" will air live from The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 16, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and will stream live on ESPN+. (Disney/Frank Micelotta) ADDISON HALPERN, JANE HEDENGREN, SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN-LEVRONE (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Disney via Getty Images) Disney via Getty Images 2. Jane Hedengren, Provo Timpiew (UT) Hedengren is not entered in the U.S. Outdoor Championships yet. But that isn't to say she won't be by deadline day. And what a show it will be if she's in the picture. The high school graduate from Provo Timpview High School – a five-star recruit headed for Brigham Young University – may have just concluded the most impressive high school girls campaigns in history, claiming high school national records in the mile, 3,000 meters, two mile and 5,000 meters. She's ranked top 20 in the world in the mile, top 50 in the 3,000 meters and inside the top 60 at 5,000 meters. And that last performance? With a time of 14:57.93, she became the first American high school athlete to break 15 minutes in history – an achievement she probably didn't even have on her bucket list. She's also the fastest woman in the world for two miles with a time of 9:17.75 – though that's a time very few women run over the season. There have been other high school superstars over the last 20 years, including the likes of Mary Cain, Alexa Efraimson and Katelyn Tuohy. But none were as versatile, and as supremely prolific, as Hedengren. WASHINGTON, DC-MARCH 18: Quincy Wilson of Bullis High School is boys track , All Met Player of ... More the Year photographed in Washington, DC on March 18, 2025. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post via Getty Images 1. Quincy Wilson, Bullis School (MD) The only 2024 Olympian on this list, Wilson is in pristine form just a few weeks out from the U.S. Outdoor Championships. On July 12, he re-set his own world under-18 record at 400 meters, unlocking a time of 44.10 seconds at the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis Tennessee – a performance which now stands fourth in the world. The 17-year-old is also undoubtedly a threat to make the U.S. team at the distance. And even if he ultimately finishes outside the top three finishers at USAs, Wilson will no doubt be in the running for the World Championship relay pool if he reaches the 400 meter final and accounts himself well. Wilson finished fifth at the U.S. Olympic Trials last June and was picked as an Olympian. He eventually ran in the 4x400 first round in Paris and contributed to the American's gold-winning effort. But after a hamstring injury downplayed his involvement, the Bullis School star no doubt is looking to redeem himself. So what can we expect? As a 16-year-old, Wilson clocked times of 44.66, 44.59 and 44.94 over 400 meters to finish fifth at the U.S. Olympic Trials last June. If he's anyone close to that, we're in for a wild show.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Octavia Spencer to Return for ‘Ma 2' Horror Sequel in Development at Blumhouse
Don't make me drink alone! We're celebrating because Octavia Spencer is set to return as the title character in a sequel to the 2019 horror-thriller 'Ma,' which is now in development at Blumhouse. No other talent is attached at this point, and any plot details are being kept under wraps, but the film will be a follow-up to director Tate Taylor's revenge horror film, which earned more than $60 million at the worldwide box office but in the subsequent years has generated countless memes and made Spencer's character one of her most memorable roles. Blumhouse recently staged its 'Halfway to Halloween' festival, at which 'Ma' proved to be a fan favorite. More from IndieWire Rose Byrne Wants True Story 'Tow' to Change the Stigma Around Unhoused Women - Check Out the First Look Darren Aronofsky Produces Award-Winning Hamas Documentary 'Holding Liat' - Watch Sneak Peek 'Ma has proven to be a social phenomenon since its release in 2019, with fans eagerly embracing the film and Octavia's iconic performance as Ma. Ma likes to say 'don't make me drink alone,' so we're thrilled Octavia will join us again for a second round,' said Jason Blum, Founder and CEO with Blumhouse. 'Ma' stars Spencer as a lonely woman who befriends a group of teenagers after allowing them to party at her house. She's dubbed 'Ma' by the group and quickly becomes one of the friends, regularly leading ragers. But as she gets clingier and more intense, the teens start to suspect their host's intentions. Blumhouse announced the news as part of a special press event it held for the first time called The Business of Fear. In it, panelists Jason Blum, Blumhouse President Abhijay Prakash, Alayna Glasthal, Director of Creative Production for Atomic Monster, and horror analyst and author Stephen Follows looked at the state of the horror industry and how the genre has continued to grow in popularity even as other genres have long since peaked. Follows in the presentation broke down how horror has evolved to the point that just saying a movie is 'horror' is far too narrow of a definition, and Follows and Blumhouse polled 2,000 respondents in a research study to identify 24 different sub-genres within horror, such as survival, slasher, psychological thriller, monster, and many more that maybe haven't seeped into the cultural lexicon. For their money, 'Ma' fits into the 'Revenge' sub-genre. It's been a minute since we've seen Spencer on the big screen. She starred in 2022's holiday comedy 'Spirited' for Apple TV+, but she'll next be seen in director Stephanie Laing's 'Tow' and is in pre-production on 'The Heart,' which is the new film from Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. She's also appearing in the animated 'Smurfs' movie coming later this year. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Geek Tyrant
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Octavia Spencer Returns for a Sequel to Her Horror Film MA — GeekTyrant
Six years after Ma first was relased, Blumhouse just confirmed that Octavia Spencer is officially returning for a Ma sequel. Announced via social media on June 4, Blumhouse dropped the news with an unhinged meme-heavy post, while Spencer took to TikTok to let fans know that, yes, Ma still doesn't like drinking alone. Directed by Tate Taylor, the 2019 film introduced us to Sue Ann, aka Ma, a lonely woman who lets teens party in her basement, buys them booze, and then slowly spirals into obsessive, violent territory. It was a pretty messed up movie. The film blew up not just for its off-the-rails plot but because Spencer absolutely owned the role. Ma's obsessive need for attention, her strict rules, and that jaw-dropping finale made it a cult hit, and a meme goldmine. Still, one big question is looming… How is Ma even alive? If you remember the ending of the first movie, Sue Ann basically chose to burn with her secrets inside her house after her daughter set it ablaze. But in the horror world, 'dead' is always a maybe. If there's no body, there's no closure. No plot details have dropped yet, but considering how Ma walked the tightrope between psychological thriller and bonkers horror-comedy, it will be interesting to see how the sequel turns out.
Forbes
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
The Fastest Teenage Sprinters In The World Are Here. Is Track Ready For Them?
Tate Taylor, a high school junior, from San Antonio Harlan, ran a new American U20 record at the ... More Texas UIL State Track and Field Championships on Saturday, May 4, in Austin, Texas. Cory Mull With the eyes of Texas upon the start of the 100 meter final at the state's high school track and field championships on Saturday in Austin, two teenager's from San Antonio and Dallas rocket-launched their names into the record books. But when 17-year-old Tate Taylor claimed the title in a new wind-legal state record time of 9.92 seconds – in front of a crowd of approximately 10,000 fans – he didn't just leave with respect. The San Antonio native also entered the arena as one of the very best teenagers in the world, securing a time that went down as the second-fastest time in U20 history and the top mark in the American U20 books. It's also the second-fastest time in the world right now for 100 meters. 'That's nice,' Taylor told me afterward. 'God is good, man. Simple.' Beside him, just a lane over in fact, Brayden Williams ran 10.01 seconds, losing the immediate battle but in many respects winning the larger war about whether his wind-assisted sub-10 performances over the spring season – three in total – were in fact legitimate. The 18-year-old's effort on Saturday was tied for fifth-best in high school history. Those two times, paired with Christian Miller's 10.02 effort on April 19 and Maurice Gleaton's 9.98 jaw-dropper just a few days later, gave the United States four athletes under 20 with globally competitive 100 meter marks through the month of May, highlighting a fact that seems to be persistent across the world now. The teenagers are here and ready to sit at the table. 'It does increase my confidence, but obviously we can't get too cocky, right?' Taylor said. 'You can walk in with a certain level of confidence, but you can never doubt your competition. You can never doubt yourself.' Perhaps it would be a mistake for the sport of track and field to sit on this moment. TOPSHOT - Australia's Gout Gout celebrates after winning the men's 200m final during the Queensland ... More State Championships in Brisbane on March 16, 2025. (Photo by Patrick HAMILTON / AFP) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE — (Photo by PATRICK HAMILTON/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) AFP /AFP via Getty Images Can Teenage Sprint Sensations Compete On The World Stage? These efforts on tracks near and far, from the bellwether states of Florida and Georgia and Texas, are certainly opening eyes and drawing fans. But they're also not without parallels globally. In Australia, 17-year-old Gout Gout is becoming a sensation, while in South Africa, 18-year-old Bayanda Walaza is quickly becoming relevant and is the reigning World U20 champion at 100 meters and 200 meters. Can any of these sprinters replicate their recent successes on larger stages, and against Olympic-level talent? It's one thing to perform against the likes of your peers–and in the case of Taylor, Gleaton and Williams, against high schoolers who are nowhere near competitive globally–though it's another to prove success against professional men fighting for their lives on the track. That bar could be closing. And Miller is a fitting example why . The Florida teenager was the first to break through in 2024, running dual performances of 9.93 and 9.95 seconds in April and June of last year to smash the national high school and American U20 records--which have since been broken by Taylor. Later, after reaching the finals of the men's 100 meters at the Trials and finishing fifth there, he turned pro right out of high school, signing with Puma. In the nine months since, the 18-year-old has been perfecting his craft like a Grizzly bear waiting to exit hibernation. 'My mindset has changed a little bit,' he told me in December. 'Last year the mindset was trying to go out and be one of the best high school athletes I could be. Now this year, I'm trying to compete with the world's fastest.' The month of April gave him his first eye test. Miller lined up against 2024 Olympians Courtney Lindsay, Christian Coleman and Kyree King – in fact, it was Lindsey and King who were picked over Miller to join Team USA relay pool in Paris – at the Tom Jones Memorial meet in Gainesville, Florida. Miller finished second, just behind Lindsey's 9.97 and just ahead of Coleman's and King's 10.06 and 10.07. It was enough proof to indicate that Miller's decision to turn pro will be a fruitful one and could yield him some serious performance-incentives. BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 16: Gout Gout competes in the Men 200m Under 20 Finals during the ... More Queensland Athletics Championships at Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre on March 16, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by) Getty Images The Emerging Sprint Stars From Africa And Australia Then there are the cases of Gout Gout and Walaza. Both seem to be ready for challenge. In Walaza's view, he's the reigning World U20 champion and fast encroaching on the space of, say, someone like Akani Simbine, who's the country's top sprinter and owns the world's best time of 9.90 seconds. The 18-year-old has already taken a step forward in 2025. In March, at a U20 Championship in Pretoria, Walaza ran a wind-legal 9.99 seconds in the 100 meters and then followed with a wind-legal 10.00 in April and another 10.00 flat in May. He's No. 2 on South Africa's charts behind Simbine. Gout Gout, meanwhile, hasn't had wind on his side. But the 17-year-old Australia wunderkind has secured some incredible times over the last few months–two under 10 seconds for 100 meters, in fact. The teenager most being compared to Usain Bolt ran two straight wind-assisted 9.99 times at the Australian U20 Championships in April, then followed with an insane 19.84 for 200 meters – and 2.2 wind – just a few days later, and a further wind-legal 20.21, securing two national championships in the process. In December, he cracked the Oceanian record for fastest 200 meters in history at 20.04 seconds and owns another performance of 20.05 in 2025. With his long, loping stride and easy smile, Gout Gout has the charisma to turn into a world star. And many are latching on to his talent and potential as reasons why. Gout Gout could be the first true breakout sprint star from Australia. But he hasn't faced true tests on the track. Christian Miller competes at the Tom Jones Memorial in April. Miller ran 10.02 seconds for 100 ... More meters. Christian Miller/IG Will These Sprint Teenage Sensations Get Their Chance? For the high schoolers Taylor and Williams and Gleaton, time will only tell whether they'll even have the opportunity to race against world competition. For one, Gleaton, who is a three-star wide receiver headed to University of Georgia , might focus on football at the next level. Williams and Taylor, meanwhile, could have their sites squared on high school competition over the summer. History seems to suggest none will get the opportunity to race pros in a truly high stakes race. While a number of high schoolers have been afforded big opportunities in high profile meets – such as Alan Webb and Drew Hunter in the Bowerman Mile at the Prefontaine Classic in years past – few 100 meter teenage sprinters have done the same. There are very good reasons for that. There are limited lanes in professional sprinting, and when money is on the line, so is reputation and career history. But this year, with growing eyes on the sport, that would be short-sighted thinking. With track and field amid its cultural renaissance with the debut of Grand Slam Track and added intrigue into the Diamond League and the Ultimate Championships, there remains a massive opportunity for the sport to latch on to these stories and build toward the stars of tomorrow. Giving the very best teenagers in the world a chance to compete on those stages will not only be appointment viewing, but it could also spark newfound interest into a sport dying for a new audience. The teenagers are in the building, and they might just be ready for primetime viewing quicker than anyone realizes.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tate Taylor becomes fastest high school 100m sprinter in history
Tate Taylor, a 17-year-old from Texas, ran 9.92 seconds in the 100m to break the national high school record on Saturday. Taylor, a junior at San Antonio Harlan High School, ran the historic time at the Texas State Championships in Austin. Advertisement He broke the high school record of 9.93 seconds set by Floridian Christian Miller in 2024, according to Track and Field News. Before Saturday, nobody at Taylor's age (17 years, 7 months, according to track and field statistics website or younger had ever broken 10 seconds in a wind-legal race, according to World Athletics. Taylor's time makes him the world's second-fastest man so far this year across all ages behind South African Akani Simbine, who ran 9.90 in April. A 9.92 would have placed fourth at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, where the top three made the team for the Paris Games in the individual 100m, plus more for the 4x100m relay pool. Advertisement Taylor also ran the 200m in 20.14 on Saturday, making him the fourth-fastest man in history in that event under the age of 18 after Erriyon Knighton, Usain Bolt and Gout Gout.
