Former DIII champion stuns with blistering 9.89 in 100m
U.S. sprinter Sam Blaskowski shattered the 10-second barrier for the first time on Saturday in Tennessee, tying the No. 2 mark in the world this year
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Athletics
At Saturday’s 24th annual Music City Track Carnival in Cleveland, Tenn., American sprinter Sam Blaskowski made a major statement for NCAA Division III track. The 23-year-old, who wrapped up his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse last year, won the 100m in a blistering 9.89 seconds (+1.5 m/s wind). That’s the fastest 100m by an American in 2026, equals the No. 2 mark in the world this year and marks his first legal sub-10-second run.
“Breaking 10 wasn’t just the goal–it became an obsession,” Blaskowski wrote on Instagram. “Years of sacrifice, hard work, discipline and belief all came together on the track.”
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Blaskowski’s previous personal best stood at 10.05 seconds (set last May), meaning he sliced a generous 0.16 seconds off his best while winning the race by 0.10 seconds, a significant margin for the 100m. The time also ties as the 54th-fastest performance in history.
Blaskowski ran 9.99 in 2024, though that came with excessive wind assistance (+5.5 m/s).
Fans have since dubbed Blaskowski the “fastest white man in history.” That unofficial title previously belonged to France’s Christophe Lemaitre, who ran 9.92 (+2.0 m/s) in 2011.
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A DIII standout
During his collegiate career at UW-La Crosse, the Oshkosh, Wis., native captured 14 NCAA DIII sprint titles: 11 individual across the 60m, 100m and 200m, plus three 4×100m relay titles. He also holds DIII records in the 60m (6.65) and 100m (10.05), and earned 4x100m bronze at the 2023 U23 NACAC Championships in San José.
Many track fans salute Blaskowski for challenging perceptions around DIII as “sub-elite” and not producing top athletes like Division I does. As British former Olympic discus thrower Brett Morse put it: “Proof division doesn’t matter in a sport like track. Insane.”
See here for results from the 2026 Music City Track Carnival.
