Sprinter Trayvon Bromell turns pro, signs with New Balance

One of America’s best known running brands has added a speedy star to its roster.

New Balance has announced that they’ve signed Trayvon Bromell. The up-and-coming sprinter tied Canada’s Andre De Grasse for bronze in the 100m at the IAAF World Championships in August.

Bromell first impressed as a teen, becoming the first American high schooler to break 10 seconds in the 100m. He then qualified for the world championships as a teen, running 9.84.

In Beijing, he ran 9.92 to tie De Grasse, whom he battled throughout university while at Baylor.

Financial details of the contract have not been released. De Grasse has opted to return to school at the University of Southern California. It was rumoured after De Grasse’s breakout summer that he was offered a seven figure deal from an athletics brand to turn pro.

“I’m thrilled to join the New Balance family, a brand that I share many of the same values and principles,” said Bromell. “I am especially excited to join a brand that supports me both on and off the track and shares my vision of giving back to young athletes from my home state of Florida.”

“Trayvon’s accomplishments as a young athlete make him a great addition to Team New Balance”, says Tom Carleo, Vice President of Running at New Balance. “We build innovative product for the fastest athletes in the world and we look forward to working with Trayvon as he drives the future of U.S. and global sprinting. In addition to his performance on the track, New Balance and Trayvon share a commitment to giving back which make him a natural fit for our brand.”

Bromell’s emergence on the American scene is well-timed. Ahead of him on the depth chart are two aging veterans, Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin. Bromell is poised to take over as the next big sprinting star for the United States after the 2016 Olympics.

Bromell currently resides in Waco, Texas and will continue to live there and train under Coach Mike Ford as he looks to make his debut as a professional sprinter and compete at the 2016 Olympic Games.