Brenen Thompson, Spearman track, Sr.
On the track: Perhaps no area athlete entered last weekend with as much hype or expectations as Thompson did during the Region I-3A meet at West Texas A&M. Already wearing the label as the fastest runner in the Texas Panhandle, Thompson was intent on living up to that reputation and did so by roaring to victory in the 100 and 200 meters. Thompson ran a time of 10.22 seconds in the prelims of the 100, breaking the meet record he set the year before. He slowed slightly in winning with a 10.29 in the finals, but he did anything but slow down in the 200. Thompson, the defending state champion in the 200, blazed to a 21.00, breaking the meet record of 21.19 set by Panhandle’s Delt Cockrell 20 years earlier. He’s the No. 1 seed in both events heading into the state track meet next week in Austin, where appropriately, he’ll be headed next fall to play football and run track for the University of Texas.
Coach Aaron Witten: “It’s one of those things where he’s done so many impressive things that you at times start thinking what else could happen. When he does something like he did Saturday it blows you away again. You never say he can’t do it because he’ll turn around and do it. I think he’s got a shot at going under 10 in the 100 and under 21 in the 200. He’s got that confidence and the buzz going around on the track meet. All the kids are talking about him for sure. I think he’s really worked on the details of his start and the drive phase. He’s coming to work and he’s so much stronger than he was the past couple of years and it’s all just coming together for him right now.”
Thompson: “I expected what I ran. I wasn’t really surprised at all. I knew I had to go down there and make a statement. (In the 100) I thought coming off prelims that my legs were feeling good on Friday so on Saturday it would be a good day. Honestly I kind of expected to run that 21. I went Friday and ran a 21.2 and kind of coasted in the last 30 meters. I knew that record was possibly going to be broken and that’s what I did. I knew when I hit the finish line that record’s broke. After Friday I knew it was a 21 at least and it was a good feeling knowing I looked at the screen and it said 21 flat. I’m excited. Eventually (the UT track) is going to be my home track and so I’ve got to go protect it. I’m definitely trying to go sub-21 like a 20.7 or 20.8 and in the 100 I’d like to drop below 10.2.”
About Thompson
Favorite band or musician: Koe Wetzel
Favorite social media platform: Instagram
Favorite athlete: Usain Bolt
Bet you didn’t know: He likes hunting and fishing.
Parents: Bonnie Thompson and Aubrey Lacey