Bromell, Little Lead Next Generation of American Track and Field Stars

By Scott Bush

While experienced and incredibly successful veterans like Allyson Felix, David Oliver, Jenn Suhr, Justin Gatlin and Jenny Simpson will earn much of the Olympic build-up attention in 2016, and rightfully so, there's a bevy of young American track and field stars rising through the ranks and ready to make their respective marks as the Rio Games near. Here are ten to watch in 2016, as well as a few others.

Athlete Name (Age Turning in 2016)

Trayvon Bromell (21) – 100m, 200m

Already having broken the 10-second barrier before the age of 20, Bromell is America’s next great sprint star. The former Baylor standout turned pro this past summer, signing with New Balance, and now turns his focus to the U.S. Olympic Trials and the Rio Olympics. After finishing third at the IAAF World Championships this past summer, Bromell has a good team around him, he’s as consistent as an athlete can get and he’s driven to be the best, while having the talent to back it up, all great pieces that come together to create a champion.

Shamier Little (21) – 400m hurdles

The reigning NCAA and USA 400m hurdle champion, Little is exciting to watch on multiple front. First, her talent is undeniable. The 20 year old Texas A&M junior won silver in her specialty at the IAAF World Championships this past summer, while showing time and again that she’s ready to challenge the U.S. top ten all-time list and push for gold in Rio. The other reason Little is exciting to watch is her personality. It shines through in her racing and shortly thereafter and wearing a bright bow every time out.

Ajee’ Wilson (22) – 800m

Already an established veteran among the world middle-distance running ranks, Wilson continues to be one of the best threats the United States has to bring home a medal from 800 meters on up. While she struggled and missed out on competing at the IAAF World Championships this past summer, she’s healthy (after healing from an injury last season), motivated and ready to challenge the world for the top spot in her two-lap specialty.

Kendra Harrison (24) – 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles

Most hurdlers can handle either the 100m hurdles or the 400m hurdles, but rarely can they handle both at a world-class level. Harrison in the exception, ranking #4 in the world over the 100m hurdles in 2015 with a best of 12.50, while ranking #5 over the 400m hurdles in 54.09. She won a NCAA title last year in the 100m hurdles, while placing second to Little in the 400m hurdles, only to come back at the USATF Outdoor Championships to place second in the 100m hurdles, arguably the deepest and most talented event of the entire meet. Whichever event she focuses in on this year, Harrison is considered a medal threat.

Marquis Dendy (24) – long jump, triple jump

Similar to Harrison, Dendy finished the 2015 season ranked top-five in the world in two events. He ranked #5 in the world in the long jump with a best of 8.39m and #5 in the triple jump with a mark of 17.50m. The former University of Florida NCAA champion signed with Nike and now sets his sights on redemption after a tough showing in both events at the IAAF World Championships. Dendy is a long-term gold medal threat in both jumps and this tweet of his sums it up nicely:

English Gardner (24) – 100m

Already a World Championship medalist and U.S. champion, Gardner has had some incredible success over the 100m dash over the past few years. Her PR performance of 10.79 in 2015 ranks her US#8 all-time in the event, just ahead of rival Tori Bowie, and left her ranked #2 in the world last season. Gardner has the speed, is working on the strength and with a little good fortune she could very well challenge Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce for gold in Rio, while helping Team USA towards a gold in the 4x100m relay.

Sandi Morris (24) – pole vault

After tying for fourth at the IAAF World Championships last summer, the former NCAA champion at the University of Arkansas is poised to challenge for a medal at the Rio Olympics this summer. Morris, who signed with Nike after graduating last year, is leading a young, rising contingent of U.S. pole vault women, including rival Demi Payne. The two will battle for years, which will only raise both of their performances. Morris broke the 4.70m barrier four times last year, including her best of 4.76m, which gave her a year end #6 world ranking.

Vashti Cunningham (18) – high jump

The youngest member on our list is only a senior in high school. Of all of the tremendous talent working up the ranks at the prep level, none is as world-class as Cunningham. While she passed on competing at the IAAF World Championships, she competed for Team USA at the Pan Am Junior Games in Canada and came away with gold, hitting a new personal best of 1.96m (6-5), which broke her own national high school record set earlier in the season and ranked her #9 in the world. Her future is bright.

Michael Stigler (24) – 400m hurdles

While it’s crowded at the top of the U.S. 400m hurdle rankings on the men’s side, Stigler has shown the talent, drive and grit to rise to the very top in 2016. He dominated the NCAA level last year at the NCAA level and missed on making Team USA last summer by half a second. He turns his attention this year to the professional ranks, with an eye on top three at the U.S. Olympic Trials. He’ll have plenty of competition to deal with, but coming off a season in which he set a new PR of 48.44 and ranked #10 in the world, the signs are there that he’s ready to take another step forward.

Jenna Prandini (24) – 100m, 200m

Already a U.S. champion, World Championship medalist (in the 4x100m relay) and ranked ninth in the world in the 200 meter event, Prandini could very well be the next big U.S. sprint star. She turned pro at the end of the season, signing with Puma and focusing all her training on the Olympic Trials and Olympic Games.

Keep An Eye On…

JaCorian Duffield (24): Erik Kynard has some company atop the United States high jump rankings. Duffield, who won both indoor and outdoor NCAA titles at Texas Tech in 2015, lept 2.31m (7-7) three different times throughout the season and his 2.34m (7-8) personal best ranked him number seven in the world, while he finished eighth at the IAAF World Championships.

Devon Allen (22): The 2014 NCAA and U.S. 110m hurdle champion sat out last season due to an injury sustained on the football field. He came back this fall to have a successful season for the Oregon Ducks and has vocalized numerous times his desire to get back on the track with an eye on the Olympics.

Raven Saunders (20): After winning two NCAA national titles as a freshman at Southern Illinois, Saunders is poised to continue her streak at Mississippi, where her coach Connie Price-Smith took over at the healm. Saunders’ 2016 campaign got off to a great start with a 18.67m (61-3) personal best throw at the Lexington Invitational.

Sam Kendricks (24): As America’s top pole vaulter, Kendricks has shown enough consistency to be considered a medal threat in his event, but the vault is growing in top talent and Kendricks will need to step up his game in 2016 if he hopes to bring home a medal in Rio. He finished ninth in Beijing at the 2015 World Championships.

Colleen Quigley (24): While “only” ranking 16th in the world in the steeplechase in 2015, fans have good reason to get excited for the former Florida State runner’s future. Quigley won the NCAA steeple title, has flashed top 1,500m speed, made the World Championship final in the steeple and is now training with Jerry Schumacher’s and Pascal Dobert’s talent steeple crew in Portland.