The Staten Island Champs got an injection of speed on Sunday, held annually at Ocean Breeze since the opening of the facility. One of the Nation's future stars put together a meet worthy of the record books.
Kory Brown (Tottenville) had already broken the Freshman State Record in the 55m once this Season, way back in December. At the Ocean Breeze Holiday Festival, he ran 6.51 to notch a third place finish overall in the meet. His mark broke the standing record set by Jaheim Jones (Lourdes), who ran 6.53 as a freshman to place 6th at the final State Championships at Cornell in 2016. Jones went on to sweep the 100m/200m Federation Final in the Spring of his Senior Year. Brown, however, continued his Season into January, running a 6.53 of his own to take third at the Ocean Breeze Freedom Games, before heading over to the Millrose Trials, where he ran 6.56.
At the Staten Island Champs, Brown was back on his games, opening with a 6.60 in the 55m trials, before coming back with a lowering of his State Record to a 6.46 victory in the finals. That mark stands as NY #3 in the event, directly behind a sophomore from upstate New York. It's a good time to be an underclassmen sprinter. On top of the local accolades, Brown is now US #1 for Freshman by a tenth of a second.
The day wasn't over for Brown. During the 300m trials, his first attempt at the distance this season, Brown dropped a 34.92 to lead the Island. He then came back with a 34.61 in the finals, to break the 300m Freshman Record by almost a tenth of a second. The pre-existing record came from Tahje Flemmings (Benjamin Banneker), when the NYC-based frosh ran 34.69 to win the PSAL Frosh/Soph Champs back in 2017. Flemmings went on to set the 300m Sophomore Record in 33.93.
Brown's time of 34.61 is again the top mark in the country. for those in his grade. In fact, the National Record for 300m for Freshman stood at 34.58 for nearly 35 years, set way back in 1985 by Willie Reed of Philadelphia. That is, it was the National Record, until freshman phenom Quincy Wilson (Bullis) dropped a 34.11 in his only attempts at the distance last year.
Brown, who is 15 and a half, is no stranger to the sprinting world. Brown ran for the Ocean Breeze Wave Runners as a middle schooler. While Middle School Records are less established for the male gender, it's believed Brown holds three unofficially. He ran 6.52 for the 55m Indoors in 8th Grade, while running 10.62 and 21.70 Outdoors, both wind-legal marks. It's unknown where those stack up historically at the National Level for 8th Graders, but our database lists that as the top 100m time for 8th grade of the modern era. Tyrese Cooper of Florida holds the fastest time for the 200m.
Brown was not guaranteed for this Indoor Season. He is also an accomplished Football player, on of the top prospects within NYC. Unfortunately, this past fall, he fell victim to injury, delaying the start to his indoor season. However, it has yet to slow him down, and the bigger races are only starting to develop.