Jordan Anthony is set to be the standard bearer for American speed. At 21 years of age, his debut at a major event could not have been more brilliant: gold in the 60 meters at the World Indoor Championships in Torun with a time of 6.41 seconds, the fourth fastest time in history.
“The devil will always try, but I will never let it stop me from getting a gold medal,” she said after crossing the finish line. These words encapsulated an episode she suffered the day before the final
Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews give words of encouragement to the LSU gymnastics team
The devil will always try, but I will never let him stop me from getting a gold medal
A bad jab in the arm almost ruined his debut. Just 36 hours before the 60m final, Anthony suffered a blood clot after an anti-doping control officer accidentally jabbed him with the needle in the wrong place on his arm.
“When they took my blood, they didn’t stick it in the vein, but outside, so I got a clot the size of a football. That’s why I have my arm bandaged. But that’s the way it is. Nothing will stop me,” he explained after the race when asked about the strips that ran down his upper limb
The intervention of the US team’s doctors reduced Anthony’s swelling, but he admitted that he had not been able to sleep well or move his arm properly before the race. In the final he was involved in a tight duel that went his way. Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson took silver and the USA’s Trayvon Bromell bronze.
Jordan Anthony’s worth already emerged three weeks ago when he won the 60 meters at the U.S. Indoor Championships (6.45) ahead of Trayvon Bromell and Noah Lyles, with whom he shares a training group
He was a wide receiver for the Arkansas Razorbacks in college football. “The final was a great race, but I still have a lot to give. The most important thing is that I made an excellent debut and I’m taking the gold to the United States. I used to play college football and competed in front of a lot more people, but coming here got me even more excited. It was easy for me. This shows me that I chose the right sport. And I’m looking forward to the outdoor season.”