Justin Robinson Ready For Long Summer

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Justin Robinson arrived Wednesday in Miami. He'll compete in the 400 meters at the USATF U-20 Championships ready to check off another box on his to-do list. 

"Make the Pan Am (Junior) team, and hopefully get on the Doha team if I can," Robinson said of his summer plans.

The possibilities seem wide open ever since the Hazelwood West MO junior sped through a lap at the Great Southwest Classic in Albuquerque, N.M. in a dizzying 44.84 seconds. 

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"It kind of opened my eyes to a new world, knowing that I'm top 10 in the country," Robinson said. 

Robinson's 44.84 is ranked No. 10 in the U.S., behind the likes of world-leader Michael Norman, NCAA champion Kahmari Montgomery and Fred Kerley. He's also tied right now for 12th in the world.

Robinson said he was pleasantly surprised, but not shocked, to run 44.84. 

"I wasn't too shocked because of the work we put in," he said. "At the meet, I wanted to go 45.1 or 45.2. I was blessed to get 44."

The altitude of Albuquerque could have had some role in Robinson pushing his 46.22-second PR all the way down under 45 seconds. But it wouldn't have much. The 400 is an event where lighter wind resistance is somewhat negated by diminished lung capacity. 

Robinson made an appearance at New Balance Nationals Outdoor to run on the 4x200 relay with his teammates from Hazelwood West (Gateway City Elite). The team finished a little bit short of the 1:26.44 it ran to win the Missouri state title May 25. 

Running the 400 meters at nationals was not part of the picture. That would have meant three hard efforts on three consecutive weekends.

Robinson believes there is still more he can do to go faster, to take his new World U-18 record even lower. 

He is fully aware of the national high school record, owned by Darrell Robinson of Washington's Wilson High since 1982. Robinson ran 44.69 seconds at the National Sports Festival in Indianapolis. 

"After the state meet last year I wrote down a goal time, which is a little bit lower than (the record)," Robinson said. 

A year ago, Robinson made the U.S. team for the IAAF World U-20 Championsihps and secured a silver medal on the 4x400 relay team. 

In March, he won the New Balance Nationals Indoor title in the 400 meters with 46.55 seconds.

After sweeping the 100-200-400 at the Missouri state meet and scoring a load of team points, Great Southwest might have just been the first step toward reaching his next goal. 

"What allowed me to run that fast was putting the first part of my race together," Robinson said. "I did a lot of race modeling, trying to get it down pat."

Robinson breaks the 400 meters down into two pieces. In Albuquerque, he wanted to run the first 200 in less than 22 seconds and use his strength to hold onto that pace around the second turn and down the homestretch. 

"I felt faster (than ever) in the first part of the race," he said. "I finished the last 50 (meters) and felt pretty good."

Robinson is doing more speed work to turn up the frequency of his turnover. Earlier in the season, he said, "hard reps" and resistance work built his strength and stamina. 

In Miramar, at the Ansin Sports Complex, Robinson comes into the competition with the fastest seed time. 

He said he is prepared for a long season, one that will go into July at a minimum. 

"We were already planning on making these teams and lasting this long," Robinson said.