16-year-old sprint sensation smashes new world record at US Championships

A highly-rated sprinter from Texas smashed a world record at the US Track and Field Indoor Championships in New York on Sunday.

Dillon Mitchell, 16, burst onto the scene in April last year, when he was crowned the world's fastest 15-year-old at 100m after clocking 10.0 seconds at the Region 3-6A Track Meet, as per Sheldon ISD.

After the race, coach Cory Laxen from C.E. King High School described the teenager as a "generational talent across multiple sports" and "a standout football player with multiple Division I offers".

Mitchell is recognised as one of the United States' biggest track talents, and on Sunday, he lived up to the hype with a memorable performance over 60m.

The teenager finished second in his heat behind Trayvon Bromell but still managed to run an under-18 world record of 6.59 seconds, a time that puts him 0.05 seconds ahead of previous record holder Tate Taylor.

16-year-old Dillon Mitchell 🇺🇸 running a World U18 Record of 6.59s over 60m at the US Championships!

He finished 2nd in his heat behind Trayvon Bromell who ran 6.47s.pic.twitter.com/xNWBQ2466W

— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) March 1, 2026

Last month, Mitchell said he plans to play football and run track in college, but before that, he wants to qualify for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

It is an ambitious goal, to say the least, but the teenager believes he can do it.

"I really don't let anything get to my head... it's just track," he told ABC News. I've been building for it my whole life. Ever since I really started to take track seriously, it's just been like it was bound to happen."

Mitchell's father, Billy Mitchell, also commented on his son's progress, saying: "He's run faster than any freshman ever has. He's running faster than any sophomore ever has."

"I tell him all the time, he's racing against ghosts," Billy added. "He's racing against the guys, the best that have ever done it. Right now, he's in uncharted waters. He understands that the only limitations are the ones he puts on himself."

Away from Mitchell's record-breaking run and Jordan Anthony pulled off a 60m upset at the US Indoor Championships, clocking 6.45 seconds to win ahead of Trayvon Bromell and Noah Lyles.