Clayton Vaughn facts for kids

Clayton Vaughn (born May 15, 1992) is an American track and field athlete. He is a sprinter who competes in races like the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash.

He is known for running the 100-meter dash in 9.93 seconds. This time is faster than the important 10-second barrier. In 2015, he finished third in the 60-meter dash at the 2015 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Vaughn competed for the Texas–Arlington Mavericks college team. He won eight sprint titles during his college career. These wins were in races from 60 meters to 200 meters, and also in the 4×100-meter relay. He still holds the school records for the 100-meter dash and the relay events.

Clayton Vaughn's Track Career

Early Life and Start in Sports

Clayton Vaughn was born in Sulphur Springs, Texas. His father played college football, so sports were a part of his family. Clayton went to Judson High School. Later, he studied business and kinesiology at the University of Texas at Arlington.

He started competing in track for the Texas–Arlington Mavericks team. Even though he showed talent early on, hamstring injuries sometimes stopped him from performing his best in high school.

College Track Journey

In his first year with the Texas–Arlington Mavericks, Clayton improved a lot. He set new personal best times in many races. These included 6.76 seconds for the indoor 60-meter dash, 10.36 seconds for the 100-meter dash, and 21.31 seconds for the 200-meter dash. He placed third in the 60-meter dash and fourth in the 100-meter dash at the Southland Conference championships. He also competed at the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

In 2012, Clayton got even better in the indoor 60-meter event. He won the Southland Conference title. Then, he finished fifth at the NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships, setting a new best time of 6.61 seconds. Unfortunately, he got injured later that year and missed most of the outdoor season.

He returned strong in 2013 for indoor competitions. He won both the 60-meter and 200-meter races at the Western Athletic Conference championships. He set a personal best in the 200-meter dash with 20.86 seconds. He also ran in the 60-meter heats at the NCAA Indoor Championships. His outdoor season was cut short again due to another injury.

At the end of 2013, Clayton faced a very sad time when his mother passed away. He was determined to honor her memory through his running. His coach, Tyrone Edgar, encouraged him to run for her.

In 2014, his fourth year at Texas–Arlington, Clayton set a new 60-meter best time of 6.55 seconds. This was a school record and one of the fastest times in the world that year. He won the 60-meter race at the Sun Belt Conference championships. He later earned three All-American honors, which means he was recognized as one of the best college athletes in the country. He broke the school record in the 100-meter dash with 10.07 seconds. He also set a new school record in the 4×100-meter relay with a time of 39.55 seconds.

In January 2015, Clayton set a leading time of 6.54 seconds for the 60-meter dash. He beat other top sprinters. He then achieved his first national podium finish at the 2015 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, placing third. This time ranked him 14th in the world for that distance.

The 100-meter final at the Sunbelt Conference Outdoor Championships was held on Mother's Day. Clayton won the race with a huge personal best of 9.93 seconds. This made him the 95th man ever to break the 10-second barrier. Breaking the 10-second barrier means running the 100-meter dash in under 10 seconds, which is a huge achievement for sprinters. Clayton dedicated his amazing performance to his mother. He said she always believed he could run fast. This time made him the fourth fastest American college athlete ever. He also finished third in the 200-meter race and won the relay at the Sunbelt Conference meet.

Professional Career

After graduating from college, Clayton Vaughn started competing as a professional athlete. He took part in the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He ran in the 100-meter heats but just missed qualifying for the next round.

Personal Records

• 100-meter dash – 9.93 (2015)
• 200-meter dash – 20.66 (2014)
• 60-meter dash indoor – 6.54 (2015)
• 200-meter dash indoor – 20.86 (2013)