Bralon TAPLIN

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Created 15 March 2016

Bralon Terrol TAPLIN, Grenada (400m)

Born: 8 May 1992, Florida, USA

Lives: College Station, TX

1.80m / 75kg

Coach: Alleyne Francique

Bralon Taplin is a self-confessed late starter to track after only taking up the sport at the age of 16 at Stony Point High School in Texas. But that didn’t deter his likeness for competition and desire to be the best.

There were early indications that Taplin is obsessed with competition and he is out to prove that desire.

“I started running track when I was 16. Track is the first sport that I took serious. I didn’t like other sports.

I stayed with track because I like to push myself and track is a sport where it’s just me versus the competition and I am obsessed with proving that I am the best,” he said.

After three attempts at championships and battling injuries the 23 year-old is aiming to become the latest Grenadian World champion, following the exploits of Alleyne Francique and Kirani James. Coincidentally, Francique, who coaches Taplin, is a two-time World indoor 400m champion. In 2011, James made history by winning Grenada’s first ever medal at the IAAF World Championships when he took the gold over the one-lap event. He also won the gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

That year (2011) Taplin was at his first season at South Plains College in Texas where he finished third in the NJCAA 400m with 47.63 seconds on the oversized track at Lubbock. He was also runner-up at the NJCAA with a personal best time of 46.79 in Kansas.

Taplin, who missed most of 2013 and the 2014 indoor seasons due to injury, returned to competition in May 2014 and improved his personal best to 45.18 at the NCAA Championships.

He also represented Grenada at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland where he clocked 45.90 in the heats and 46.68 in the semi-finals. A week later he finished second at the NACAC Under-23 Championships in Kamloops, Canada with 45.52.

Last spring, he set a career best of 44.89 as runner-up to defending Olympic champion and compatriot Kirani James, who set a World-leading time of 44.31, at the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Arizona.

Taplin is also fourth on the all-time list among athletes representing Grenada following James (43.74), Francique (44.47) and Rondell Bartholomew (44.65).

Taplin said that he is never satisfied even when he is convinced that he has offered his best. There is always the will to win.

“I have always been out-classed by other competitors. However, I always found a way to win and I get better every year.”

Although he was born in the United States, Taplin chose to represent Grenada, the birthplace of his grandmother.

“I wasn’t influenced to run for Grenada. I have never had a desire to run for the United States. I have always wanted to represent Grenada,” he said.

Taplin made an early season impact by recording a World-leading mark at the Texas A&M Invitational on 16 January 2016.

He posted 45.20 to win the Men’s Olympic Development 400m ahead of Ramon Miller of the Bahamas (47.76) and Greg Coleman (48.06). Taplin’s indoor performance also gives him a qualifying mark for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio in August.

“I’m healthy and injury-free and worked hard to be at this stage,” said Taplin who had pulled up injured at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing.

“I opened a week earlier this year than last year and once I remain injury-free then I should get back to the competitive stage.”

Taplin, who is among favourites for the 400m at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon this March, is weary of the disappointments at previous high-level championships especially at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada in 2015.

“I have let my country down three different times, going to championships battling injures but I am finally healthy and I am ready to make Grenada proud,” he said.

“So coming into this meet (World Indoor) I am focused and ready to take the gold.”

Taplin is dreaming of bigger things this season with targets of medals in the individual one-lap event and the 4x400m relay at the Olympic Games in Rio.

Personal Bests

100m – 10.53 A (2012)

200m (in) – 20.80 (2015)

200m – 20.83 (2012)

400m (in) – 45.20 (2016)

400m – 44.89 (2015)

Career Highlights

2009    3rd        Texas 5A State Final (Austin, TX)                                         47.28

2010    1st        Texas 5A State Final (Austin, TX)                                         47.03

2011    2nd       NJCAA Championships (Hutchinson, KS)                             46.79

2012    3rd        Michael Johnson Invitational (Waco, TX)                               45.89

2012    1st        NJCAA Championships (Levelland, TX)                                46.00

2013    1st        Texas A&M Invitational Indoor (College Station, TX)             46.85

2014    sf         NCAA quarter-final (Fayetteville, AR)                                    45.18

2014    sf         Commonwealth Games (Glasgow)                                        46.68 (45.90 h)

2014    2nd       NACAC Under-23 Championships (Kamloops)                     45.52

2015    2nd       Sun Angel Classic (Tempe, AZ)                                             44.89 PB

2015    heats   Pan American Games (Toronto)                                            47.61

2015    heats   World Championships (Beijing)                                              46.27

2016    1st        Texas A&M Invitational (College Station, TX)                        45.20 WL

2016    1st        Millrose Games (New York, NY)                                            45.35

Prepared by Michael Bascombe for the IAAF “Focus on Athletes” project. Copyright IAAF 2016