Gatorade® National Boys Track & Field Athlete Of The Year: Trayvon Bromell

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 28^th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Trayvon Bromell of Gibbs High School (St. Petersburg, FL) as its 2012-13 Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year.  Bromell was surprised with the news at Gibbs High School this morning.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track, distinguishes Bromell as the nation's best boys track & field athlete.  A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Bromell from more than 575,000 high school boys track & field athletes nationwide. Bromell is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

The 5-foot-9, 157-pound senior won the 100-meter dash at the Great Southwest Classic this spring with a time of 9.99 seconds, the fastest time in U.S. prep history regardless of wind conditions. Bromell also won the 100 at the Class 3A state championship meet in 10.45, while anchoring the Gladiators' 4x100 relay quartet to first in 42.26 and finishing second in the 200. He also broke the tape in the 100, in 10.41, and took second in the 200, in 20.91, at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor. His winning time of 10.27 in the 100 at the Golden South Classic ranks as the nation's No. 1 wind-legal performance among prep competitors in 2013 at the time of his selection.

"Trayvon Bromell's athletic accomplishments are truly impressive," said Sarah Gearhart, who covers prep track and field as a reporter for USA TODAY High School Sports. "His record-setting performances, not only for the season but also in prep history, are further evidence of why he's deserving of this national honor. His dedication isn't limited to just focusing on himself on the track either. He's a well-rounded individual whose intent is to do nothing but excel."

Bromell has maintained a B average in the classroom. He has volunteered on behalf of his local Boys and Girls Club and youth track programs.

Bromell has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on an athletic scholarship at Baylor University this fall.

"Without question, Trayvon is deserving of recognition as the nation's best high school boys track & field athlete based on his statistics on the track and the impact his accomplishments have had on Gibbs High School's success," said Gatorade Vice President, Global & Sports Marketing Andrea Fairchild.  "But he is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young athletes of what a leader and a student-athlete should be.  He represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade Player of the Year recipient."

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Former notable Gatorade National Players of the Year include:

• Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning
• WNBA all-time leading scorer and rebounder Lisa Leslie
• NFL all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith
• Three-time beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh
• Three-time 200-meter World Champion Allyson Felix

For more information on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of former winners, and future announcement dates, visit the Gatorade Player of the Year Web site at http://www.gatorade.com/poy, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatorade.

SOURCE The Gatorade Company