The Longest Yard

It wasn't just his high school track coach who told Za'von Watkins to give up football, American 800m record holder Johnny Gray said the same thing to him at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals a year ago.

But Watkins, who has been profiled by Marc Bloom in Running Times, took to the gridiron and suffered an injury that could have deeply impacted his track season.

Instead, he unleashed a massive kick at Millrose to claim the high school boys' mile on Saturday.

“He’s amazing,” said coach Justin Block. “In one week, he can turn things around. This is a youngster who can dunk a basketball, throw a football a mile and bench press 225. He’s all lean muscle. We do core work, but Za’von is the kind of kid who will have eight-pack abs without doing one sit-up.”

Writes Bloom:

Watkins’ true potential probably won’t emerge until college — he’s signed with Penn State for track; he won’t play football — and the Nittany Lions coaches must be drooling over the prospect of nurturing Watkins’ talents while he trains year-around for the first time. Watkins might even have to run a little cross country. “If I have to,” he says.