Christian Miller Skipped College to Sign with Puma, but Faces a Tough Road to Olympic Glory

The outdoor track and field season has come to a close, and while the Olympic Games took center stage, there was another competition that was just as crucial for American sprinters—the U.S. Olympic Trials. In fact, for sprinters, the trials may be the most important meet of the year. Why? Because to make it to the Olympics, you must first qualify. In a country like the U.S., where the talent pool is so deep, Olympic-caliber athletes are often left at home. This was especially true in 2024, when Team USA sent what many considered “the Avengers” of short sprinting to the Games.

A Stacked Roster for Team USA

Every athlete representing Team USA in the 100m or 200m at the 2024 Olympics had either already won an Olympic medal or been crowned a world champion. The only exception was 20-year-old Erriyon Knighton, a world championship silver medalist in the 200m. It was a testament to the extraordinary depth of talent in U.S. sprinting.

However, one of the biggest stories to emerge from the trials wasn’t just about the athletes who qualified. It was about a high school senior named Christian Miller, who stunned the track world by running 9.93 seconds in the 100m to secure his place in the trials.

Christian Miller’s Rise to Stardom

At just 18 years old, Miller was already making history. His 9.93-second 100m dash was the fastest wind-legal time in the world at the time. And when he made it to the Olympic Trials, Miller reached the finals, finishing fifth—a remarkable achievement for someone still in high school.

I had already ranked him as the top track and field recruit in the boys’ class of 2024, and it came as no surprise when he decided to forgo his commitment to the University of Georgia and run professionally instead. After his standout performance at the trials, I closely watched to see which shoe company would sign him. It wasn’t long before Puma announced they had secured his signature.

The Next Chapter: Turning Professional

Miller’s decision to skip college and turn pro isn’t something I’ve taken lightly. In general, I am cautious about sharing opinions on amateur athletes, but Miller is no longer an amateur. He’s now competing in the professional ranks, and his performances have already shown he belongs there.

As my college coach used to say, “You might have been a big fish in a small pond, but now you’re out in the ocean with sharks.” For Miller, many of those sharks will be his teammates on Team USA. So, let’s have an honest conversation about Miller’s future as a professional sprinter and what it will take for him to succeed at the highest level.

What Does It Mean to Be a Successful Pro?

Success in professional sprinting is often measured by Olympic achievements. For many athletes, the road to success begins with making the U.S. Olympic team—a monumental task in itself. Going back to 2008, I looked at every American man who qualified for the Olympics in the 100m and 200m. These athletes generally fall into specific categories, and Miller will have to face runners from each of these groups when the 2028 trials roll around.

Group 1: The College Standouts

Some Olympians went to college, dominated the NCAA, and won national titles as freshmen. Justin Gatlin did it at the University of Tennessee, while others like Wallace Spearmon, Walter Dix, and Trayvon Bromell followed in his footsteps. Miller could have joined this elite group had he chosen the collegiate path.

Group 2: Junior College Champions

Others, like Tyson Gay and Ameer Webb, started in junior college, won national titles there, and then repeated their success at the NCAA level. This is another path Miller could have taken, but he bypassed it entirely.

Group 3: The Pro-From-High-School Sprinters

Perhaps most relevant to Miller are the athletes who skipped college altogether and turned pro directly from high school. Two notable examples are Noah Lyles and Erriyon Knighton. Lyles, now a multiple-time Olympic medalist, didn’t win an individual Olympic gold until he was 27. Knighton, while still young, has competed at two Olympic Games but has yet to medal.

Miller finds himself in this same category, and his decision to turn pro straight out of high school will undoubtedly shape his career path. But as Lyles and Knighton have shown, competing at the Olympic level takes time, and the competition is fierce.

What Lies Ahead for Miller?

As the top track and field recruit of 2024, Miller’s talent is undeniable. But he faces a daunting challenge in the years to come. The sprinters who represented the U.S. at the 2024 Olympics are all under 30 and will likely still be competing when the next Olympic Trials come around. Miller will have to outperform them, along with any new talent emerging from the collegiate ranks or other pro runners.

Miller’s decision to skip college, as advised by Justin Gatlin, gives him a chance to focus solely on his professional career without the risk of losing to top collegiate athletes. In fact, not a single American sprinter in Division I finished in the top six at the NCAA championships in 2024, a testament to the strength of international competition at that level. By going pro, Miller avoids these competitors—for now. But he will inevitably face them on the world stage.

A Bright Future, but a Tough Road Ahead

Christian Miller is young, fast, and now a professional athlete. He has all the tools to be successful, but success in track and field is often equated with Olympic glory. As he looks ahead to the next Olympic Trials and beyond, Miller will face challenges from some of the best sprinters the world has ever seen, including the so-called “Avengers” of U.S. sprinting.

While I’ll be rooting for him, the path to Olympic success is never easy. Only time will tell whether Miller will add his name to the list of U.S. Olympic legends. Until then, he remains one of the brightest young stars in track and field, and all eyes will be on him as he begins this new chapter of his career.

In conclusion, Christian Miller is no longer the top high school recruit; he is now one of the world’s fastest men competing for the fastest nation. His decision to turn pro puts him in elite company, but the real test of his career will come when he faces the best in the world at the Olympic Games. Let’s see if he can rise to the occasion and cement his legacy in U.S. sprinting.

LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD, RUN GOOD.

Shop for SCA apparel to express yourself, because “FAST IS A LIFESTYLE”.