Jonathan Simms Breaks Down His Record Breaking Season

Jonathan Simms runs down the backstretch in the 400m at the 2023 UIL 6A Track and Field State Championships

Here at MileSplit, we've been aware and have followed the career of an above average fast kid from Allen, Texas dating back to when he was just nine years old. We knew before entering high school that when Jonathan Simms physically grew and matured that he would be a force to deal with. Now that he is entering his junior season, he is far ahead of expectations and projections. In fact, he has already out performed and captured records most sophomores and juniors can only dream of.

Back in May, Simms won the UIL 6A 400m state championship by running 46.48. Early into the summer, he added a 45.90 performance to his resume at the Brooks PR Invitational and soon after he won the Nike Outdoor Nationals. The Allen sophomore had won a state title, runner-up finish in one national event, and won a national title at another.

At the beginning of August, Simms would travel to Des Moines, Iowa for the AAU Junior Olympic Games. He already owned several national championship wins and national records from his earlier youth years in AAU, but he accomplished much more than anyone would foresee, including himself.

- - -

In the interview, Simms told us that he was looking forward to earning the pay off for his training efforts and the hard work he and his Impact Track Club teammates had put in during the summer training sessions. However, by his own admission, his performances far exceeded what he thought he was prepared to demonstrate prior to his junior year of high school.

First, Simms ran the 800m, an event in which he hadn't competed in until the summer. During the school track season, he focused on speed by running on Allen's 40.x second 4x100 relay, the 100m, 200m, and 400m events. At the AAU Junior Olympic Games, Simms ran 1:51.69 to win the 15-16 year old boys 800m national title. That would have placed him on the awards stand in every Texas state meet/classification this past season.

However, the 400m was his primary event and it's where he excelled to a place that made the entire country take notice. 

Simms ran a whopping personal best of 45.12 in the 400m to win the event. According to the Texas Track and Field Coaches Association (TFCA) records, that time is the Texas state record putting him ahead of runners who have gone on to have professional running careers as well as some who have won World Championship and Olympic Gold medals.

He even added two baton carries of 44 second splits on the 4x400 relay. Those types of performances are only seen from elite collegiate level runners and Olympians/professional runners.

Texas High School Boys 400m All-Time Rankings 

*** Record keeping by Texas Track and Field Coaches Association (TTFCA)

High School running legend Obea Moore (Muir, CA) previously held the 16 year old boys world standard in the 400m at 45.14, which he set back in 1995; before Simms was born. Moore is arguably regarded as the best high school runner of all-time and now heading into his junior year of high school, Simms has already conquered a level many viewed as unattainable by another 16 year old boy.

Now, a week into his junior year, Simms is not only the fastest 16 year old in the history of the world in the event, the fastest Texan at 400m, but he is also now the sixth fastest high school boy of all-time and ran the 10th best time ever by an American high school student athlete.

With two years of high school remaining, a lot of intrigue will follow, but for sure, this is just Jonathan Simms' world and we are all just living in it.