Andrew Jones arrived at the 2026 Texas A&M Bluebonnet Invitational with confidence and plenty of momentum. The Klein Collins senior has been one of the most electrifying athletes in the country this season, coming off a productive indoor campaign and an outdoor season that has already rewritten the Texas record books.
Earlier this spring, Jones ran 35.07 in the 300-meter hurdles, breaking Robert Griffin III's long-standing Texas state record of 35.33 set in 2007. Competing in College Station added another layer of motivation for Jones, who has signed with Texas A&M and was racing on what will soon become his home track in front of future coaches and teammates. Entering the weekend, Jones even predicted he could challenge the national record in the 300-meter hurdles.
On Friday, Jones backed up that confidence immediately. In the preliminary round of the 110-meter hurdles, he blazed to a stunning 13.01, the fastest time ever run in the event under any conditions. The mark eclipsed Wayne Davis' long-standing national record of 13.08 from 2009, but a +6.2 wind reading prevented the performance from counting as an official record. Still, it stands as the fastest all-conditions performance in high school history, reinforcing the idea that Jones is operating at a different level this season. Later in the day, Jones approached the 300-meter hurdles prelims with a different mindset. Appearing content to conserve energy for the final, he cruised to a controlled 37.72, advancing with the fourth-fastest qualifying time behind Ian Hill (36.69), Steven Schwartz (36.85), and John Harden (36.88).
Saturday's finals showed a focused and composed Jones who understood exactly what the moment required. With the wind again out of his control, he concentrated on executing his race model and clean hurdle technique. In the 110-meter hurdles final, Jones ran 13.11 (+3.8) to secure the victory, holding off a strong field that included Cadyn Key of Katy (13.30) and Houston Worthing sophomore Avonte Earl (13.49). Although the wind once again prevented record eligibility, Jones demonstrated that his preliminary performance was no fluke, delivering another elite race against a deep Texas field.
If the hurdles final confirmed his form, the 300-meter hurdles final unleashed the performance many had been waiting for. After conserving energy on Friday, Jones attacked the race from the start and powered to a blistering 34.94, smashing the meet record of 36.25 set just last year by DeVonte Taylor. The time came within striking distance of Vance Nilsson's (Gilbert HS, AZ) national record of 34.83, falling just 0.11 seconds short. Until Nilsson accomplished the feat, a high school athlete breaking 35 seconds in the event had been considered nearly impossible, a statistical rarity known as a hapax legomenon. Now Jones joins Nilsson as only the second high school athlete in history to break the 35-second barrier, producing the US No. 2 all-time performance.
While the national record remains intact for now, Jones' Bluebonnet weekend left little doubt about where things may be headed. Between his 13.01 all-conditions 110H performance and his 34.94 in the 300H, the Texas A&M signee proved that the national record conversation is no longer hypothetical. If anything, the clock appears to be ticking.
Boys 300m Hurdles Final - Texas A&M Bluebonnet Invitational
| Place | Athlete | School | Time |
|---|
| 1 | Andrew Jones | Klein Collins | 34.94 |
| 2 | John Harden | Bridgeland | 36.02 |
| 3 | Ian Hill | Iowa Colony | 36.37 |
| 4 | Steven Schwartz | Sealy | 36.83 |
| 5 | Michael Montoya | El Paso Franklin | 37.57 |
| 6 | Johnathan Greene | Hendrickson | 37.81 |
| 7 | Jacobie Mims | Duncanville | 37.92 |
| 8 | Joaquin Molina | Waxahachie | 38.12 |
| 9 | Jeremiah Jones | LC Clear Creek | 38.32 |
