Noah Ramirez, a 19-year-old athlete, set the record of the fastest time under 20 in the United States in the 100m during his performance at the U.S. Track and Field Championships in November 7, 2025, in a scorching display of brash talent and unwavering resolve, he broke the 100m record in the United States by setting a record of 9.89 seconds.
The time not only surpasses the old national youth record of 9.95 by Erriyon Knighton as in 2021 but also makes Ramirez a serious contender to the old mark of 9.80 by Tyson Gay that has existed since 2009. When the mob at the Memorial Coliseum erupted, Ramirez fell on the track in exhaustion and elation, and a new age in sprinting in America began.
Noah Ramirez’s Record-Shattering 9.89s: A Moment-by-Moment Breakdown of the Historic Run
The final heat of men’s 100m under-20 race was electric. Ramirez, who was playing as a representative of the University of Southern California and whose freshman year was exceptional, jumped out of the blocks at a reaction time of 0.128 seconds – the fastest of the group. He had already opened a half-step at the 20-meter mark his strong strides devouring the track like an experienced veteran.
During the middle part of the race, Ramirez reached his peak speed at the 60-meter turn, and he registered a split of 6.45 seconds of an intermediate, which shocked analysts. His body had not changed: his arms were pumping, his knees were high and his eyes were focused on the finishing line.
When the tape snapped, the electronic timing system flashed 9.89s – legal wind at +1.2 m/s – that shook the athletics world. Jamal Hayes, who was the silver medalist, took 10.02s, which is 0.13 seconds behind Ramirez, which highlights the superiority of Ramirez.
This wasn’t a fluke. Ramirez already had a personal best of 9.96s in the NCAA preliminaries in June, but intense offseason training with coach Mark Johnston that included explosive start and anaerobic endurance training yielded results. This was what I imagined every day, said Ramirez, and the sweat is still streaming down my forehead. “The pain in those last 20 meters? Worth it for history.”
The concert catapults Ramirez into the high places. He is the youngest American to go below 9.90 since the advent of electronic timing, at the age of 19 and 4 months, the age at which he was bound to be compared to a legend like Carl Lewis or Allyson Felix, who also came into the world in a world of collegians.
Humble Comings to Sprint Sensation: Meteoric Rise of Noah Ramirez
Noah Ramirez was born in Fresno, California in a working-class community where there were more soccer fields than tracks. Ramirez was spotted at the age of 14 in a school PE lesson where he ran faster than all the others in an impromptu 100m race and this led to his being funnelled into athletics by an observant teacher. By the time he was in high school he was already a three-time state champion, and he ran 10.21s as a freshman and won a full ride to USC.
His first year served as an eye-opener: He ran a 10.05 in his first college event, and then he won relay gold at the Pac-12 Championships. Off track, Ramirez is studying kinesiology, but also doing community outreach, training inner-city children in his “Speed for All” program. “Track saved me,” he reflects. It made me have a focus at a time when life was out of order. Ramirez, who idolizes Knighton, attributes the 2024 Olympian to have perfected his technique.
His early teens were full of injury – an injury to his hamstring at 16 almost overwhelmed him – yet he was tough in his recovery. Having been completely healthy now, the 9.89s of Ramirez is an outcome of laser training: plyometric exercises, cryotherapy, and a diet consisting of lean proteins and quinoa. One of the scouts said, “He has Bolt in the polish of Lewis.
Coach and Peers React: Noah Counting on his Coat of Arms in American Sprint Renaissance
It was described by USC coach Mark Johnston as a generational shift. Noah runs today and sets new books, grinned Johnston. His velocity curve is out of the scale, reaching 12.2 m/s. We are speaking Olympic podium perspective at Paris 2024 trials.
Rivals were effusive. The second-place finisher Hayes, embraced Ramirez at the end of the race: That kid is a beast. It drove me at a greater speed than ever. Knighton, sitting in the stands tweeted: 9.89 at 19? The throne’s got a new heir.
The head of USA Track and Field, Randy Wilburn, declared the mark proudly as the “beacon to youth programs in the country as he declared more funds to be allocated to the potential talents.
The hype is, however, toned down by critics. As the senior American record is there in reach, there are questions of the 200m prowess and international exposure of Ramirez. However, his official 9.89 – confirmed by the officials of World Athletics on the spot – puts those in doubt. According to Johnston, Bolt was 19 at the time of 9.72, and the joke goes, Bolt. Noah’s timeline? Even brighter.”
Social Media Hype: #RamirezRecord Trends as Fans Make Him Next Big Thing
The sports Twitter world went up in several minutes. At one point, the video had 2.3 million impressions by night, and clips of the finish line garnered 15 million views on TikTok. USA sprinting is BACK!” one of the viral posts of an ESPN track analyst has exclaimed. On Instagram (450k followers), along with the fire emojis and prognosis, fans rushed to the Instagram of Ramirez: Olympic gold in LA 2028, calling it now.
Memes spread – Photoshopped pictures of Ramirez overtaking supersonic jets – as discussions continued on the r/trackandfield of Reddit: “Is he the anti-Bolt? No flash, all fury.” There was international outcry; the Jamaican coach of sprint regretted, America is making another monster. Bolt himself, although old, piped in through X: Young king! Push to the limit. 9.58 expects. Lightning Bolt out.”
This online hurricane reflects the fact that youth is the most popular in the sport, and Gen Z consumption is increasing the stream counts on NBC Sports by 40%. According to one pundit, “Ramirez is not merely making records, but he is shattering barriers to other athletes, who have traditionally held the stereotypes in a sport dominated by stereotypical characters.
Olympic Dreams and Legacy: How This Accomplishment by Ramirez Sparks the Future of U.S Track
The victory of Ramirez could not have come at an opportune time in American sprinting, which was in an American sprinting drought. The under-20 pipeline, reinforced by Ramirez, is an indication of rebirth with Noah Lyles out injured and Christian Coleman nearing retirement. The 2026 World Indoor Championships have USA Track targeting him to make a 60m debut, which will bring another record.
Not all kids have tracks; this is what Ramirez believes in, on top of medals. We require additional funding for the underserved ones. His story is inspirational as it shows that speed is not limited by budgets and boundaries.
With the sun going down over the Coliseum, Ramirez was standing tall with his gold medal in his eye. He is not only a record-holder but a revolution at 9.89s. Watch this space, the future of the dash has come.