By Jimmy Robertson
BLACKSBURG – After breaking a world record four days ago on the track at newly renovated and beautiful Rector Field House, Jacory Patterson received all sorts of calls, texts, tweets and comments from those who admired his feat.
But one person wasn't totally happy with him – his mother, Charlene Bolton.
"She was a little bit," Patterson said when asked if his mother was upset at missing his accomplishment. "This was the meet I told her that she didn't have to come to because it was the first meet, like a tune-up meet, and I didn't expect to do that [break a record]. That was my fault.
"I'm sorry, Mom! I told her I'll try to top it at another meet. She's coming to Clemson [Jan. 25-26], ACCs [in Blacksburg on Feb. 21-23] and the Elite Meet [in Blacksburg on Feb. 1-2]. I'll try to top that at one of those meets."
Patterson shocked the track and field world Friday night when the 18-year-old freshman on the Virginia Tech men's track and field team broke the U20 indoor world record in the 300-meter race at the Virginia Tech Invitational. He ran the event in a time of 32.49 seconds – a time that not only broke the U20 indoor world record, but also ranked as the second-fastest NCAA indoor time ever in the event. And of course, it ranks as the best time in the event in Virginia Tech history, breaking the previous record of 33.58 held by Jonathan McCants (2013).
Patterson got off to a slow start, but took the lead before the end of the first full lap and then dusted the competition from that point forward. He even slowed right in front of the finish line, taking what appeared to be an awkward step as he crossed the line – something he attributed to tightening up. Still, he finished nearly a full second ahead of North Carolina A&T's Trevor Stewart (33.35).
"I knew from the intrasquad [meet] that we ran in December … he ran 32.80, and after the race, he told me, 'Coach, I could have run faster. I didn't get out that hard in the beginning,'" Tech sprints coach Tim Vaught said. "I said, 'Guess what? In this first meet, don't hold back.' I told him to go for it, and let's see what happens. The all-time record is 32.32 [by former Georgia runner Torrin Lawrence], and it was broken on this track, so it's a fast track. If you can get it the first meet, why not? That was his attitude. I saw it then [in December] that he could go faster."
The accolades have since rolled in for Patterson. The United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) named him its national men's athlete of the week, and the ACC named him a co-performer of the week.
Also, he has seen quite the rise in his popularity on social media. He said he increased his Twitter following by more than 250 people and his Instagram account saw a big increase as well. Even some of the bigger names in track and field reached out to him, such as Noah Lyles, a two-time U20 world champion and a Pan American Junior gold medalist. Lyles may very well make the next U.S. Olympic team.
"Go ahead," Lyles tweeted at Patterson, adding in two "clapping" emojis.
The crazy thing is that Tech's staff originally looked at Patterson as a jumper. He excelled in the jumps at Dreher High School in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina, and in fact, finished first in his age bracket in the long jump at the USA National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championship held in Sacramento, California in 2016.
But he also excelled in the sprints areas, winning the state title (Class 4A) in the 400 and finishing second in the 100 as a senior. Also, he holds the state record in the 200.
So naturally, Vaught loved Patterson's potential as sprinter. He and jumps coach Paul Zalewski met with Patterson and his family during the recruiting process and ultimately convinced Patterson to sign with Tech over home-state schools Clemson and South Carolina.
"When I came for this visit … the Clemson and South Carolina visit didn't really feel like this visit," Patterson said. "I was more comfortable here. It felt like I needed to be here, and I trusted Coach Vaught because we discussed a plan for me.
"The thing I liked about what Coach Vaught said was that it was totally up to me. He didn't want me to jump this year. He gave me a choice of jumping, but this year, he told me he wanted me to focus on running to see how I'd do, and if he feels that I need to go back to jumping, then I'll do that."
The challenge now for Patterson is to build off of such an incredible performance in his first collegiate race. He set the bar high – and now Tech fans, his teammates, his coaches and those in the track world expect more.
The process to deliver that started again Monday when he returned to practice. It was back to the grind for this young man.
"No, not really," Patterson said when asked if it was tough to get back to work after such a big debut. "I try to keep everything the same and not let it get to my head. I just keep everything how it was before I ran that time and stay the same. I don't let it get to my head like that."
Patterson will not be competing this weekend at the Hokie Invitational, as Tech's staff wants to be careful with the young man's workload. Vaught plans to run him in the 200 the following weekend at the Bob Pollock Invitational held at Clemson.
Patterson wants to run the 200 and 400 at Tech, and he wants to break the school records in those events (to read the Tech record book, please click here).
If that happens, then hopefully this time, his mom will be in attendance to see it.