Rutledge Shows Elite Potential at Olympic Trials

Former Scots sprinter finds new gear during breakthrough season

The 20 seconds he spent running in the lane next to Noah Lyles at the U.S. Olympic Trials hardly gave John Rutledge enough time to think about the bigger picture.

Rutledge didn’t qualify for the Paris Olympics in the 200 meters alongside the two-time defending world champion, but the experienced proved that he belonged.

“It was a pretty cool deal,” Rutledge said. “It showed me that I can compete with the fastest in the country. It did open my eyes.”

Going into his sophomore season at the University of Texas, the former Highland Park standout didn’t even have the Olympic trials on his radar.

But his coaches mentioned it as an option. When Rutledge achieved a new personal best with a qualifying time of 20.28 seconds at the NCAA West Preliminaries on May 24 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, it became a reality.

“My coaches instilled a lot of confidence in me and told me how high my potential really was,” Rutledge said. “I was surprised, but at the same time I was kind of expecting it.”

Rutledge came into the Olympic trials without a prestigious track pedigree or experience on the international stage. Yet he still advanced to the semifinal heats, placing 10th overall and narrowly missing the final. He said he was not intimidated by the surroundings or his fellow sprinters.

“I’m not a person who looks at the other runners in my heat beforehand,” he said. “I just show up and run my race.”

Rutledge was a third-generation football captain at HP, although both his grandfather and father were linemen, while he was a speedy receiver. He capped his senior year by taking a silver medal in the 200 at the Class 5A state track meet, breaking a 58-year-old school record in the event.

Rutledge flourished after turning his attention full-time to sprinting. Last season with the Longhorns, Rutledge became a valuable utility option to score points in distances ranging from 60 to 400 meters. Texas had two relays place in the top six at the NCAA championships, and Rutledge was on both of them.

He emerged from the weeklong experience in Oregon knowing that he can go even faster. Could the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles be a realistic goal?

“I commit basically every day of my life to it,” Rutledge said. “It’s showed me that I do have a lot of talent in this sport. Who knows how far I can take it?”