Jadon Rahman '22 Recruiting Profile

COMMITTED TO DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY IN PITTSBURGH, PA, ON 12/16/21 (NLI SIGNED)

My name is Jadon Rahman and it is my aspiration to compete in track at the collegiate level.

Thinking back as to how I discovered my passion for track, I recall a story my Mom likes to recount. Apparently, while out on a family walk when I was around 5 years old, a large dog bolted out of a neighbor’s yard in hot pursuit of me. In a fit of fear, I supposedly darted across the road in a display of other-worldly speed for a 5-year-old! Recognizing my potential at that moment, my family encouraged me to run when I got the chance, and I recall doing so often at various high school stadiums in between my early youth lacrosse games.

My first recollection of winning a “race” was at the local community park during an annual festival, then participating in the yearly “Kids of Steel” event in my elementary years, always finishing in the front of the pack. During middle school, I was a member of our 3-time record-breaking 4x400 meter relay team. (We shattered our own record twice) At some point, one of my coaches nudged me to try the 800-meter individual race, and that quickly became my specialty race. The 800-meter race intrigues me because it features a combination of speed, endurance, and mental strategy.

Flash forward to the present! My sophomore year had some positive moments, as my 4x400 meter relay team broke our high school indoor record this season, and we also went on to advance to “states” at PSU on March 1st of this year. We were poised to repeat both feats in outdoor (spring) track, but our outdoor season came to an abrupt halt just after the first scrimmage due to the coronavirus pandemic. Subsequently, my AAU Club Track summer season was also canceled, jeopardizing my chance to compete on the Junior Olympic circuit. Fortunately, I was able to find an opportunity to compete this past August after Florida’s Governor announced that they would host AAU Junior Olympic Nationals in Satellite Beach.

Buoyed by qualifying for AAU Junior Olympic Nationals in 2019 as a 15-year-old, I knew I had to seize this opportunity, despite any potential risks. 2019 saw me improve my seed from 45th to 15th at Nationals in Greensboro, NC, so my expectations in this bracket as a 16-year old were high. I trained on my own throughout July, as formal coaching/training was unavailable in PA due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Proudly, I earned my first AAU Nationals medal in Satellite Beach, securing 6th place and  in attaining “All-American” status and beating out many of my competitors who had the advantage of participating in earlier summer competitions due to less restrictive protocols in some southern states.

I am enthusiastically looking forward to my final 2 years of high school, as I continue to set goals for myself, always “working harder, getting better,” as my Stallion Track Club slogan reads. My fall football season is keeping me quite busy right now. Hopefully, you will follow me and my achievements on this journey towards my 2022 graduation.