Texas Tech University has pulled off one of the biggest recruiting coups of the 2025 track‑and‑field cycle, signing 18‑year‑old sprint‑hurdles marvel Daniel Clarke. The Kingston College standout—whose blistering 13.06 seconds (1.2 m/s) at the Jamaican CARIFTA Trials still tops the global Under‑20 list—has opted to begin his collegiate career in Lubbock rather than finish his senior season at KC.
Clarke’s decision was driven by a perfect blend of sport and study. “The Red Raiders’ combination of world‑class facilities, a deep hurdles tradition and an academic environment that challenges me was impossible to ignore,” he explained. He singled out Texas Tech’s hurdles mentor, noting a coaching style that “mirrors the discipline and genuine care I experienced at KC.”
The Red Raiders, boasting nearly 40,000 students and a perennial top‑five NCAA track program, offer the Jamaican prodigy a runway to both athletic and academic success. Clarke will pursue a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, diving into the science of human movement—a fitting field for an athlete obsessed with efficiency between hurdles.
Kingston College, celebrating its centennial this year, relied heavily on Clarke during its run of four straight Boys’ and Girls’ Championships victories. Reflecting on that era, he called his KC years “a forge that shaped the competitor and person I am.” Helping hoist the coveted Champs trophy in the school’s 100th‑anniversary season, he noted, “proved that relentless preparation pays off.”
The teenager’s ambitions remain sky‑high. Next stop: Jamaica’s National Senior Championships, where he’ll clash with the island’s elite hurdlers for a spot on major international teams. “Fireworks are on the way,” Clarke promised. “I’m chasing bigger barriers—literally—and every rep from now to trials is about meeting that senior standard.”
With his ticket to Texas punched and a U20 world‑leading time in his pocket, Daniel Clarke enters the U.S. collegiate scene as both a Red Raider freshman and one of the most electrifying young hurdlers on the planet.
