Justin Robinson Breaks Down 44.31 Performance: Self-Coaching, Front-Half Adjustments & Recovery | Post-Race Interview 2026 USATF
Justin Robinson delivered one of the most remarkable performances of the meet, crossing the line first in the Men's 400m Final in 44.31 before a post-race lane violation disqualification was issued. Before learning of the ruling, Robinson spoke about his story: almost quitting track last year while working 2 AM shifts at Costco and landscaping, self-coaching his way back to the top, and how a USATF Foundation grant kept his athletic career alive.
Video Transcript
Feel good.
Obviously I want to go a little bit better, but I still feel good with the outcome that happened today.
Talk about the conditions out there, I mean, it was crazy.
Yeah, it was a little bit windy coming, coming home, but everybody's facing the same thing, so you just have to fight through it and get to that line.
Now, when you're coming down the home straight and you have yourselves, Chris, Peter, like, what, what's going through your mind at that particular moment?
I just know that these guys are - Running back.
No, I'm just playing.
I just know these guys, they're, they're a hell of a competitors.
They all are good finishers, so I just knew I had to bring my A game.
Did you know coming into the last hundred there you could still win the race?
Most definitely.
I knew those guys were within range, and once I knew that, just put my chin down and just started sprinting to the line.
Do you usually improve this side of the plate?
Yes, sir.
You said that you could have done better today.
What do you feel like the steps you need to take in order to have that improvement for you?
Just a little bit more setting the front part of my race up.
Feel like I'm closing pretty good for, for what I'm looking for, so just setting the front part of my race up.
And that support system, what are the people helping you in order to share your story and execute and show yourself to the world?
They, they, they got me here.
So that's a start.
Impressive.
Are you based out of Ferris?
No, I'm in St. Louis, Missouri.
And what was your coach?
My high school coach, Sean Ferris.
When, when did you move to St. Louis?
Last year.
And you were in the area competing, I see.
Two years ago.
Two years ago, okay.
And at this point, are you sponsored at all or not at all?
No, not sponsored at all.
Oh, okay.
What is kind of different this year?
Because obviously you've had ups and downs, even obviously going back to your junior days.
I wonder what's kind of clicked for you this year that's made everything come together.
Just a little bit less on my plate.
I'm not working as much.
I'm able just to focus on training, and just competing really.
And how has the training shifted from, from right now to indoor season?
I'm, I'm able to recover a lot more from, from these reps I've been doing at practice.
I'm able to, to get after it a little bit more than I was last year.
What jobs were you working last year?
I was working at Costco and also working at a landscaping company.
So was that just on your feet the whole day?
Yeah.
How difficult was that balancing training?
It, it was pretty difficult, especially I'm, I'm waking up at two o'clock in the morning just to get to work, and practice at three in the evening, and not getting home till sometimes seven, eight at night.
So just repeating that over and over and over, it kind of tearing me down.
Is that every day you're getting up at two in the morning?
Five days a week, but- Okay close enough.
Yeah.
When do you go to bed?
Sometimes 9:00.
It was any- anywhere between 9:00 and 10:30.
It just depends on when I'm cooking and cleaning up and getting done with all that stuff.
Did you ever think to retire or to give up track?
What kept you going when it was tough?
Yeah, last year I thought about giving up just because the, the work balance of track and, and working was just too much.
But my dad and my coach, they kept me in it.
Then I got the, US- USA TF Foundation grant, which really helped me out a lot last year, so it kept me in it.
Yeah, like how are you supporting yourself these days?
The USA TF grant did, just money I had saved.
And do, do you think this will get you a sponsorship or any kind of funding going forward?
I hope it'll help.
I know I probably still need to drop it down a little bit, but I hope it'll help a lot.
Yeah.
Who's your agent?
Do you have an agent?
Yes, I'm with Clyde's.
Sorry?
Clyde Bryant with Circuit.
Circuit.
Just to talk about today, how special is today?
It's, it's really special, man.
I've been trying to win this for multiple years now, and I've been last the previous two years.
So just coming in first is, is, is quite an accomplishment for myself.
A national title, personal best, and you're still saying there's things you need to work on.
Yes.
So how's practice going right now?
How's winter been this far?
Practice is going pretty good.
Showing them to be in the forty-three range right now, but on some fresher legs and a little bit more training, I think I'll get there probably end of the year.
And then with just repeating an impressive, like, straw, and you wanting to be so much, do you think you can hit that by outdoor season?
Yes, ma'am.
Like- Most definitely.
So where were you working at?
Costco and a landscaping company.
Landscaping company.
Yes, sir.
And one more thing, fall in love with the process.
What does that phrase mean to you?
No matter how hard it gets, no matter what, what the outcome might not look like for you in the future, just keep working and keep grinding till it, it's gonna come to you.
So you ran forty-four seconds in high school- Yes right?
When you go into college with that PB, like learning the process of everything like that, what are the expectations?
Does that weigh on you at all, having that expectation?
I, I really don't think about it, that aspect.
I always try to strive for the, for the best.
So just going in, I just try to lower my PB and just keep lowering it, keep lowering it.
Yeah.
I mean, how do you feel about your college career?
It was okay.
I can't change it, nothing about it.
I did the best I could while I was in college, so I'm happy with that.
But obviously want it better, but it, it, it is what it is.
Well, did things hold you back, do you think?
No, I, I don't really think so.
Just timing.
It wasn't, wasn't God's timing for me to go out there and run what I wanted to run, but hopefully it come, comes to fruition this year.
You, you mentioned your daily routine last year, heading up to Berlin.
What's your daily routine like now heading up to USA?
Waking up about eight o'clock, cooking breakfast, eating, do a little bit of training, whatever coach got, got written down, recovery.
Just, just a normal athlete schedule right now.
What kind of things for recovery do you maybe did differently last year?
Is there- I bought some Normatec boots.
Got a ice bath.
I got a physical therapist who I go through and get treatment and stuff like that, so it's a huge step up from last year.
Yeah.
Did you have any of that last year?
No, not really.
I just had a massage gun.
Do you have like a training partner or anything like that?
No, I'm, I'm, I'm training by myself.
Just by yourself?
Yes.
How is that?
I did the same thing in high school.
I train with like a, a, some, some masters guys.
I re- I don't want to say I don't count them, but they're not really pushing me too much.
But they, they do the job, though.
But it's just, just like high school.
And I guess like in terms of motivation, when you're going through those reps and you gotta push the pace, like I wonder how you're able to push yourself to hit the splits and hit the times that you need to hit.
You just gotta remind yourself what your goals you have written down.
Then if I come slacking or something, coach will say something to me and give me that motivation, that push that I need.
When did you realize you could go high school?
Last year.
Oh, I see.
Thank you, guys.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Have a nice day.
Thank you.
