Christian Langlois (Bearden) and other area athletes take part in the he KIL championships at Hardin Valley Academy on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY MIKE BLACKERBY
Christian Langlois’s finish to the 2021 high school track and field season was nothing short of spectacular.
The Bearden senior – the 5Star Preps Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year – went from being one of the faces in the crowd to one of the top sprinters in the nation in a span of less than two weeks.
Langlois first turned heads when he was clocked in a winning 100 meters time of 10.45 seconds in the Division I Large Section 1 Championships in mid-May in Johnson City.
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Prior to sectionals, Langlois’s PR in the 100 was 10.80.
In the state championships later that month in Murfreesboro, Langlois proved that his sectional performance was no fluke.
Competing against Tennessee’s best, he won the 100 in a sizzling time of 10.43 and came back to take the 200 in an impressive 21.09.
For perspective, Langlois wasn’t that far off two longtime state records in the sprint events.
Goodlettsville’s Larry Cantrell set the state record (10.33) in the 100 back in 1985.
In 1999, Hamilton’s Marquis Davis (20.84) established the state mark in the 200.
Langlois’s late-season achievements made college recruiters stand up and take notice.
His 10.43 put him in the top 15 nationally in the 100 meters.
Langlois recently signed with Tennessee to cap his whirlwind late-season rush.
“Christian had a tremendous senior season after a junior season lost to COVID, and struggling off and on with injuries his freshman and sophomore years,” said Bearden coach Ashley Schott.
“Christian came in his senior season with high expectations and goals for himself.”
Schott said Langlois also broke two longtime Bearden school records in the sprints that were set in 1975.
Mike Barlow, who would go on to be an All-American at UT, held the previous Bearden records in the 100 (10.72) and 200 (21.67).
Langlois, who was a highly touted sprinter and running back in football in middle school, said 2021 ended several years of frustrations.
“It (potential) has always been there, I just had a lot of issues with injuries the past few years,” said Langlois.
“Injury wise, there just wasn’t an opportunity to show what I could have done. I think my junior year may have been a great year.”
Langlois said a hip fracture he suffered in the eighth grade that was slow to be diagnosed was the start of his injury woes.
The mental part of getting past the injuries likewise provided a stumbling block.
Langlois said his father, longtime Knoxville educator Nathan Langlois, was a big help along the way as he struggled to regain his form.
Nathan Langlois was also a sprinter in college at Western Michigan.
“Honestly, I don’t think I would be here without him,” said the younger Langlois.
“He told me what to do to get past the injuries and the mental stuff. He was my coach on top of my high school coaches.”
As much as Langlois improved his senior season, he may just be scratching the surface as a sprinter.
At 6-foot-2 and 160 pounds, the angular Langlois has plenty of room for improvement physically.
“Christian has so much potential as he continues to gain strength to his long frame,” said Schott.
“He will only continue to get stronger and faster over the next several years as he continues to build strength and speed.”
Langlois, who is known for his devastating closing speed, said there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
“Definitely, my acceleration phase is where my strength is,” he noted.
“I don’t have a terrible start, but it can get better.”
Langlois said he has confidence that he will continue to improve at Tennessee over the next four years.
With better strength and mechanics, and there’s no telling where Langlois’s ceiling is.
“My whole life I’ve never lifted weights,” he said.
“The coaches at Tennessee – they’ll teach me everything I need to know. Track is definitely a mental sport. If you really want it, you’re going to get it.”