Brandon Miller turning pro, bound for LA-Coach Bobby Kersee

St. Louis area native, John Burroughs School graduate, and Texas A&M University junior Brandon Miller is leaving College Station for life as a professional runner. The 800-meter star is headed to Los Angeles to train with one of the world's best coaches, Bobby Kersee. Miller and his Olympic gold medalist 800-meter runner girlfriend Athing Mu, both announced on social media today they were making the move west to work with the legendary coach.

Miller's post on Instagram quotes him, "I'm extremely excited to be starting this new chapter in my career. It's a blessing to be able to work with Bobby Kersee. Knowing who he is and what he has accomplished with multiple athletes in the past and present makes me excited about the possibilities of what I can accomplish moving forward. At the end of the day I just want to thank God for the opportunity and I am super excited to get started."

He went on to write, "In order to be the best you have to train with the best! I am happy to announce that I have become a professional track athlete and will be training with the legendary Bobby Kersee! I am excited to start this next chapter in my track and field career."

Miller is coming off a sophomore year when he moved to 3rd on the collegiate indoor 800-meter list, breaking the American collegiate record with a 1:45.24 clocking in February. Miller went on to win the national title in March in the event, then returned to the track shortly after to help Texas A&M win the 4x400 national title from the 2nd of 3 heats of the event.

After a runner-up finish at the 2021 NCAA outdoor championships where he ran a personal record (PR) of 1:44.97, Miller finished 3rd this year. After a disappointing 2021 Olympic Trials that saw him come up short of advancing to the final, Miller held off a late charge from multiple runners to take 3rd at the 2022 USA Track and Field Championships. The Top-3 finish earned him a spot on Team USA for the World Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which was held for the first time in the United States, at Oregon's Hayward Field.

Americans Miller, Bryce Hoppel, and Jonah Koech failed to advance past the first of three rounds in the event, as did fellow American Donovan Brazier, who was given a berth to fill the field based on previous performances. After making his Team USA debut, on at least one day at the meet, earned some duties handing out flags trackside to Team USA teammates who finished in medal position.

Miller was a sensation long before entering high school competition. Miller was a star at the youth club level, trained by his mother and former Mizzou track and field athlete Angela. Miller set age-group world records in the 800-meters, in the age-13 and age-14 categories. Miller's age-14 mark still stands from the summer of his 8th-grade year (2016), an amazing 1:51.23.

At Burroughs, Miller was solid for a couple of seasons of cross country, but a superstar in track and field. He competed in events ranging from the 200 and 4x200-meter relay to the 1600-meters. The single and two-lap races are where he shined the brightest. He led the Bombers to the Class 3 state track and field title as a freshman in 2017, winning the 800 and 4x800.

As a sophomore in 2018, Miller broke the nearly 40-year-old state meet record in the 800-meters, running 1:49.55. He also won the 1600-meters in 4:23.00. After a win at the Festival of Miles in the high school 800, Miller won the Brooks PR Invitational.

 Miller winning a race at the 2018 MSHSAA Class 3 Track and Field Championships.                                       Chris A. MO.MileSplit.com

Miller, who also played basketball at John Burroughs, had his junior track season cut short in the first meet of the year, tearing his hamstring in the open 200-meters. Miller returned to competition in the fall of 2018, running cross country again and placing 40th in Class 3 on a chilly day at the final state meet at Oak Hills in Jefferson City. Miller's senior track campaign was wiped out by the Covid-19 pandemic. Although he was able to race once, winning the Illinois Meet of Champions in the summer with a new (PR) of 1:49.35.

Mu arrived at Texas A&M at the same time as Miller, with an even better resume in the long sprints than him. Mu still owns 6 age-group world records, one in the conventional 800-meters, and 5 others in the less frequently held 500 and 600-meters. After a 2021 NCAA indoor national title in the 4x400 and 2nd-place individual 400 finish indoors, Mu broke the collegiate record in the one-lapper and won the national title outdoors. That strategy of racing mostly 400s and a few 800s soon paid off.

After the 2021 NCAA outdoor championships, Mu turned professional, signing with Nike, just before the 2021 Olympic Trials in June of that year. Mu won the 800 at Trials to make Team USA for the Covid-19 postponed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in July and August 2021. The New Jersey native and daughter of immigrants from South Sudan won the gold in Japan in the 800-meters and the 4x400-meter relay. Mu defended her global championship, winning the World Outdoor Championships 800 in Oregon this past July.

Kersee has trained many of the all-time great track and field athletes, including his wife and East. St. Louis, Il. native Jackie-Joyner Kersee. Florence Griffith-Joyner, East St. Louis native Dawn Harper, and Allision Felix are just a few of the greats to train with Kersee.

 Miller's announcement doesn't include any mention of sponsors yet, but Miller, who doesn't turn 20 until next June, should have multiple shoe companies and other businesses wanting to team up.