Track & Field Star Kendrick ‘Teenyman’ Smallwood Jr. Breaks Texas Hurdling Record

Standing at just a mere 5 feet, 7 inches, Texas Track & Field star Kendrick Smallwood may not have the height, but boy, will he dust you on the track.

The Dallas, Texas native and self-proclaimed “Teenyman” recently obtained a monumental feat in his burgeoning career when he broke the 60-meter hurdles program record at the Razorback Invitational Randal Tyson Track Center, in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

While at the invitational, Smallwood brought speed and sass, and in the process, ran 7.63 in the 60mH prelims before going on to break the record with a time of 7.56 in the semifinals. Texas Track and Field athlete, who is in his senior year, now holds both Texas records in the hurdles.

With these historic speeds, Smallwood now owns four of the five fastest times in Texas history. Sheesh, I know the next Polyurethane track and hurdles are going to hate to see him strutting towards them.

Following Smallwood’s record-breaking feats, the official Instagram account for Texas Track & Field deemed him the “TEXAS HURDLE KING.”

Smallwood, who is in his senior year at The University of Texas at Austin, has been stacking his sports resume since age 13, when competing at the Dallas Track Club level. While simultaneously playing at the club level, Smallwood also competed in public school, attending R.S. Kimbrough Middle School in the Dallas suburb of Mesquite, Texas.

As an 8th grader at the Texas Education Agency’s B-rated middle school, Smallwood competed in various track events and disciplines, including high jumping, hurdles, relay, and more.

Next, Smallwood carried a stack of wins and his love for track into high school at Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School, where he continued to thrive and compete.

By his senior year Smallwood had longed several outstanding track and field seasons where he showed off elite sprint and hurdle performances.

He recorded personal bests of 11.25 in the 100m, 21.58 in the 200m, and 49.67 in the 400m.

His best events included the hurdles, where he excelled in both races — posting a 13.36 PR in the 110m hurdles and a 36.24 PR in the 300m hurdles, finishing 1st at the UIL 5A State Championships in the 110m hurdles and 2nd in the 300m hurdles. That year, he consistently took home honors and trophies at district, area, and regional titles throughout the postseason

By the time Smallwood had put out feelers for college, he was already a six time AAU All American, giving him a much-earned spotlight for colleges.

Smallwood eventually landed at The University of Texas at Austin, in the mini documentary series “My Human Story” for the campus Longhorn Network, where he opened up about what led him to call the University home for his collegiate career. “The level of competitiveness is what I saw ”. Said Smallwood, who yearned to be challenged as an athlete.

In addition to the University’s competitive nature, Smallwood also mentioned his current coaches’ Edrick Floreal’s coaching work with former track and field Olympic gold medalist Kenny Harrison.

Floreal praised Smallwood for being authentic to who he is. “He is what he is, just comfortable with being that.” It’s just cool to not have to have somebody try to fake it just to try and fit,” said Floreal. “He is always undeniably Kendrick Smallwood, and he is just consistently that way.”

Throughout his collegiate track and field career has set many records and has continued to put up record numbers despite being just two months into his 2026 season clocking a 6.79 personal best in the 60 meters at the Razorback Invitational and clocked a 21.43 season-best in the 200 meters at the Texas Tech Corky Classic. His strongest event was the 60m hurdles (42″), where he ran a 7.56 personal best, consistently placing near the top of the field at major meets.

In addition to his success out on the track, Smallwood doesn’t play about his grades, making the University of Texas at Austin’s academic honor roll in 2025.

Smallwood is currently majoring in health promotion and behavioral science with a minor in educational science in psychology.

What he hopes will follow those degrees is a master’s in psychology to start his own branch of peer counseling for the youth. “I want to give children the opportunity to voice how they feel and what’s going on internally. I want to be an advocate for voices who can’t be heard when they’re at home or anywhere else,’ Smallwood said.