Reco Griffith and the moment he became the ‘fastest man alive’ with Medgar Evers College draped across his chest
By Nick Masuda | nicholas.masuda31@mec.cuny.edu
There is loving life — and then there is Reco Griffith.
To say he is care-free or loose would almost be an understatement.
He’s the type of guy that will leave you rolling on the ground laughing, but also the first one that will extend a hand to lift you up.
But don’t let that fool you — he wants to beat you. Badly.
And on March 29, he did just that.
To every Division III athlete in the land.
The freshman star sprinter on the Medgar Evers College men’s outdoor track team didn’t just wipe out the competition in Pennsylvania — his 100-meter time stood as Division III’s No. 1 time in the entire country.
Yes, the entire United States of America.
His 10.52 seconds shattered both the school and personal records . . .
“And I stumbled at the start — I can go faster,” he said.
”I will go faster.”
And he already knows he will need to be, as the outdoor season is active and a handful of runners from across the country have eclipsed his time.
But on March 29, 2025, Reco Griffith was Division III’s “Fastest Man Alive” (a common moniker for those that excel in the 100 meters) — even if just for a moment.
“It was cool, but every day, I just try to run faster than the day before,” Reco said, now ranked No. 9 in the country and No. 2 in the Metro Regional rankings with five regular-season meets remaining before the CUNYAC Championships at Icahn Stadium in New York on May 3.
“I work hard every day for those moments.”
A bit of a cherry on top? This was also the first time he ran the 100-meter dash as a collegiate athlete. No prelims, just the timed race.
That is the stuff that legends are made of, if you ask Coach Hugh Reid.
“I was relieved,” said Reid, who has won more than 25 titles as a head coach. “You put someone out there for the first time and you hope you’ve set them up for success. Even with that stumble, you saw him get stronger as the race went on. That’s a good sign for things to come. We haven’t even done speed drills yet.”
An elder statesman
As a 26-year-old freshman, Reco’s maturity stands out and shines through — don’t let the smile and jovial attitude fool you — in all that he does.
He’s a native of Barbados, coming to the U.S. just three years ago.
He’s a biology major, considered by many to be one of the most challenging programs on campus.
He works up to 25 hours per week at an external job to support himself.
He has been a stalwart on three Medgar Evers College teams during the 2025-26 school year — cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field.
He battles his weight and has done so for most of his life — an obstacle that takes tenacity, commitment and openness to learn more and more about his body in order to find success.
Being fast isn’t a natural thing — it’s his motivation to keep his life centered.
And sometimes being fast means slowing down.
“I try to eliminate all the stress I can,” Reco explained. “I’m not one to be up at 4 a.m. studying, your body isn’t built that way.
“I can’t really perform on my studies if I’m stressed out, because my brain needs to have some sleep to decompress. I’ve got to be able to perform in training and at work, so I have to balance everything. It takes energy to balance everything, and I have to be intentional in all that I do.”
(Video by Jahmarley Irving/BRC Intern in the Office of Communications)
Why Medgar Evers College?
His arrival on campus wasn’t pre-determined — even being doubted by family members that he could handle the academic rigors of college — but was a natural product of a long-standing relationship with Coach Reid.
He believed in coach; coach believed in him.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him,” Reco said.
And Medgar Evers College has benefitted from that bond, with Reco a key contributor as the Cougars defended their CUNYAC indoor track-and-field conference titles in March.
He led the conference in the 60-meter dash (6.90 seconds), 200-meter dash (21.87 seconds) and was a part of the 4×400 relay team (3:26.59). He owns the indoor school record in the 200 meters, while also setting new school marks as part of the 4×200 relay and 4×400 relay teams.
It turns out, he’s no stranger to national rankings, as he finished the indoor season ranked No. 46 in the 60-meters and No. 58 in the 200-meters.
All of his on-track performances earned him CUNYAC Rookie of the Year honors — although even he chuckles a bit about being called a “rookie” at 26.
Yes, he’ll admit that the trio of seasons take their toll — particularly in cross country when he is running distance — but that his age means little when it comes to approaching the starting line.
“Age does not matter when you compete in track, either you can run fast and own the moment, or you can’t,” Reco said.
“That’s what I love about the sport, it’s open to everyone willing to accept the challenge.”
On March 29, he accepted the challenge and created a new standard.