FORT WORTH, Texas — In the 2021 Big 12 Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the Texas Longhorns swept the men’s and women’s events, clinching another Big 12 title. Although the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs placed sixth overall in the men’s division and tenth in the women’s, the men brought home gold in the 4x100 meter relay.
It was a complete team effort from Tinotenda Matiyenga, Kundai Maguranyanga, Robert Gregory and TJ Brock. All of them are spectacular sprinters in their own right, but Brock in particular was born to run.
Brock is one of the top sprinters in the Big 12. He’s a 2020 Indoor All-American and a conference silver medalist. Before he was running inside a lane, he was running around a base path.
“Originally baseball was my main sport. Before I got into anything else I was a baseball player,” said Brock.
His father was also a baseball player. Tarrik Brock had a 12-year run in professional baseball, highlighted by his Major League Baseball debut with the Chicago Cubs in March of 2000. He's been a coach in the MLB since 2014 and is currently the first base coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But no matter where he is, Tarrik will always find a way to keep his priorities in check.
“There’s been times even when he was with the Astros, where he would stop in the middle of the game to run into the dugout to see if my meet was televised,” Brock said. “He’s been a huge support. Just as much as my mom.”
Brock’s mother, Kanika, was a track star herself. She was initially the one to introduce Brock to the sport.
However, his first experience wasn’t the best.
“I hated it at first because I had to run the 400 meter one day and it was the worst decision of my life,” he recalled. “I was like this seven-year-old kid and said ‘don’t ever make me do this again.’”
Eventually his love and passion for track blossomed. He’s become an advocate for track and field to be put back on the map in terms of its popularity.
“It’s our responsibility for the next generation to really amp it back up. To have DK Metcalf go out there and run the 100 meter at Mt. SAC, I think that was exciting and it really revamped the sport,” he said.
Track and field’s recognition is on full display every four years at the Olympics, a stage that’s been a dream he’s never stopped pursuing.
“Of course. That dream never dies,” said Brock. “You always want to aim for the biggest spot with the top dogs. What better place to be than on the biggest stage in the world to run."
Running doesn’t define Brock, but it’s in his blood. His third cousin is MLB legend Rickey Henderson, the game’s all-time leader in stolen bases (1,406).
however Brock is chasing his own dream for Olympic gold. His next step in that pursuit is the NCAA West Regionals, then NCAA Championships and eventually the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for the Tokyo Olympics.