This former worker might probably be the best thing to come out of Grand Slam Track. Patterson worked the overnight shift at UPS, typically from 10:45 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., where he loaded up to four delivery trucks per shift. Afterward, he managed just 3–4 hours of sleep before heading to the track for training. Then GST happened. He won the 400m in Miami with a personal best of 43.98s, the fastest in the world at that point. Picking up on the GST win, he went to conquer an Olympic Champion at USATF, and today, he did it again. The best part? It’s not bad news for the Olympian.

“SHOUT OUT JP!!!!! 🗣️🗣️” Vernon Norwood tweeted today moments after the 400m Diamond League Final in Zurich. JP is the very same former UPS worker who stunned the world at Grand Slam Track, Jacory Patterson. The 25-year-old track and field athlete outran the Olympic champion in the Diamond League final today to claim the $50,000 prize.

The commentator announced, “There he goes again,” as Patterson, like the USATF Championships and many other races, marked a win over his opponents in the 400m today. JP took the lead from the start of the race, and he did not give it up, clocking a time of 43.85s, while Vernon accelerated past the sprinters to finish third in 44.45s. But this loss didn’t sting the two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Norwood and Patterson hugged it out after the race because this win not only ensured the Diamond League Final was won by an American but also gave the USA an open spot at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. And guess who is taking that spot? Vernon Norwood, given his fourth-place finish in the 400m at the USATF Championships earlier this month.

The former UPS worker was asked how he felt after opening the gates of the World Championship for the Olympic champion. “Man feels good, man. Uh, Vernon, always the four of us going out. Me, Caleb, Chris, and Vernon. You know, after the race, uh, Vernon came up to me. He was just being a big brother. Give me words of encouragement, man. That’s somebody you want to take to Tokyo. Somebody who got the experience and the leadership, like Vernon,” Jacory Patterson responded with a proud smile on his face.

The next stop for both him and Vernon is the World Championships. And the former UPS worker is not letting himself get comfortable.

Jacory Patterson still works like he is at UPS

In the very same interview, Patterson was asked about Tokyo, to which he pointed out his excitement. His goals? Those have evolved over the season.

“The goal is just to have a healthy season. Now it’s the go and win world. So like the perspective changed throughout the season, and it all started at Grand Slam, and then from there it just we just kept going.” GST really did put him on the board. Michael Johnson himself talked about him and cited his progress as the reason why he started the league.

FloTrack interviewed him, and JP told the world how hard he worked at UPS. Though he has put the job way behind, his work ethic remains the same. When asked if becoming a full-time athlete helps in training, recovering better, he shook his head in denial.

Patterson informed, “I still show the products like I work at UPS. Like the work is still being put in the same way. Like I’m not I ain’t getting comfortable or complacent. It’s still work being put in the same way.” Clearly, he does not want to give up the practice that brought him glory.

At UPS, the 400m Diamond League winner clocked in around 10:45 p.m., loading trucks until 4:30 a.m. After the shift, he used to have a quick rest before rising at 8:30 a.m. for training sessions. Afternoons meant recovery naps, then back to UPS at night. Now, while UPS is out of his life, he is probably still following the same ethic. That’s Jacory Patterson for us!