Several collegiate athletes compete in various disciplines every year and try to etch a name for themselves. While being good in one’s sport is imperative to becoming successful, marketing and branding also play a crucial role these days. Fortunately for a track and field athlete, he got just that right after a staunch achievement. It looks to be that it isn’t just Livvy raking in the moolah with NIL allegiance.

Harvard Crimson’s Graham Blanks recently won the NCAA cross-country championship and also made a new NCAA record in the 5000m indoor run. This helped the long-distance runner secure a Names, Images, and Likeness (NIL) deal. In fact, he has also arranged for an impressive way to celebrate his partnership with the $5.3 billion sports giant.

Celebration a la the track and field way

Citius Mag made a joint post along with Graham Blanks to announce his NIL deal with New Balance. The post carried the caption, “BREAKING NEWS: NCAA cross country champion and NCAA 5000m record holder @graham_voted_for_pedro of @harvardtfxc has signed a Name, Image and Likeness deal with @newbalancerunning.”

The post also carried the words of the athlete who said, “I’m most excited to have New Balance’s headquarters only a few minutes from my dorm so that I’ll be able to visit often and work with the people and at the events over there.” While it seemed like an ordinary announcement thus far, the caption ended with an unexpected twist.

The caption continued, “To celebrate his partnership, Graham will be hosting an easy three-mile run with @fleetfeetathens on New Year’s Eve. Join him at 1694 S Lumpkin St at 9 AM on Sunday. There will be @newbalance shoes to demo, refreshments, coffee, donuts, and more.” 

This by far is the most track and field way to celebrate a new sponsorship deal. This is a way of life for the wunderkind. In fact, the collegiate athlete trains like a beast and runs 100 miles every week.

Superior training levels = golden ticket to the Olympics?

Graham Blanks is currently in his junior year and has been developing his speed with nothing but sheer consistency. While he finished 23rd in the 5000m run during his freshman year in 2021, he bridged the gap exponentially. Just next year, the track and field star finished in sixth place in 2022. The year 2023 didn’t just see him finish in first place, but also shatter the previous NCAA record with his time of 13:03.78.

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With this run, the track and field star has already beaten the Olympic qualification mark of 13:05. This is a feat that only three Americans have achieved so far. With a new sponsorship in his hand, Blanks will look forward to getting even faster and competing internationally very soon. Will the 21-year-old long-distance runner be able to keep up with the established long-distance track and field runners?

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