Bralon Taplin

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Bralon Taplin

| image = 492 finale 400m (26028745391).jpg

| caption = Bralon Taplin (right) at the 2016 World Indoor Championships

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|5|8|df=yes}}

| birth_place = St. George's, Grenada{{cite web|url=http://g2014results.thecgf.com/athlete/athletics/1020803/bralon_taplin.html|title=Glasgow 2014 - Bralon Taplin Profile|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}}

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height =

| weight = 79 kg

| sport = Athletics

| event = 400 m

| club =

| collegeteam = Texas A&M University{{cite web|url=http://12thman.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1453|title=Bralon Taplin - 2014-15|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}}

| education =

| coach = Alleyne Francique

}}

Bralon Taplin (born 8 May 1992) is a Grenadian sprinter.{{cite web|url=http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/grenada/bralon-taplin-250435 |title=Bralon Taplin |publisher=IAAF |date=25 August 2015| accessdate=25 August 2015}}

Taplin is currently serving a seven year competition ban due to two separate violations against the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules. His ban is due to expire in September 2026.{{cite news |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1102565/taplin-banned-three-years-aiu-athletics |title=Grenada sprinter Taplin handed second doping ban for whereabouts failures |publisher=Insidethegames.biz |date=2 January 2021 |first=Liam |last=Morgan |accessdate=28 December 2023}}

Career

He competed in the 400 metres event at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing without advancing from the first round.

He switched his allegiance from the United States to Grenada in December 2012. Previously he ran for Stony Point High School, winning the Texas state championship in the 400. then spent two years at South Plains College, winning the NJCAA Championship. He completed his college career at Texas A&M University.

In 2016 he represented Grenada at the Rio Olympics and progressed to the final where he eventually placed 7th with a time of 44.45 seconds.

In 2017 he started his season by participating in the IAAF World Indoor Tour. The first event he would take part in as part of the Tour would be the PSD Bank Meeting, held in Düsseldorf, Germany where he finished first in his group{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/results/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/2017/12-international-psd-bank-meeting-dusseldorf-6049/men/400-metres/race/result#resultheader|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Result - 12. International PSD Bank Meeting Dusseldorf 2017 - iaaf.org|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}} but second overall with a time of 46.25.{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/results/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/2017/12-international-psd-bank-meeting-dusseldorf-6049/men/400-metres/race/summary#resultheader|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Summary - 12. International PSD Bank Meeting Dusseldorf 2017 - iaaf.org|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}} His second race of the Tour was the Copernicus Cup. He not only finished first overall but he also established a new meet record with a time of 45.59 seconds.{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/results/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/2017/copernicus-cup-6083/men/400-metres/race/result#resultheader|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Result - Copernicus Cup - iaaf.org|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}} The third and deciding race of the Tour was the Müller Indoor Grand Prix which took place in Birmingham, England. In this race Bralon placed fourth with a time of 46.38 seconds.{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/results/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/2017/muller-indoor-grand-prix-birmingham-6048/men/400-metres/final/result#resultheader|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Result - Müller Indoor Grand Prix Birmingham - iaaf.org|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}} The fourth-place finish meant that Bralon would have missed out on the " Wild Card" entry into the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham.{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/world-indoor-tour-2017-winners|title=IAAF: IAAF World Indoor Tour winners secure wildcards for Birmingham- News - iaaf.org|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}} Aside from the Tour Bralon set a National record in the 300m sprint (indoor) with a time of 31.97 seconds. His time was the fourth fastest indoor 300m time when it was set and was achieved at the Czech Indoor Gala in Ostrava, Czech Republic.{{cite web|url=http://www.athleticsweekly.com/event-news/bralon-taplin-comes-close-to-world-300m-best-global-update-57433|title=Bralon Taplin comes close to world 300m best - global update - Athletics Weekly|date=15 February 2017|publisher=|accessdate=21 March 2017}}{{Cite web | url=http://online.atletika.cz/_dataPublic/pdf/resultlist_f522f620-5cc6-43be-9448-20ac57747ef1.pdf | title=Czech Indoor Gala 2017 | website=online.atletika.cz}}

Bralon began his individual 2018 season with a world leading 45.48 indoor at the Ted Nelson Invitational in College Station.{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/mondo-duplantis-world-indoor-pole-vault-recor|title=IAAF: Duplantis breaks world U20 indoor pole vault record in Reno – indoor round-up- News - iaaf.org|website=iaaf.org|accessdate=14 January 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kagstv.com/sports/aggie-track-and-field-sweeps-ted-nelson-invitational/507875545|title=Aggie track and field sweeps Ted Nelson Invitational|last=TEGNA|publisher=|accessdate=15 January 2018}} At the Charlie Thomas Invitational in College Station, Texas on 3 February, Bralon ran a 44.88 indoor lifetime best over 400m. He became sixth man in history to better the 45-second barrier for 400m indoors. Bralon's time ranks him fifth on the world indoor all-time list, just two places and 0.08 behind his countryman Kirani James, the 2012 Olympic champion.{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/bralon-taplin-divine-oduduru-indoor-2018|title=IAAF: Taplin and Oduduru climb world all-time sprint lists – indoor round-up- News - iaaf.org|website=iaaf.org|accessdate=5 February 2018}}

Competition record

{{AchievementTable\|Event=yes}}
colspan="6"\|Representing {{GRN}}
rowspan=2\|2014 \|Commonwealth Games \|Glasgow, United Kingdom \|18th (sf) \|400 m \|46.68
NACAC U23 Championships \|Kamloops, Canada \|bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|400 m \|45.52
rowspan=2\|2015 \|Pan American Games \|Toronto, Canada \|15th (h) \|400 m \|47.61
World Championships \|Beijing, China \|41st (h) \|400 m \|46.27
rowspan=2\|2016 \|World Indoor Championships \|Portland, United States \|4th \|400 m \|46.56
Olympic Games \|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil \|7th \|400 m \|44.45
rowspan=5\|2017 \|IAAF World Indoor Tour - International PSD Bank Meeting Düsseldorf \| Düsseldorf (ARENA-SPORTPARK), Germany \|2nd \|400m \|46.25{{cite web\|url=https://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/12-international-psd-bank-meeting-dusseldorf-6049/results/men/400-metres/race/summary#resultheader\|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Summary - 12. International PSD Bank Meeting Dusseldorf 2017 - iaaf.org\|publisher=\|accessdate=22 February 2017}}
IAAF World Indoor Tour - Copernicus Cup \|Toruń (ARENA), Poland \|1st \|400m \|45.59{{cite web\|url=https://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/copernicus-cup-6083/results/men/400-metres/race/summary#resultheader\|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Summary - Copernicus Cup - iaaf.org\|publisher=\|accessdate=22 February 2017}}
2017 Czech Indoor Gala \|Ostrava, Czech Republic \|1st \|300m \|31.97 'NR'
IAAF World Indoor Tour -Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix \|Birmingham Barclaycard Arena England \|4th \|400m \|46.38{{cite web\|url=https://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/muller-indoor-grand-prix-birmingham-6048/results/men/400-metres/final/result#resultheader\|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Result - Müller Indoor Grand Prix Birmingham - iaaf.org\|publisher=\|accessdate=22 February 2017}}
'Villa de Madrid' international Meeting \|Madrid Spain \|1st \|400m \|45.19 PB{{cite web\|url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/madrid-international-meeting-2017-dibaba-tapl\|title=IAAF: Dibaba, Elemba, Taplin and Beitia excel in Madrid- News - iaaf.org\|publisher=\|accessdate=25 February 2017}}

colspan="6"|Representing {{GRN}}

rowspan=2|2014

|Commonwealth Games

|Glasgow, United Kingdom

|18th (sf)

|400 m

|46.68

NACAC U23 Championships

|Kamloops, Canada

|bgcolor=silver|2nd

|400 m

|45.52

rowspan=2|2015

|Pan American Games

|Toronto, Canada

|15th (h)

|400 m

|47.61

World Championships

|Beijing, China

|41st (h)

|400 m

|46.27

rowspan=2|2016

|World Indoor Championships

|Portland, United States

|4th

|400 m

|46.56

Olympic Games

|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

|7th

|400 m

|44.45

rowspan=5|2017

|IAAF World Indoor Tour - International PSD Bank Meeting Düsseldorf

| Düsseldorf (ARENA-SPORTPARK), Germany

|2nd

|400m

|46.25{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/12-international-psd-bank-meeting-dusseldorf-6049/results/men/400-metres/race/summary#resultheader|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Summary - 12. International PSD Bank Meeting Dusseldorf 2017 - iaaf.org|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}}

IAAF World Indoor Tour - Copernicus Cup

|Toruń (ARENA), Poland

|1st

|400m

|45.59{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/copernicus-cup-6083/results/men/400-metres/race/summary#resultheader|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Summary - Copernicus Cup - iaaf.org|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}}

2017 Czech Indoor Gala

|Ostrava, Czech Republic

|1st

|300m

|31.97 'NR'

IAAF World Indoor Tour -Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix

|Birmingham Barclaycard Arena England

|4th

|400m

|46.38{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-indoor-tour/muller-indoor-grand-prix-birmingham-6048/results/men/400-metres/final/result#resultheader|title=IAAF: 400 Metres Result - Müller Indoor Grand Prix Birmingham - iaaf.org|publisher=|accessdate=22 February 2017}}

'Villa de Madrid' international Meeting

|Madrid Spain

|1st

|400m

|45.19 PB{{cite web|url=https://www.iaaf.org/news/report/madrid-international-meeting-2017-dibaba-tapl|title=IAAF: Dibaba, Elemba, Taplin and Beitia excel in Madrid- News - iaaf.org|publisher=|accessdate=25 February 2017}}