Will Sumner
{{Short description|American athlete}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Will Sumner
| birth_name =
| image =
| caption =
| nationality = American
| sport = Athletics
| event = 800m
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|10|22|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| pb = 800m: 1:44.26 (Austin, 2023)
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Sport|Men's athletics}}
{{Medal|Country|{{Flagu|United States}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|World U20 Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold|2022 Cali|4x400 m mixed relay}}
{{Medal|Gold|2022 Cali|4x400 m relay}} {{Medal|Competition|NACAC U23 Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold|2023 San Jose|Mixed 4x400 m relay}}
}}
Will Sumner (born 22 October 2003) is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres.{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/will-sumner-14960261|title=Will Sumner|accessdate=10 June 2023|website=World Athletics}} He competed for the Georgia Bulldogs before turning professional in 2023.
Career
In high school, Sumner ran the third fastest ever 800 meter time outdoors in 1:46.53, as well as the second fastest ever indoors in 1:48.14. Sumner won the 800m race at the NCAA Championships in June 2023, running a personal best time of 1:44.26. This was also the second fastest freshman collegiate time ever, the fifth fastest overall in NCAA history, the second-fastest in meet history, breaking the stadium record set in 2019 by Bryce Hoppel and placed him third fastest in the world in the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2023/06/mens-800-the-future-has-arrived-will-sumner-negative-splits-a-144-26/|website=Lets Run|title= Men's 800: The future has arrived; Will Sumner negative splits a 1:44.26|date=10 June 2023|accessdate=10 June 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.flotrack.org/articles/11040752-georgia-freshman-will-sumner-blazes-to-800m-title-at-ncaa-championships|website=Flotrack|accessdate=10 June 2023|title= Georgia Freshman Will Sumner Blazes To 800m Title At NCAA Championships|date=10 June 2023|first=Joe|last=Battaglia}} Competing at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, in Eugene, Oregon, he reached the final of the 800m competition, where he finished fifth.{{cite web|url=https://www.watchathletics.com/page/4368/men-s-800m-results-usatf-outdoor-championships-2023|website=Watch Athletics|accessdate=July 8, 2023|date=July 7, 2023|title=Men's 800m Results: USATF Outdoor Championships 2023}} was a gold medalist at the 2023 U23 NACAC Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, in the mixed 4x400m relay alongside Bailey Lear, Caleb Cavanaugh, and Kiah Williams.{{cite web|url= https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=665757|website=Runnerspace|accessdate=3 March 2024|title= CAVANAUGH'S DOUBLE, BRAHE-PEDERSEN'S RECORD, 5,000 AND SHOT PUT SWEEPS PART OF 11 U.S. GOLDS TO OPEN NACAC U23 CHAMPIONSHIPS|date=11 July 2023}}
In February 2025, he won the 600 metres at the Millrose Games in New York City in a meeting record time of 1:14.04.{{cite web|url= https://athleticsweekly.com/event-reports/nuguse-and-fisher-run-world-indoor-records-at-millrose-games-1039997123/#|website=Athletics Weekly|accessdate=9 February 2025|title= Nuguse and Fisher run world indoor records at Millrose Games|first=Jason |last=Henderson |date=Feb 8, 2025}}{{cite web|url= https://www.nbcsports.com/watch/olympics/will-sumner-posts-a-meet-record-to-win-millrose-games-mens-600m|website=nbcsports|accessdate=9 February 2025|title= Sumner posts meet record to win men's 600m|date=
February 8, 2025 }}
Personal life
Sumner attended Woodstock High School in Georgia. His parents were also an athletes with father Brad and mother Tosha both being NCAA champions, and multiple-time All-Americans. He has a sister called Brynne. He is a keen piano player.{{cite web|url=https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=634827|first=Dave|last=Devine|date=March 2, 2022|title= TEMPO MARKING: WILL SUMNER HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES|accessdate=10 June 2023}}
Sponsorship
In July 2023, Sumner announced that he was turning professional and had signed a sponsorship deal with Adidas.{{cite web|url=https://www.flotrack.org/articles/11115067-georgia-freshman-will-sumner-goes-pro|website=flotrack.org|accessdate=July 9, 2023|date=July 8, 2023|title= Georgia Freshman Will Sumner Goes Pro}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Footer World Athletics U20 Champions men's 4x400 metres}}
{{Footer World Athletics U20 Champions mixed 4x400 metres}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumner, Will}}
Category:American male middle-distance runners
Category:Georgia Bulldogs men's track and field athletes