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Randolph Ross finally made his long-awaited return to track and field after a three-year absence from the sport due to a suspension. The Olympic gold medalist proved he is ready to compete alongside the best runners in the world.
It will be interesting to see how long it takes him to get back to full form.
Ross first burst onto the scene in track and field as a sophomore at North Carolina A&T. The 6-foot-1 sprinter finished second at the NCAA Division-I Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2021. He later won the 400 flat at the Outdoor Championships that same year with the 19th-fastest time in history.
The world immediately took note of Ross as a legitimate competitor on the highest level. He was not just a flash in the pan and, nine days later, he qualified for the 2020/21 Olympics with a third-place finish at the U.S. Trials. Team USA also added him to the gold-medal winning 4×400 relay team.
Randolph Ross stayed hot.
Less than one full year after Ross ran for the United States in Tokyo, the Aggies sprinter avenged his loss at the Indoor Championships in the 400 and reclaimed his crown at the Outdoor Championships. Both wins were by a pretty significant margin. It was a reassurance that he was here to stay.
His reign of terror did not last long.
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
Ross was suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit on July 16, 2022. A retroactive three-year ban was put into place in December, dating back to July 1.
Randolph Ross committed multiple doping violations, including whereabouts failures and three missed tests. The most damning evidence was his attempt to fabricate an email to testing officials to explain his third of three absences.
His email claimed that he had to take an academic exam at the exact time of his drug test so he was unable to be there as required. If that was true, he might’ve been excused. However, the Athletics Integrity Unit later discovered the full truth.
At no point was Randolph Ross required to be in class at the time of his drug tests. It was a bold-faced lie and, as a result, he was changed with tampering. The charge led to a three-year ban from competition.
Time is up!
July 1, 2025 marked the end of Ross’ lengthy suspension. The 24-year-old was finally allowed to return.
His first opportunity to get back on the track took place at the World Athletics Continental Tour in Marseille, France. He ran on the bronze level against a pretty decent field of professionals.
Ross finished second to American Demarius Smith with a time of 45.41. The world-leading time in the 400 this year sits at 43.76 so there is still a long way to go but, all things considered, it was a pretty strong showing for a guy who had not run competitively since 2022!
I am interested to see how Randolph Ross fares at the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships later this month— if he even runs. How does he stack up against the best sprinters in the country after a three-year hiatus? Based on his most recent result, it doesn’t look great. Stay tuned.