Spotlights lit up the podium as the winning athletes approached. The crowd cheered as each athlete took his place and received a medal. The crowds quieted and “The Star Spangled Banner” echoed through the stadium indicating a gold medal for the United States.

During the summer, senior Norman Grimes competed for the United States in the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia and the Pan American Junior Athletics Championship in Edmonton, Canada where he ran in the 400 M hurdles and the 4×400 M relay race, after a series of trials to qualify for both events.

“There was a trial in Chicago to make the team that went to Colombia, and I ran in a trial in Eugene, Oregon to qualify for the team that went to Canada,” Grimes said. “The races were very difficult.”

Grimes said competing at an international level presented new challenges for him.

“I didn’t know what my event was called in Spanish and nearly missed my race,” Grimes said. “I needed to check in, but no one was there to translate.”

Despite the cultural hurdles, Grimes placed first in the 400 M hurdles at both races with a time of 49.11 at the World Youth Championships and a time of 50.10 at the Pan American Junior race. His relay teams also placed first with times of 3:19.54 and 3:07.07 at both events.

“The realization that all of the hard work and ups and downs I went through in the past finally paid off was indescribable,” Grimes said. ”I knew I had just achieved one of my long term goals of representing my country doing what I love.”

Grimes said competing in these races has given him opportunities he would not have otherwise.

“I feel like I have a friend on every continent now,” Grimes said. “I got to experience a lot of different cultures and meet cool people.”

Despite Grimes’s recent wins at a world level, he said he is still looking forward to the UIL track season.

“I still have goals for UIL track,” Grimes said. “The 400 M hurdles is not a UIL event, but I want to get the state and national records for the 300 M hurdles.”

This summer, Grimes will compete in the World Championships in Kazan, Russia and the Olympic Trials. Grimes said he is eager to compete again on an international stage.

“It is definitely not America,” Grimes said. “It is very eye-opening to see how blessed we are and all the opportunities we have here.”