Walmart Employee Qualifies For US Olympic Trials With Fourth Fastest Time For 2024

photo cred courtesy TODAY

Competitive athlete by day, Customer Associate in the deli section by night. That's the story of 25-year old Baltimore native, Dylan Beard, who ran the fourth fastest time this year for the indoor 60m Hurdles to qualify for the US Olympic Trials.

A former teenage track star, Dylan's High School records still remain untouched, and he continued running into his collegiate years at Hampton and Howard universities. However, as an unsponsored athlete, he's had to support his post-grad sporting career with a full-time job at Walmart while still pursuing his dreams of becoming an Olympian.

That dream became ever more real when, back in February of this year, he surprised just about everyone including himself, when he stormed to a first place finish at the 2024 Millrose Games in the Men's 60m Hurdles. With that win, he recorded a joint fourth fastest time over that distance for the calendar year, and booked himself a well-earned spot at the US Olympic Trials later in June.

A clearly humble soul, Dylan wasn't one to extol his own virtues, but his Manager at Walmart was quick to heap praise on him, describing his work ethic as unmatched. His career ambitions also go beyond the track, with the North Carolina resident intending to use the Masters in Public Health he earned at Howard to help at-risk youth.

As is a beacon of hope, humility, discipline and resilience, Dylan truly epitomizes what it means to be addicted to progress. We wish him all the best in June in his quest to join Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.