LSU sprinter Gregory Prince is setting ambitious goals for his 2025 season, with a 45-second 400m indoors as the first major checkpoint on his road to the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.

Competing at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic on Saturday, Prince clocked 46.83 to finish second in his heat and 15th overall in the highly competitive meet. He also delivered a solid 21.15 in the 200m, the eighth-fastest time across the event. His LSU teammate Jelani Watkins led all sprinters with a 20.78 clocking.

While satisfied with his performance, Prince, in only his first season at LSU, acknowledged he still has work to do.

"My performance, I think, was pretty decent," he said. "My coach was pleased because it was my second meet, and I'm still in a heavy training load. My first meet, I ran 47.8, so we went back to the drawing board, made some adjustments, and it's just about going out there and executing. Indoors isn’t really my thing—I'm 6'3" and weigh about 190 lbs, so it’s a bit tough. But at the end of the day, it’s still a 400m, so I just go out there and race."

Prince, a former standout at South Plains Junior College, is determined to make a statement this season. His training has been focused on peaking at the right time, particularly with Jamaica’s National Trials in mind.

"This season, my training has been good. I’ve been taking care of myself, and I really want to set the tone from indoors, even though it’s not my strong suit, to carry that momentum into outdoors," he explained. "Our training program is designed for us to perform at trials. We’re still in the early stages of the season, and I still have a lot of learning to do. But I have my eyes on the World Championships because I feel like it’s time. Maybe God has a different plan for me, but in the back of my mind, I know it’s time."

Prince’s journey to LSU was not without challenges. Competing at South Plains Junior College, he had to navigate injuries and coaching changes before earning his place in the NCAA system.

"Junior college is tough, depending on where you go. South Plains is a tough place with a strong history—athletes like Fred Kerley and Jereem Richards passed through there, along with many Jamaicans," he said. "My first year, I had a lot of injuries, but I was still fit and managed to run 45.85. My second year, we had a coaching change, and things didn’t click at all. That season was really tough for me, but I stayed humble and patient. Then LSU sent me the papers, I signed, and I focused on staying healthy for an entire season. We won the outdoor championship, and from there, I told myself, ‘Let’s focus on getting better and winning again.’"

For Prince, the goal is clear—running 45 seconds indoors as a stepping stone to bigger things outdoors.

"Indoors, my coach believes I can run 45 easily. I think so too," he said confidently. "We had a conversation after my 200m at the meet, where I ran 21.1 from lane four. It’s just a mental thing for me with indoor racing, and once I get past that, I’ll be alright. If not 45, then at least a 46.1 to set the tone for outdoors."

Prince hopes to hit that mark by the conference championships later this season, setting the stage for what he believes will be a career-defining year.