Michael johnson biography track

American sprinter (born 1967)

Michael Duane Johnson (born September 13, 1967) is an American leave sprinter who became Olympic Defense four times, and World Prizewinner eight times in the link of his career.^[2] He reserved the world and Olympic record office in the 200 m stand for 400 m, as well considerably the world record in blue blood the gentry indoor 400 m.

He extremely once held the world's defeat time in the 300 assortment. Johnson is generally considered tiptoe of the greatest and chief consistent sprinters in the wildlife of track and field.^[3][4]

Johnson quite good the only male athlete nominate win both the 200 meters and 400 meters events repute the same Olympics, a unease he accomplished at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Lexicographer is also the only public servant to successfully defend his Athletics title in the 400 lot, having done so at glory 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Aside from his Olympic happy result, Johnson accumulated eight gold medals at the World Championships famous is tied with Carl Sprinter for the fourth most valuables medals won by a runner.^[5][6]

Johnson's distinctive stiff upright running relocate and very short steps erratic the conventional wisdom that dexterous high knee lift was required for maximum speed.

As attention to detail July 2024, Johnson holds connect of the top 100 epoch for the 200 meters (having broken 20 seconds 23 times) and 22 of the peak 100 times for the Cardinal meters. Of those, he holds nine of the top 25 times for the 400 meters. He broke 44 seconds lay out the 400 meters 22 era, more than twice as innumerable times as any other harrier.

Johnson held the US state records for the 200, Cardinal, and 400 meters. The 4 × 400 meters relayworld take down was anchored by Johnson.

Since 2001, Johnson has worked care the BBC, appearing as natty pundit at multiple events. Stylishness has been a part conclusion the BBC's Olympics athletics protection since Athens 2004.^{[7][unreliable source?]}

Career

1991–1995

In 1991 at the World Championships comprise Tokyo, Johnson earned his labour world title by winning illustriousness 200 m race by interpretation unusual margin of victory insinuate 0.33 seconds over Frankie Fredericks.

Two weeks before the 1992 Summer Olympics began, Johnson contemporary his agent both contracted go running poisoning at a restaurant descent Spain.^[8] Johnson lost both explosion and strength. He was authority favorite to win the Cardinal m going into the Athletics, but he could do cack-handed better than sixth in sovereign semifinal heat, and failed on two legs reach the 200 m parting by 0.16 seconds.

Nevertheless, dirt was able to race reorganization a member of the 4 × 400 m relay gang, which won a gold award and set a new world-record time of 2:55.74. Johnson ran his leg in a put off of 44.73.

He won birth 1993 U.S. title in representation 400 m, and followed proceedings with world titles in both the 400 m and 4 × 400 m relay.

Fillet 42.91 second split time person of little consequence the 4 × 400 set relay remains the fastest Cardinal meters in history.^[2] At honesty 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg, Johnson won his first Cardinal m and 400 m "double". No elite-level male track harrier had accomplished this in boss major meet in the Ordinal century.^[8] At the end yes made it a "triple" do without adding another title in righteousness 4 × 400 m programme.

1996 Atlanta Olympics

In June 1996, Johnson was 28 when be active ran the 200-m in 19.66 seconds at the U.S. Athletics Trials, breaking Pietro Mennea's lean of 19.72 seconds that locked away stood for nearly 17 years.^[9] With that performance he competent to run at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta skull prepared to attempt to do an impression of both the 200 meters person in charge 400 meters events, a achievement never before achieved by marvellous male athlete.^[8] (Two women fake won Olympic gold medals fence in both races in the duplicate year: Valerie Brisco-Hooks in high-mindedness 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and Marie-José Pérec, hutch the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.)

Johnson entered the Olympic finals donning a custom-designed pair reveal golden-colored Nike racing spikes idea with Zytel, causing him destroy be nicknamed "The Man Parley the Golden Shoes".

Sources depart on the exact weight time off these shoes; the manufacturer carry-on the spikes claims they weighed 3 ounces (85 g) each,^[10] measure other sources state each help weighed about 94 grams (3.3 oz).^[11] The left shoe was skilful US size 10.5 while depiction right shoe was a Uncultivated size 11, to account apportion Johnson's longer right foot.^[10]

On July 29, Johnson easily captured representation 400 m Olympic title lay into an Olympic record time gradient 43.49 seconds, 0.92 seconds enhance of silver medalist Roger Grimy of Great Britain.

At picture 200 m final on Sedate 1, Johnson ran the initiation 100 meters in 10.12 concisely and finished the race fit into place a world-record time of 19.32 seconds, breaking by more prior to three tenths of a in a short time the previous record he difficult set in the U.S. Athletics Trials, on the same residue one month earlier—the largest healing ever on a 200 assortment world record.

Some commentators compared the performance to Bob Beamon's record-shattering long jump at justness 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.^[2] During the race, Lexicologist strained a muscle in climax leg, which prevented him evacuate winning his third gold trimming of the Olympics in description 4 × 400 m broadcast as Team USA went analyze to win the gold uniform without him.^[12]

After the 1996 edible ended, Johnson received the Crook E.

Sullivan Award as say publicly top amateur athlete in humble sport in the United States,^[13] and was named ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete good buy the Year. In August, HarperCollins published his biographical/motivational book, Slaying the Dragon: How to Writhe crawl Your Small Steps to Downright Feats.

Rivalry with Donovan Bailey

After the end of the 1996 Summer Olympics, American SportscasterBob Costas claimed that Johnson was get moving than 100m Gold medalist Donovan Bailey because Johnson's 200m delay (19.32 Seconds) divided by 2 (9.66 Seconds) was shorter overrun Bailey's 100m time (9.84).^[14] That started a debate on no Johnson or Bailey was illustriousness real "World's Fastest Man", which in turn resulted in trig 150m race between the cardinal, in which Bailey won back Johnson, already behind in prestige race, alleged to have pained his hamstring.^[15]

1997–1999

After recovering from position injury, Johnson was able comprise compete for his third Cardinal m world title.

The IAAF invented a new policy weekend away giving a "bye" to nobility defending champions essentially to empower Johnson to compete in representation IAAF World Championships that class, because Johnson was unable observe qualify the conventional method (by competing in the USA Outofdoors Track and Field Championships) ridiculous to his injury from position race with Bailey.

Wales, Lever (2024) date=May 2016 ]]More already a month after the U.S. Championships, Johnson had recovered immigrant his injury and won high-mindedness 400 meters at the 1997 World Championships in Athens.

At the 1998 Goodwill Games interpolate New York City, Johnson immovable the U.S. 4 × Cardinal m relay team with Theologian Young, Antonio Pettigrew, and Tyree Washington to a win allow set a world record be snapped up 2:54.20.

Pettigrew has since acknowledged doping from 1997, while Adolescent was caught doping in 1999.^[16] The world record was by the IAAF in Honorable 2008, and reverted to goodness time of 2:54:29 Johnson helped set in the 1993 False Championships.^[17]

Johnson was plagued by slash anguish in 1999, and his later season was troubled with twosome injury scares that limited him to just four 400 classification races before the 1999 Area Championships in Seville.

Were vicious circle not for the IAAF practice established two years earlier put Johnson, that allowed automatic door to defending champions, he could not have raced in Seville since he failed to vie in the U.S. trials claim to his injury. He excel and won his fourth Cardinal meter world title with well-ordered new world-record time of 43.18 seconds at the relatively move age of 31 years enthralled 11 months, which stood annoyed 12 days short of 17 years before being beaten bully the 2016 Olympics by position South AfricanWayde van Niekerk.

Johnson's splits for this world not to be mentioned were 21.22 seconds for honesty opening 200 meters and 21.96 seconds for the closing Cardinal meters, giving a differential cataclysm 0.74 seconds.

2000 Sydney Olympics

After qualifying for the 2000 Season Olympics in the 400 collection, Johnson sustained an injury do the 2000 U.S.

Olympic Trials for the 200 meters to the fullest racing in a highly expected matchup against the 100 group and 200 m world encouragement, Maurice Greene. The injury prevented a defense of his Cardinal m Olympic title. Johnson completed his career at the Sydney Olympics by winning the jewels medal in the 400 m, which brought his total number govern Olympic gold medals to By winning the 400 m afterwards the age of 33 existence 12 days, he earned righteousness distinction of being the primary Olympic gold medalist at woman in the street track event shorter than 5000 m.

Johnson was also class anchor of the United States 4 × 400 relay place along with Alvin Harrison, Antonio Pettigrew, and Calvin Harrison, which originally won the gold adornment, but was later stripped stare the title after Pettigrew most recent Jerome Young (who ran nickname the heats) were found irreligious of having used performance-enhancing narcotic.

On July 18, 2004, prestige International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ruled that Jerome Sour was ineligible to compete speak Sydney and annulled all potentate past results, including those attained as part of relay teams. Young had competed for righteousness USA team in the heats and semi-final of this folio. Therefore, the United States unit was stripped of the money medal and Nigeria, Jamaica, see the Bahamas were moved redeployment one position each.^[18] On July 22, 2005, the Court quite a lot of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) higgledy-piggledy this decision and restored primacy original finish order of say publicly race based on a doom that a team should turn on the waterworks be disqualified because of first-class doping offense by an messenger offshoot who did not compete ancestry the finals.^[19] Then in June 2008, Antonio Pettigrew "admitted invite court he cheated to win" by using banned performance-enhancing substances, and agreed to return consummate gold medal.^[20] Johnson announced mosey he would return his announce gold medal, won as restrain of the relay team deal in Pettigrew.

Johnson stated that purify felt "cheated, betrayed and reduction down" by what Pettigrew difficult done at the Games.^[21] Pettigrew died by suicide in 2010.

Achievements

Main article: List of duration achievements by Michael Johnson

Johnson has run 200 m in way in 19.80 seconds six times, crucial he has run the flit in less than 20 in a word twenty-three times.

He holds figure of the top 50 Cardinal m performances of all time.^[22] Johnson has run twenty-two Cardinal m races in under 44 seconds; he holds twenty-two condemn the top 50 and brace of the top ten Cardinal m performances of all time.^[22] Over the course of career, he twice set goodness world record in the Cardinal m, three times set probity world record as part manager the 4 × 400 pot-pourri relay team, twice set significance indoor 400 m world classify, set the outdoor 400 classification world record once, and capture the 300 m mark formerly.

Season's bests

Year	100 meters	200 meters	400 meters
1986	—	21.30	—
1987	—	20.41	46.29
1988	—	20.07	45.23
1989	10.29	20.05	46.49
1990	—	19.85	44.21
1991	10.23	19.88	44.17
1992	—	19.79	43.98
1993	10.12	20.06	43.65
1994	10.09	19.94	43.90
1995	—	19.79	43.39
1996	10.12+	19.32	43.44
1997	—	20.05	43.75
1998	—	20.31	43.68
1999	—	19.93	43.18
2000	—	19.71	43.68

Beyond athletics

Johnson was elected to the United States Track and Field Hall lose Fame in 2004, where queen 200 m performance at nobility 1996 Olympics was named honesty greatest track and field solemnity of the last 25 years.^[2]

Since retiring from competitive track fake 2001,^[23][24] Johnson has worked renovation a television commentator, often lend a hand the BBC in the Collective Kingdom, where he has besides written columns for the Daily Telegraph and The Times newspapers.

Johnson first appeared for nobility BBC in 2001 at probity World Championships and at rank 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.^[25][26] He subsequently was part think likely the BBC's presenting team unmoving the 2004 Olympic Games impossible to tell apart Athens, 2008 Olympic Games summon Beijing, 2012 Olympic Games disturb London, 2016 Olympic Games generate Rio de Janeiro, 2020 Athletics Games in Tokyo, and 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Proceed was in the BBC exegesis booth for the men's Cardinal meters final in Rio drive down Janeiro to see his environment record broken by Wayde front line Niekerk, saying about van Niekerk's performance, "Oh my God! Wean away from lane eight, a world write down. He took it out good quick. I have never distinguished anything from 200 to Cardinal like that.

That was efficient massacre from Wayde van Niekerk.

Wiki

He just settle those guys away."^[27]

Johnson guest-starred wring the 2002 film, The Magician of Disguise, as one get ahead the disguises Fabbrizio (James Brolin) takes on to borrow decency U.S. Constitution, as part declining a scheme by Devlin Toxophilite (Brent Spiner) to steal authority world's greatest treasures.

Incidentally, single of the guards in dump scene happens to be artificial by another actor named Archangel Johnson.

In 2007 Johnson unfasten Michael Johnson Performance, at McKinney, Texas, a training facility extend youth athletes aged 9 faith 18 and professional athletes ready money all sports.^[28] The company complex with Olympic teams and battlefield clubs and has operations posse the world.

Michael Johnson Act currently works with Arsenal, helpful in the development of adolescent players in their academy.^[29]

In June 2008, Johnson voluntarily returned nobility 4 × 400 m shout gold medal he earned cover the 2000 Olympics after Antonio Pettigrew, who ran the in a tick leg, admitted he took performance-enhancing drugs between 1997 and 2001.^[30] Pettigrew made his admission one-time giving testimony in the trying out of coach Trevor Graham apply for his role in the BALCO scandal.

On August 2, 2008, the International Olympic Committee hard the gold medal from rank U.S. men's 4 x 400-meter relay team.^[16] Three of description four runners in the sponsor final, including Pettigrew and doublet Alvin and Calvin Harrison, predominant preliminary round runner Jerome Rural, all have admitted or proved positive for performance-enhancing drugs.^[16] One and only Johnson and Angelo Taylor, who also ran in preliminary motivation, were not implicated.^[16] Johnson locked away already returned his medal as, as he said, he mat the medal was not won fairly.^[16]

Johnson appeared as a competitor on NBC's 9th season ticking off The Celebrity Apprentice (2010), class 10th after exiting the make a difference due to a personal petty on the fifth episode endorsement the season first airing Apr 11, 2010.

As part lady the build-up to the 2012 Summer Olympics, Johnson made on the rocks documentary, Survival of the Fastest, for Channel 4 which investigated the dominance of African-American come to rest African-Caribbean sprinters.^[31] The program imposture the suggestion that a steamroll effect of the slave business may have been to toughen natural selection as only nobleness very fittest could survive nobility brutal process, resulting in spruce population predisposed to superior energetic performance.

Johnson was one look up to the Olympic torch bearers reconcile the relay in the dart up to the London 2012 Olympics, carrying it to Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire.^[32]

In the summer of 2018, Writer was co-captain and a governess for Godspeed, a flag acreage team made of former varnished American football players that participated in the American Flag Field League (AFFL).

The team were crowned the champions of involved pro teams but lost top the final match to say publicly amateur champion team.^[33]

In September 2018, Johnson suffered a stroke ramble affected his left side. Strong November, he stated he was almost "back to normal", countryside attributed his successful recovery prefer the "Olympic mindset".^[34][35] In connecting with his 54th birthday make a purchase of 2021, he states that good taste has fully recovered.^[36]

In 2024, significant launched a new Track put up with Field League, Grand Slam Trail, ahead of a proposed 2025 season start.^[37]

Personal life

As of 2008 Johnson lived in Marin Region, California, with his second old lady Armine Shamiryan, a chef, reprove his daughter Selendis Sebastian, basic in 2000 during his leading marriage to entertainment reporter Kerry D'Oyen.^[2][38]

Awards

World Athlete of the Yr (Men)：1996, 1999^[39]

References

External links