Anson Henry facts for kids
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| Born | March 9, 1979 Toronto, Canada |
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| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Anson Henry, born on March 9, 1979, is a retired Canadian sprinter. He was known for his speed, especially in the 100-meter race. Anson was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He achieved his fastest 100-meter time of 10.12 seconds in May 2006. He also ran the 200 meters in 20.52 seconds and the 60 meters in 6.59 seconds.
Anson Henry burst onto the track scene in 2002. He earned a bronze medal at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. He was representing Washington State University at the time. Anson finished behind Leonard Scott and Justin Gatlin. Later, he was a top contender at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. However, a muscle cramp in the 100-meter final caused him to finish eighth. Anson still holds several records at Washington State University. These include the 60-meter (6.65 seconds), 100-meter (10.04 seconds with wind, 10.17 seconds), and 200-meter (20.52 seconds) records.
At the 2003 Pan American Games, Anson won a bronze medal in the 100 meters. The original winner, Mickey Grimes, was disqualified, which moved Anson up to the bronze position. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, he placed sixth in the 100 meters. He also helped his team win a bronze medal in the 4 × 100 meters relay. He earned a silver medal in the relay at the 2007 Pan American Games. He also finished seventh in the 100 meters at that event.
In 2007, Anson Henry had an impressive performance. He finished tenth overall in the 100-meter dash. This was at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan. This was the best finish for a Canadian sprinter in the 100 meters at a major championship. It was the best since Bruny Surin won bronze in 1999.
Anson also competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He ran in the 100 meters sprint but did not reach the final. He placed fourth in his heat. He improved his time to 10.33 seconds in the quarter-finals. However, he finished seventh and did not qualify for the semi-finals. He also competed in the 4 × 100 metres relay with Hank Palmer, Pierre Browne, and Jared Connaughton. Their team placed second in their qualification heat. Their time of 38.77 seconds was the fourth fastest. They qualified for the final, where they finished sixth with a time of 38.66 seconds.
Today, Anson Henry works as a commentator for CBC Sports.
Early Life and High School
Anson Henry went to Dunbarton High School. For most of his high school years, he mainly played basketball. In his final year, Anson decided to try track and field. He quickly found success, earning a bronze medal in the 100 meters at the OFSAA championships. He then became the Canadian National Junior Champion in the 100-meter dash. His fastest high school time was 10.40 seconds. Anson was one of nine junior athletes chosen from Canada. He competed at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics in Annecy, France, where he finished ninth.
College Athletics Journey
Anson Henry received a full athletic scholarship to attend Washington State University. He faced some injuries during his early years there. These injuries delayed his full potential as a college athlete until his senior year. In that year, he set a new school record in the 60 meters. He ran 6.65 seconds at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. He also finished third in that event. Later, he set the 100-meter school record of 10.17 seconds. He achieved this when he won the 2002 Mt. SAC Relays 100-meter dash.
The Pac-10 Conference Championships were held at Washington State University. Anson won both the 100-meter dash (10.29 seconds) and set a new school record in the 200-meter dash (20.52 seconds). He was a top favorite for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He performed well in the qualifying rounds. However, he pulled up during the 100-meter final due to a hamstring cramp. This caused him to finish eighth. Anson's achievements in 2002 earned him several awards. He was named Pac-10 Track and Field Athlete of the Year. He also became the NCAA Western Region Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Anson Henry is still the only sprinter at Washington State University to be an Indoor and Outdoor All-American.
