Aries Merritt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Aries Merritt

Merritt at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships
Personal information
Born	(1985-07-24) July 24, 1985 (age 39) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Residence	Bryan, Texas
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	158 lb (72 kg)
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	Hurdles
College team	Tennessee Volunteers
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2012 London 110 m hurdles World Championships Bronze 2015 Beijing 110 m hurdles World Indoor Championships Gold 2012 Istanbul 60 m hurdles World Junior Championships in Athletics Gold 2004 Grosseto 110 m hurdles
Updated on 28 August 2015.

Aries Merritt (born July 24, 1985) is an American track and field athlete. He is famous for his amazing skills in the 110 meter hurdles race. Aries holds the world record for this event, finishing in an incredible 12.80 seconds. He set this record on September 7, 2012. He also won a gold medal in the 110 meter hurdles at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Early Life and College Career

Aries Merritt was born in Chicago, Illinois. When he was young, his family moved to Marietta, Georgia. He went to Joseph Wheeler High School there.

Aries was a talented athlete from a young age. He ran for the University of Tennessee from 2003 to 2006. During his college years, he was a seven-time All-American. This means he was recognized as one of the best college athletes in the country.

Junior World Champion

In 2004, Aries won a gold medal at the World Junior Championships. He competed in the 110 meter hurdles. This was a big win early in his career.

Undefeated Season

In 2006, Aries had an incredible year. He won the NCAA Championships both indoors and outdoors. He was undefeated in all hurdles events that year! He even broke a hurdles record for the University of Tennessee.

Professional Athletics Journey

Aries Merritt became a professional athlete after college. He continued to compete at the highest levels.

2011 Season Highlights

At the 2011 World Championships, Aries finished 5th in the 110 meter hurdles. His best time that season was 13.12 seconds.

2012: A Golden Year

The year 2012 was truly special for Aries Merritt. He made a big change to his running style. He started using seven steps instead of eight before the first hurdle. This was a risky move, but it paid off!

World Indoor Champion

This new technique helped him become the indoor world champion. He won the 60 meters hurdles at the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul. He finished with a time of 7.44 seconds.

Olympic Gold Medal

Aries continued his success at the Olympic trials in Oregon. He won the 110 meter hurdles final with a world-leading time of 12.93 seconds. This earned him a spot on the Olympic team for the first time.

At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Aries was unstoppable. He ran the fastest times in both the qualifying heats and the semi-finals. In the final race, he got a super-fast start. He pulled ahead early and won the gold medal! His time was 12.92 seconds, a new personal best.

Breaking the World Record

Just a month after the Olympics, Aries made history. On September 7, 2012, at a competition in Brussels, Belgium, he ran the 110 meter hurdles in an astonishing 12.80 seconds. This shattered the old world record of 12.87 seconds! It was the biggest drop in the 110 meter hurdles world record since 1981.

Here are some of his amazing times leading up to his world record:

Meet	Date	Time
2012 U.S. Olympic Trials (final)	June 30, 2012	12.93
Aviva London Grand Prix	July 13, 2012	12.93
Herculis	July 20, 2012	12.93
2012 Summer Olympics (final)	August 8, 2012	12.92
Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix	August 26, 2012	12.95
Internationales Stadionfest	September 2, 2012	12.97
Belgacom Memorial Van Damme	September 7, 2012	12.80

Overcoming Challenges (2013-2015)

In 2013, Aries faced a serious health challenge. He was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease. This made him very sick and affected his ability to train and compete.

Despite his illness, Aries showed incredible determination. After months of treatment, he slowly started to return to competition.

Bronze Medal Comeback

In 2015, Aries made an amazing comeback. He finished third in the USATF Outdoor Championships. This earned him a spot at the World Championships. Just four days before a scheduled kidney transplant, he won the bronze medal in the 110 meter hurdles! This was a truly inspiring moment.

Later Career

Aries continued to compete after his recovery. In 2017, he won the 2017 IAAF Diamond League 110m hurdles race in Rome. He also tried to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but he didn't make the team.

Life After Competing

After his professional racing career, Aries Merritt began coaching. He served as an assistant coach for sprints and hurdles at Brown University from 2022 to 2024. In the fall of 2024, he joined Texas State University as an assistant coach.

Personal Best Times

Here are Aries Merritt's best times in different events:

International Competition Results

Here's a look at Aries Merritt's results in major international competitions:

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  United States
2004	World Junior Championships	Grosseto, Italy	1st	110 m hurdles	13.56
2009	World Championships	Berlin, Germany	27th (h)		13.70
2011	World Championships	Daegu, South Korea	5th		13.67
2012	World Indoor Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	1st	60 m hurdles	7.44
	Olympic Games	London, United Kingdom		110 m hurdles	12.92
2013	World Championships	Moscow, Russia	6th		13.31
2015	World Championships	Beijing, China	3rd		13.04
2017	World Championships	London, United Kingdom	5th		13.31
2018	World Indoor Championships	Birmingham, United Kingdom	4th	60 m hurdles	7.56

See also

In Spanish: Aries Merritt para niños