Brian Brown (high jumper) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Brian Brown

Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
Goodwill Games
Bronze	1998 Uniondale	High jump

Brian Brown (born January 9, 1967) is an American athlete who used to compete in the high jump. He was really good at jumping high! His best jump ever was 2.34 m (7 ft 8.00098426 in) meters, which he achieved in 1990. That's taller than a basketball hoop!

Brian was a national champion in the USA in 1989. He also won a big college title in 1990. He even represented the United States in major world competitions three times. In 1998, he won a bronze medal at the Goodwill Games, which was a big international event. After he stopped competing, Brian became a coach and helped organize sports events.

Brian Brown's Journey in High Jump

Early Life and College Years

Brian Brown was born in New Iberia, Louisiana. When he was in high school, he was already a champion high jumper, winning state titles in 1982 and 1983. After high school, he went to Northwestern State University in his home state. He was a tall athlete, standing about 6 feet 2.5 inches (189 cm) tall. He played both basketball and competed in track and field for his university team, the Northwestern State Demons.

Brian competed in high jump at the NCAA level from 1987 to 1990. The NCAA is where college athletes compete. He did very well, finishing fifth in 1987 and third in 1988 at indoor championships. In 1990, he won the NCAA Men's Division I Championship with his amazing jump of 2.34 m (7 ft 8.00098426 in) meters. This was his personal best jump! In 1989, he also got to compete for the United States for the first time at an international event called the Universiade, but he didn't record a valid jump there.

Reaching New Heights

The year 1989 was a very important time in Brian Brown's career. He set a new personal record outdoors by jumping 2.32 m (7 ft 7.21358268 in) meters at the 1989 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He even beat another famous high jumper, Hollis Conway, at this event. Because of his great performance, he was chosen to represent the United States at the 1989 IAAF World Cup, where he finished sixth.

After 1990, Brian's performance wasn't quite as high. He still competed well, placing fifth at the 1992 Olympic Trials, which are tryouts for the Olympic Games. However, he didn't make it to the finals at other national championships.

Overcoming Challenges

In 1993, Brian faced a big challenge: he had a serious knee injury to his jumping leg. This injury stopped him from competing for a while. He had surgery to fix it, which allowed him to get back to the sport he loved. After taking two years off, he returned to competition in 1996. He started doing well again, ranking as the sixth best high jumper in the country that year. He also placed seventh at the 1996 United States Olympic Trials.

Competing for His Country

Brian made two more world teams for the United States in 1997. In February, he jumped 2.31 m (7 ft 6.81988189 in) meters indoors. This helped him get selected for the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Paris, France. Later that year, he jumped 2.31 meters again outdoors. He was chosen for the 1997 World Championships in Athletics in Athens, Greece. Even though he didn't make it to the finals in these world championships, he was still ranked among the top high jumpers in the world that year.

Brian had one more successful year in 1998. He finished second at the USA Indoor Championships and third at the 1998 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He represented the United States at the 1998 Goodwill Games and won the only international medal of his career – a bronze medal! He finished behind the world record holder, Javier Sotomayor, and his teammate, Charles Austin. His best jump that year was 2.30 m (7 ft 6.42618111 in) meters. After 1998, his jumps were not as high, and he decided to retire from competing in 2000.

Life After Competing

Brian Brown married another American track athlete, Natasha Kaiser-Brown. After their competing careers, they both became college athletic coaches at Drake University. Brian was the main organizer for the Drake Relays meet for eleven years. This is a very famous track and field event. He helped bring world-class athletes to compete there and raised money for the event. In 2016, he left Drake University to become an assistant athletic director at the University of Missouri. Brian also earned his master's and doctorate degrees at the University of Missouri. His daughter, Elle Brown, also attends the university and plays on the basketball team.

Brian Brown's Achievements

International Competitions

Here's a look at some of the big international competitions Brian Brown took part in:

National Wins

Brian Brown won one major national title in the United States:

• USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
  • High jump: 1989

Learn More

• List of high jump national champions (men)