Dan O'Brien facts for kids
O'Brien in 2009
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Daniel Dion O'Brien | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | July 18, 1966 Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 185 lb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | danobrien.com | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track & Field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Decathlon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | University of Idaho | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Mike Keller (UI), Rick Sloan (WSU) |
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| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | Decathlon: 8,991 (1992) Heptathlon: 6,476 (1993) |
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Medal record
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Daniel "Dan" Dion O'Brien (born July 18, 1966) is a famous American athlete. He used to compete in the decathlon, which is a tough track and field event. Dan O'Brien won a gold medal at the Olympic Games. He also won three world championships in a row. In 1992, he even set a new world record for the decathlon.
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Dan O'Brien's Early Life
Dan O'Brien was born in Portland, Oregon in 1966. He was adopted and grew up in Klamath Falls, Oregon. He went to Henley High School and graduated in 1984. In high school, he was an amazing athlete. He won four gold medals at the Oregon High School State Championships. He won races like the 110-meter hurdles and the 100-yard dash. He also won the long jump.
After high school, Dan went to the University of Idaho. He competed in track and field for the Idaho Vandals team. He later trained for the Olympics and world championships in the Palouse region. His coaches were Mike Keller from the University of Idaho and Rick Sloan from Washington State University.
Olympic Dreams Begin
Dan O'Brien tried to make the U.S. Olympic team in 1988. He ran very fast in the 100 meters. However, he got hurt during the long jump and had to stop competing. In 1990, he took second place at the Goodwill Games in Seattle. He finished behind another great decathlete, Dave Johnson.
Dan O'Brien's Amazing Career
Dan O'Brien was a top favorite to win the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He was known as the "world's greatest athlete."
The 1992 Olympic Trials
During the U.S. Olympic Trials in New Orleans in 1992, something unexpected happened. In the pole vault event, Dan O'Brien failed to clear any height. This meant he scored no points for that event. He dropped from first place to eleventh place. Because of this, he did not make the Olympic team for Barcelona.
This was a big surprise, especially for his sponsor, Reebok. Reebok had a popular TV ad campaign called "Dan & Dave." It showed Dan and Dave Johnson getting ready for the Olympics. After Dan's unexpected failure, Reebok changed their ads. They showed Dan cheering on Dave, who went on to win a bronze medal at the Olympics.
Setting a World Record
Even though he missed the Olympics, Dan O'Brien kept training. In September 1992, he set a new world record in the decathlon. He scored 8,891 points in Talence, France. His amazing performance included:
- 100 meters in 10.43 seconds
- Long Jump of 8.08 meters (26 feet 6¼ inches)
- Shot Put of 16.69 meters (54 feet 9¼ inches)
- High Jump of 2.07 meters (6 feet 9½ inches)
- 400 meters in 48.51 seconds
- 110 Meter Hurdles in 13.98 seconds
- Discus throw of 48.56 meters (159 feet 4 inches)
- Pole Vault of 5.00 meters (16 feet 4¾ inches)
- Javelin throw of 62.58 meters (205 feet 4 inches)
- 1,500 meter run in 4 minutes 42.10 seconds
This record stood for many years. It was the American record for almost 20 years. In 2012, Ashton Eaton broke it at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Dan O'Brien was there and congratulated Eaton.
Olympic Gold in 1996
At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Dan O'Brien finally won the gold medal. He scored 8,824 points. This was 118 points more than the second-place athlete from Germany. After this big win, he took a break. He then won the Goodwill Games title in 1998. This was his eleventh win in a row since 1992.
Unfortunately, injuries stopped him from competing in later Olympics. A foot injury in 2000 made him withdraw from the U.S. Olympic Trials. More injuries kept him from returning in 2004.
Personal Bests
Dan O'Brien achieved many impressive personal bests in his career. Here are some of his top performances:
Outdoor Events
| Event | Performance | Location | Date |
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| 100 meters | 10.70 seconds | Modesto | May 8, 1999 |
| 110 meters hurdles | 13.47 seconds | San Jose | May 27, 1995 |
| Long jump | 7.79 meters | San Jose | May 27, 1995 |
| High jump | 2.00 meters | Pullman | May 2, 1998 |
| Pole vault | 5.18 meters | Reno | February 10, 1996 |
| Shot put | 14.94 meters | Reno | February 10, 1996 |
| Discus throw | 55.07 meters | Modesto | May 8, 1999 |
| Javelin throw | 63.58 meters | Flagstaff | July 8, 2000 |
Indoor Events
| Event | Performance | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 meters hurdles | 7.68 seconds | Modesto | March 2, 1996 |
| Long jump | 7.73 meters | Houston | February 3, 1996 |
| Shot put | 14.94 meters | Reno | February 10, 1996 |
| Pole vault | 5.18 meters | Reno | February 10, 1996 |
Life After Competing
Dan O'Brien officially retired from the decathlon on July 8, 2004.
Other Activities
Dan O'Brien has done some fun things since retiring.
- In 2009, he broke the world record for the fastest game of hopscotch. He finished it in 81 seconds!
- He also worked with baseball player Pablo Sandoval in 2010 to help him get in shape.
Books and Podcasts
- In 2012, Dan O'Brien released a book called "Clearing Hurdles: The Quest to Be The World's Greatest Athlete." He wrote it with Brad Botkin.
- Dan O'Brien and Dave Johnson were featured in an ESPN Radio podcast. It was called "The Trials of Dave and Dan."
Current Life
Since 1997, Dan O'Brien has lived in the Phoenix, Arizona area. He owns a gym in Scottsdale, Arizona called Gold Medal Acceleration. He also volunteers as a track coach at Arizona State University (ASU). You might also hear him doing commentary for track and field events on TV.
Awards and Honors
Dan O'Brien has received many awards and honors for his amazing career:
- He won the Olympic gold medal in decathlon at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
- He also won gold medals at the World Championships in 1991, 1993, and 1995.
- After his 1996 Olympic win, the state of Idaho honored him with "Dan O'Brien Day." The city of Moscow, Idaho held a parade for him.
- He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
- He joined the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2006.
- In 2007, he was part of the first group inducted into the University of Idaho Sports Hall of Fame.
- He was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 2012.
- A street in Klamath Falls was named after him in 1996.
- His old high school, Henley High School, renamed its football field after him in 2010.
- The outdoor track and field area at the University of Idaho was named for him in 1996. It was updated in 2011–2012, and Dan was there for its re-opening.
Images for kids
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O'Brien in 2009
See also
In Spanish: Dan O'Brien para niños
