Danny Harris facts for kids
Harris at the 2008 Iowa State Track and Field Reunion
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Danny Lee Harris | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 7, 1965 (age 59) Torrance, California, U.S. |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Danny Lee Harris (born September 7, 1965) is an American former track and field athlete. He was a specialist in the 400-meter hurdles event. Danny won silver medals at the 1984 Olympics and the 1987 World Championships.
Contents
Danny Harris's Hurdles Career
Danny Harris grew up in Perris, California. He went to Perris High School. In 1983, he won the CIF California State Championship in the 300-meter hurdles. He also helped his team's 4 × 400 meters relay finish second.
College Athletics at Iowa State
Harris attended Iowa State University. He competed for the Iowa State Cyclones track and field team. In 1984, at just 18 years old, he ran the 400-meter hurdles in 48.02 seconds. This was a world record for athletes under 20 years old for many years.
At the 1984 Olympic final, he finished second. He was right behind the famous runner Edwin Moses. While at Iowa State, Danny won three NCAA 400-meter hurdles titles. He also won four Drake Relays titles.
Danny was never beaten by another college athlete in the 400-meter hurdles during his time at Iowa State. He helped his team win three outdoor and two indoor Big Eight team titles. He set new records in the 400-meter hurdles, 600 yards, and the 4 × 400 relay for the Big Eight Conference.
Key Races and Challenges
In 1987, Danny Harris made history at a meeting in Madrid. He became the first person to beat Edwin Moses in the 400-meter hurdles since 1977. However, Moses just barely beat Harris at the 1987 World Championships.
Harris did not make it to the 1988 Olympics. He finished fifth in the U.S. Olympic Trials. The runners who finished ahead of him later became Olympic champions.
Danny's fastest time in the 400-meter hurdles was 47.38 seconds. He set this personal best in July 1991. He finished fifth in the World Championships that year.
Later in his career, Danny faced some difficulties that led to a break from competing. He was unable to compete in the 1992 Olympics. He returned to the sport in 1994. He was ranked fourth in the world for the 400-meter hurdles in 1995. However, a hamstring injury kept him out of the 1995 World Championships. His competitive career ended after another challenge in 1996.
Danny Harris's Life After Competing
After his track career, Danny Harris faced some tough times. He lost his sponsorship deals and had to sell his home. For a period, he experienced homelessness. By 2008, he had overcome these challenges. He began working at the Midnight Mission, a homeless shelter where he had once been a client.
Harris later became a track coach at different high schools. In 2001, he helped the Perris High School boys' track team win their first League Championship since he was a student there.
Danny Harris has been recognized for his amazing career. He was inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame in 1995. He joined the Iowa State Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2005, he was inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame. In 2016, a documentary film about his life, called Crossing the Line, was shown at film festivals.
See also
In Spanish: Danny Harris para niños
