Darren Clark facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 6 September 1965 Sydney, Australia |
| Height | 179 cm |
| Weight | 76 kg |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | 400m |
| Club | Ryde-Hornsby/Randwick Botany |
Darren Edward Clark (born on September 6, 1965) is a famous Australian former sprinter. He was best known for running the 400 metres race. Darren competed for Australia in two Summer Olympics: in 1984 and 1988.
Contents
About Darren Clark
His Amazing Running Career
Darren Clark was a very fast runner. His best time in the 400 metres was 44.38 seconds. He achieved this amazing speed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. This time is still the fastest ever for someone from Oceania (a region including Australia and nearby islands). It's called the Oceanian record.
Darren also helped set another Oceanian record. This was in the 4 x 400 metres relay race. He ran with his teammates Bruce Frayne, Gary Minihan, and Rick Mitchell. They finished in 2 minutes and 59.70 seconds at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Winning Championships
Darren was very successful in the British AAA Championships. He won the 400 metres title four years in a row! This happened in 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986.
A Short Break for Rugby
In 1991, Darren took a break from running. He decided to try playing rugby league for a season. He joined the Balmain Tigers team in New South Wales. He mostly played in the reserve grade team. He scored 11 tries while playing as a winger. He also competed in the pre-season Rugby League World Sevens tournament. During his time with the Tigers, people called him the "Fastest white man alive" because of his incredible speed.
Coming Back to Athletics
Darren returned to athletics in 1992. He was chosen to be part of the Australian team for the Barcelona Olympics. However, he had to pull out of the competition. He suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon, which is a strong cord at the back of your ankle.
His Achievements and Awards
Darren Clark has been recognized for his great career. In 2000, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for top Australian athletes. Later, in 2014, he was also inducted into the Athletics Australia Hall of Fame.
Darren Clark's Competition Results
This table shows some of the major international competitions Darren Clark took part in and how he performed.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Olympic Games | Los Angeles, United States | 4th | 400 m | |
| 4th | 4 × 400 m relay | 2:59.70 AR | |||
| 1985 | World Cup | Canberra, Australia | 3rd | 200 m | |
| 1986 | Commonwealth Games | Edinburgh, United Kingdom | 2nd | 400 m | |
| 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | ||||
| 1988 | Olympic Games | Seoul, South Korea | 4th | 400 m | 44.38 AR |
| 6th | 4 × 400 m relay | ||||
| 1990 | Commonwealth Games | Auckland, New Zealand | 1st | 400 m | |
| 1993 | World Indoor Championships | Toronto, Canada | 3rd | 400 m |
See also
In Spanish: Darren Clark para niños
