Donovan Bailey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Donovan Bailey
OC OOnt

Donovan Bailey in Cologne, 1997
Personal information
Birth name	Donovan Anthony Bailey
Nationality	Jamaican-Canadian
Born	(1967-12-16) December 16, 1967 (age 57) Manchester Parish, Jamaica
Height	185 cm
Weight	90 kg
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	50 metres, 60 metres, 100 metres, 150 metres, 200 metres
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  Canada Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 2 0 0 World Championships 3 1 0 Commonwealth Games 1 0 0 Goodwill Games 0 1 0 Pan American Games 0 2 0 Jeux de la Francophonie 1 1 0 Total 7 5 0 Olympic Games Gold 1996 Atlanta 100 m Gold 1996 Atlanta 4 × 100 m relay World Championships Gold 1995 Gothenburg 100 m Gold 1995 Gothenburg 4 × 100 m relay Gold 1997 Athens 4 × 100 m relay Silver 1997 Athens 100 m Commonwealth Games Gold 1994 Victoria 4 × 100 m relay Goodwill Games Silver 1998 New York 4 × 100 m relay Pan American Games Silver 1991 Havana 4 × 100 m relay Silver 1999 Winnipeg 4 × 100 m relay Jeux de la Francophonie Gold 1994 Paris 4 x 100 m relay Silver 1994 Paris 100 m

Donovan Bailey (born December 16, 1967) is a retired Canadian sprinter. He was once known as the "world's fastest man." He set a world record in the 100 metres race.

In 1996, he became an Olympic champion. He ran the 100m in just 9.84 seconds. He was the first Canadian to run the 100m in under 10 seconds. Donovan Bailey was very fast, reaching speeds of 12.10 meters per second. This was the fastest speed ever recorded by a human at that time. He is a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Moving to Canada

Donovan Anthony Bailey was born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica. His birthday is December 16, 1967. He was the fourth of five sons in his family. When he was young, he helped care for his family's animals.

Even as a small boy, Donovan was very fast. His teacher said he showed his athletic skills early on. He always won races at school.

Before moving to Canada, Bailey competed in Jamaica. He played basketball in high school in Oakville, Ontario. His brother, O'Neil, was also a great athlete. Donovan was very fast, running the 100m in 10.65 seconds at age 16.

He went to Sheridan College and played basketball there. He earned a degree in Business Administration. After college, he worked as a consultant.

Donovan Bailey's Amazing Career

Starting His Sprinting Journey

Donovan Bailey decided to become a professional runner in 1990. He watched a national track event and realized he had beaten many of those runners before. He started training for the 100m race part-time. At first, he also worked as a stockbroker.

In 1991, he won the 60 metres at a championship in Ontario. He also helped Canada win a silver medal in a relay race at the 1991 Pan American Games in Cuba. In 1992, he placed second in the 100m at the national championships.

From 1993 to 1994, he competed for a team called Fenerbahçe Athletics. He won several medals during this time. He earned a bronze and a silver at national championships. He also won a silver and a gold at the 1994 Francophone Games in Paris. At the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada, he won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay.

An American coach named Dan Pfaff noticed Bailey's talent. Bailey's running form was not perfect, but he was very fast. Pfaff invited Bailey to train with him. After just three months, Bailey improved his 100m time a lot. His time of 10.03 seconds was one of the fastest in Canadian history.

1995: Breaking Records

On April 22, 1995, Donovan Bailey made history. He ran the 100m in 9.99 seconds. This was the first time he officially ran under 10 seconds. He was the second Canadian to achieve this.

In July, he broke the Canadian record with a time of 9.91 seconds. This was the fastest time in the world that year. It made him a top contender for the World Championships. Bailey won the 100m title there in 9.97 seconds. He then helped Canada win their first world championship gold in the 4 × 100 m relay.

1996: Olympic Gold and World Record

After his world championship win, Bailey was a favorite for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Before the Olympics, he broke the indoor 50m world record. He ran it in an amazing 5.56 seconds.

On July 27, Bailey won the Olympic 100m title. He set a new world record of 9.84 seconds. During this race, he reached a top speed of 12.10 meters per second. This was the fastest speed ever recorded by a human at that time.

Many Canadians were proud of Bailey's victory. It helped restore the image of Canadian athletes. Bailey was only the second person ever to hold all major 100m titles at once. These titles included World Champion, Olympic Champion, and World Record Holder. Six days later, he won another gold medal. He helped Canada win their first ever Olympic 4 × 100 m relay title. They set a new national record of 37.69 seconds.

Rivalry with Michael Johnson

After the 1996 Olympics, a sports commentator suggested that Michael Johnson was faster than Bailey. Johnson was a 200m gold medalist. This led to a special 150m race between them. Donovan Bailey won the race.

1997 World Championships

At the 1997 World Championships in Athens, Bailey tried to win the 100m title again. He finished second, earning a silver medal. However, he and his Canadian teammates successfully defended their 4 × 100 m relay title. They ran the fastest time of the year.

Later Career and Retirement

In 1998, Bailey and the Canadian relay team won a silver medal. This was at the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York. Later that year, Bailey injured his Achilles tendon while playing basketball. This injury marked the beginning of the end of his running career.

In 1999, Bailey won another silver medal with the Canadian 4 × 100 m relay team. This was at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg. It was his last international medal.

He tried to compete in the 2000 Summer Olympics. However, he became sick and had to drop out. Donovan Bailey retired from the sport in 2001. He had been a three-time World Champion and two-time Olympic champion.

Life After Running

After retiring from racing, Donovan Bailey started his own company. It is called DBX Sport Management. This company helps young athletes promote themselves. He also opened a sports injury clinic.

Donovan Bailey has been honored many times. He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame twice. Once as an individual athlete, and once as part of the 1996 Olympic relay team.

He has also worked as a track commentator for CBC Television. He covered the 2008 and 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2010, he received an award for being a top Canadian immigrant. In 2016, he became a member of the Order of Ontario. In 2017, he received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. In 2022, he was named an officer to the Order of Canada.

Donovan Bailey's Best Times

Event	Time (seconds)	Venue	Date
50 metres	5.56	Reno, Nevada, United States	February 9, 1996
60 metres	6.51	Maebashi, Gunma, Japan	February 8, 1997
100 metres	9.84 (1996–1999) 0000 (1996–2008)	Atlanta, Georgia, United States	July 27, 1996
150 meters	14.99	Toronto, Ontario, Canada	June 1, 1997
200 metres	20.14	Bislett Games Oslo, (NOR)	July 4, 1997

Track Records Held by Bailey

As of September 9, 2024, Donovan Bailey holds these 100 metres track records:

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See also

• Canadian records in track and field
• World record progression 100 metres men