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 × 100 m relay Silver 1994 Paris 100 m

Donovan Bailey (born December 16, 1967) is a retired Jamaican-Canadian sprinter. He was once the world record holder for the 100 metres race. In 1996, he became an Olympic champion, finishing the 100m race in 9.84 seconds.

Donovan Bailey was the first Canadian to run the 100m race in under 10 seconds. He was known for his incredible speed. In his 1996 Olympic win, he reached a top speed 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 School

Donovan Anthony Bailey was born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, on December 16, 1967. He was the fourth of five sons. As a young boy, he helped his family by taking care of their animals.

Even when he was little, Donovan was very fast. His former teacher, Claris Lambert, said he showed his athletic skills from first grade. He always won races.

Before moving to Canada, Bailey competed for one year at Knox College in Jamaica.

Moving to Canada

At age 12, Donovan moved to Canada. He played basketball while attending Queen Elizabeth Park High School in Oakville, Ontario. His brother, O'Neil, was also a talented athlete. He won four provincial titles in the long jump.

Donovan was very fast himself, running the 100m in 10.65 seconds at age 16. However, his main interest was basketball. After high school, he went to Sheridan College. He played basketball there during the 1986–1987 school year. He earned a degree in Business Administration. After college, Bailey worked as a consultant for a clothing company.

Donovan Bailey's Career

Starting Professional Racing

Donovan Bailey decided to become a professional runner in 1990. He watched the Canadian Track and Field Championships. He realized he had beaten many of the athletes competing there in high school. He began training part-time as a 100m sprinter. At the same time, he worked as a stockbroker.

In 1991, he won the 60 metres at the Ontario Indoor Championships. He also helped Canada's 4 × 100 metres relay team win a silver medal at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. In 1992, he finished second in the 100m at the national championships.

From 1993 to 1994, he competed for Fenerbahçe Athletics. During this time, he won several medals:

• A bronze in the 100m and a silver in the 200m at the 1993 national championships.
• A silver in the 100m and a gold in the 4 × 100 metres at the 1994 Francophone Games in Paris.
• A gold medal in the 4 × 100m at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia.

Even with these wins, he was only an alternate for the 4 × 100m at the 1993 World Championships. American coach Dan Pfaff noticed Bailey's talent. He invited Bailey to train with him. After just three months of training, Bailey greatly improved his 100m time. His time of 10.03 seconds was the third fastest in Canadian history.

1995: A Big Year

On April 22, 1995, Bailey made history. He ran the 100m in 9.99 seconds. This was the first time he legally ran under 10 seconds. He became the second Canadian to do so.

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

1996: Olympic Champion

With a world title, Bailey was a favorite for the Olympic title in Atlanta in July 1996. Before the Olympics, Bailey broke the indoor 50m world record. He ran it in 5.56 seconds.

Bailey was chosen to represent Canada at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He had won his third national title in the 100m. 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 top speed ever recorded by a human at that time.

Many Canadians felt Bailey's victory brought pride back to Canadian athletes. At that time, Bailey was only the second person to hold all major 100m titles at once. He was 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 × 100m relay title. They set a national record of 37.69 seconds.

Rivalry with Michael Johnson

After the 1996 Summer Olympics, a sports commentator suggested that Michael Johnson was faster than Bailey. Johnson had won the 200m gold medal. This led to a debate about who was the "World's Fastest Man." They decided to have a special 150m race. 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, winning a silver medal in 9.91 seconds. However, he and his Canadian teammates successfully defended Canada's 4 × 100m relay title. They ran it in 37.86 seconds, the fastest time of the year.

Later Career and Retirement

In 1998, Bailey and the Canadian 4 × 100m relay team won a silver medal at the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York. Bailey later injured his Achilles tendon while playing basketball. This injury affected the rest of his career.

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

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

After Retirement

After his racing career, 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 in Oakville, Ontario.

Donovan Bailey has been honored many times. He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame twice. First, in 2004 as an individual athlete. Then, in 2008, as part of the 1996 Summer Olympics 4 × 100 relay team.

In August 2008, Bailey began working as a track commentator for CBC Television at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He also returned as an analyst for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

In 2010, Bailey received a Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award. In 2016, he became a member of the Order of Ontario. In 2017, he was honored with a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. In 2022, Bailey was named an officer to the Order of Canada.

Personal 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

As of September 9, 2024, Bailey holds the following track records for the 100 metres.

See also

In Spanish: Donovan Bailey para niños

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