Elija Godwin facts for kids
Godwin at the 2022 World Athletics Championships
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | July 1, 1999 Covington, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Country | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 200m, 400m | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Georgia Bulldogs | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal best(s) |
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Medal record
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Elija Godwin, born on July 1, 1999, is an American athlete. He is known for running fast in track and field events, especially the 400 meters. He has won medals at both the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships.
Contents
Elija Godwin's Athletic Journey
Starting Out in Track and Field
Elija Godwin grew up in Covington, Georgia. He went to the University of Georgia. When he first started running track, it was mainly to get in shape for football.
Later, he began to train more seriously. He mostly ran shorter races like the 100m and 200m. His coach, Kevin Barnes, noticed how fast he was in parts of his races. The coach suggested he try running a full 400m race. In his very first 400m race, Elija ran it in 47.40 seconds.
Achievements in 2021
On May 15, 2021, Elija set a new personal best time. He ran the 400m in 44.61 seconds at a competition in Texas. This fast time helped him qualify for the Olympics.
He then competed at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. He ran well in his races there. Elija also made it to the final of the USA men’s Olympic Trials for the 400m. Even though he placed sixth in the final, he was chosen for the US team's 4x400m relay pool for the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Elija Godwin won a bronze medal. He was part of the American Mixed 4 × 400 metres relay team. This was a big achievement for him.
Achievements in 2022
In 2022, Elija continued to compete strongly. During the indoor season, he helped his University of Georgia team win the 4x400m relay. He ran a very fast part of the race. At the NCAA Indoor Championships, he also helped his team finish fourth in the 4x400m relay final.
During the outdoor season, Elija was the runner-up at the SEC Championship meet. He ran the 400m in 44.81 seconds. At the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, he placed third with an even faster time of 44.50 seconds. This was another personal best for him.
Later that year, Elija represented the United States at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. He had an amazing performance there.
- He won a bronze medal in the mixed 4x400m relay.
- He then won a gold medal in the men’s 4x400m relay. He ran the first part of the race for his team, which also included Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon, and Champion Allison.
About Elija's Life
Elija Godwin graduated from Newton High School in Covington, Georgia in 2018. His family is very supportive of him. He has a brother named Okon Godwin and a sister named Kyaundra Ward.
In 2019, Elija had an accident where he was injured by a javelin. His mother, Ginger Luby, received a call about it while she was at work. Elija recovered and continued his amazing track career.
The city of Covington, Georgia, recognized Elija's achievements. On September 10, 2022, the city council made a special announcement. They declared that day "Elija Godwin" day to honor him.
See also
In Spanish: Elija Godwin para niños
