Elijah Hall (athlete) facts for kids
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Hall at the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | August 22, 1994 Katy, Texas, U.S. |
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| Employer | Nike and Red Bull | |||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | |||||||||||||
| Weight | 185lbs | |||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | |||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Sprints | |||||||||||||
| College team | Houston Cougars (2017–2018) Butler Grizzlies (2015–2016) |
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| Club | CL Athletics Stars (youth) | |||||||||||||
| Turned pro | June 2018 | |||||||||||||
| Coached by | Leroy Burrell and Carl Lewis | |||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) |
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Medal record
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Elijah Hall-Thompson, born on August 22, 1994, is a super fast American runner. He's a track and field sprinter who even holds an American record!
In 2018, he helped his college team, the Houston Cougars, set a new record in the 4x100 meters relay race. That same year, he won both the 60 meters and 200 meters races at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships. His winning time of 20.02 seconds in the 200 meters is one of the fastest times ever for an indoor race.
Elijah was chosen to represent the United States at the 2017 World Championships for the 200 meters. Sadly, he had to pull out because of an injury.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Elijah Hall grew up in Texas. He went to Morton Ranch High School. There, he played American football. Because he was so fast in football, he would also run track after the football season ended.
After his junior year, Elijah tore his ACL, which is a knee injury. After he got better, he broke his arm playing football the next year. Even with these injuries, he ran an amazing 20.60 seconds in the 200m race at the Texas UIL 6A State Championships.
He started to like track more and more. During the summer, he joined a club. He trained with his track rival, Cameron Burrell, who was the son of a famous runner, Leroy Burrell. Elijah decided to stop playing football. He wanted to be a healthier athlete and focus only on track.
College Running Career
Starting at Community College (2015-2016)
Elijah first went to Garden City Community College for a short time. Then, he moved to Butler County Community College. He won the indoor 200m title at the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) championships. He also finished 8th in the 60m race.
Injuries kept bothering him sometimes. He still managed to help his team get 2nd place in the 4x100m relay. In 2016, he won the indoor 200m title again. He also finished 7th in the 60m. For outdoor races, he won the 100m in 10.16 seconds. He came in 2nd in the 200m.
After that, he competed at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. He finished 6th in his 100m heat. He was disqualified in his 200m heat.
Joining the Houston Cougars (2017)
Elijah moved back to Texas. He transferred to the University of Houston. He joined Cameron Burrell there. They were coached by Cameron's dad, Leroy Burrell, and the legendary track star Carl Lewis.
His injury came back when he was running the 200m at a competition. Two months later, he seemed to be doing well outdoors. He won both the 100m and 200m at the American Athletic Conference Championships. His 200m time was 19.96 seconds, which was very fast.
But his injury returned again at the NCAA West Preliminary round. He had to miss the NCAA Championships. Elijah finally got his chance at the US Championships. He finished 3rd in the 200m with a time of 20.21 seconds. This meant he qualified for the World Championships in London, England. However, his injury came back one more time, and he had to miss that big event too.
Becoming a National Record Holder (2018)
Finally feeling healthy, Elijah Hall started to shine in the 2018 season. Before the championships, he had only lost one race in either the 60m or 200m. At the NCAA Indoor Championships, Elijah stumbled in the 60m. But he made an amazing comeback and won the race! He set a new personal best time of 6.52 seconds.
Then, in the 200m, he set a new record for colleges, for America, and for North America (NACAC) with a time of 20.02 seconds. This was the second-fastest time ever for an indoor 200m race! He also helped Houston's 4x400m team get 4th place.
Even with his incredible 200m performance, his coaches, Leroy Burrell and Carl Lewis, decided he should focus on the 100m for the outdoor season. His first few races were a bit tough. But he made it to the final at the NCAA Championships. Two other Houston Cougars, Cameron Burrell and Mario Burke, were also in the final.
Having three athletes in the 100m final was a big deal for Houston. They easily won the 4x100m relay, keeping their title and setting a new college record of 38.17 seconds in the rain. Then, in a surprising finish, Elijah came in 2nd in the 100m, right behind Cameron. They both beat the favorite from Florida State. Burke finished 8th. This meant Houston scored 19 points in that final race, helping their team finish 2nd overall.
In October 2018, Elijah and Cameron became professional athletes. They signed deals with Nike and Red Bull.
Statistics
Elijah Hall has achieved some impressive times in his career. Here are his best personal records:
- 60 meters: 6.52 seconds (set indoors in College Station, Texas, on March 10, 2018)
- 100 meters: 9.90 seconds (set in Eugene, Oregon, on June 24, 2022)
- 200 meters: 20.02 seconds (set indoors in College Station, Texas, on March 10, 2018). This is the second-fastest indoor 200m time ever and an American and college record!
- 4x100 meters relay: 38.17 seconds (set in Eugene, Oregon, on June 8, 2018). This was a former college record.
Images for kids
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Hall at the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Championships
See also
In Spanish: Elijah Hall para niños
