Fred Kerley facts for kids
Kerley at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene
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| Full name | Fredrick Lee Kerley | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | May 7, 1995 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 3 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 205 lb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Sprints | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team |
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| Turned pro | June 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Quincy Watts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest world ranking | 1st (100m, weeks 58) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) |
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Medal record
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Fredrick Lee Kerley (born May 7, 1995) is an American track and field athlete. He is a top sprinter who competes in races like the 100, 200, and 400 meters.
Fred Kerley has won many important medals. He earned a silver medal in the 100-meter race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He also won a bronze medal in the same event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the World Athletics Championships, he won gold in the 100 meters in 2022. He has also won gold medals in relay races.
He is one of only three men in history to run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds, the 200 meters in under 20 seconds, and the 400 meters in under 44 seconds. This shows how fast and versatile he is! His fastest time for the 100 meters is 9.76 seconds, which makes him one of the fastest men ever.
Contents
Early Life and College Career
Fred Kerley grew up in Taylor, Texas. He went to Taylor High School. After high school, he attended South Plains College from 2013 to 2015. Then, he transferred to Texas A&M University.
In 2016, Fred tried out for the Olympic team but did not qualify. However, he still represented the United States at the 2016 NACAC Under-23 Championships in Athletics. There, he helped the 4 × 100 meters relay team win a gold medal.
In 2017, while at Texas A&M, he won the 400-meter race at the NCAA Men's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. His time of 44.85 seconds was the fastest in the world that year for indoor races. He also helped his team, the Texas A&M Aggies, win the 4 × 400 meters relay. These wins helped Texas A&M achieve their first team victory at the NCAA Track and Field Championships.
Later that year, Kerley set a new NCAA record in the 400 meters with a time of 43.70 seconds. This was a huge achievement! He finished his college career by winning both the 400 meters and the 4 × 400 meters relay at the 2017 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Professional Career Highlights
After college, Fred Kerley became a professional athlete in June 2017. He signed with Nike.
2017: First World Championships
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A few weeks after turning pro, Kerley won the 400 meters at the 2017 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This qualified him to compete for the United States at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London. In London, he finished seventh in the 400 meters final. However, he helped the US team win a silver medal in the 4 × 400 meters relay.
2018: Diamond League Champion
In 2018, Kerley continued to compete. He won the 400 meters at the Golden Gala in Rome, which is part of the Diamond League series of elite track and field meetings. He later won the Diamond League trophy for the men's 400 meters in Zurich. This meant he was the overall champion for the 400m in the Diamond League that year.
2019: World Championships Gold
In 2019, Kerley set a new personal best in the 400 meters with a time of 43.64 seconds. This made him one of the fastest men ever in that event. At the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, he won a bronze medal in the 400 meters. He also helped the US team win a gold medal in the men's 4 × 400 meters relay.
2021: Olympic Silver and New Focus
The COVID-19 pandemic caused many sports events to be canceled or delayed, including the 2020 Summer Olympics. In 2021, Fred Kerley decided to focus more on the 100-meter race. He wanted to improve his speed. This decision paid off!
He ran the 100 meters in under 10 seconds for the first time. At the US Olympic Trials, he finished third in the 100 meters. This qualified him for his first Olympic team. At the Olympics in Tokyo, Kerley won the silver medal in the 100 meters. This was a huge achievement! He also became one of only three athletes to run under 10 seconds in the 100m, under 20 seconds in the 200m, and under 44 seconds in the 400m.
2022: World Champion in 100m
In 2022, Fred Kerley continued his success in the 100 meters. At the USATF Championships, he won the 100 meters with a time of 9.77 seconds. He even ran a personal best of 9.76 seconds in the semi-final.
Later, at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Kerley won his first individual World Championship gold medal in the 100 meters. He finished just ahead of his American teammates, making it a clean sweep for the USA!
2023: Relay Gold and New Coach
Fred Kerley had a strong start to 2023, winning several 100-meter and 200-meter races in the Diamond League. At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, he did not make the final in the 100 meters. However, he still earned a gold medal as part of the USA's 4 × 100 meters relay team.
In September, he announced that he would be coached by Quincy Watts, an Olympic champion.
2024: Olympic Bronze
In 2024, Fred Kerley continued to aim high. He even tweeted that he planned to break Usain Bolt's world record in the 100 meters. At the U.S. Olympic Trials, he finished third in the 100 meters, qualifying for the Olympics again.
At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Kerley won the bronze medal in the 100 meters. He finished with a time of 9.81 seconds. Later in the season, he set a new record at the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in the 100 meters. He also joined the new Grand Slam Track league founded by Michael Johnson.
Fred Kerley's Best Times
Here are some of Fred Kerley's fastest times in different races:
| Surface | Event | Time | Venue | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor | 400 meters | 43.64 | Des Moines, United States | July 27, 2019 | 8th fastest all-time |
| 200 meters | 19.76 A | Nairobi, Kenya | September 18, 2021 | 22nd fastest all-time | |
| 100 meters | 9.76 | Eugene, United States | June 24, 2022 | 6th fastest all-time | |
| Indoor | 400 meters | 44.85 | College Station, United States | March 11, 2017 | 7th fastest all-time indoor |
Medals and Championships
Fred Kerley has won many medals at major international competitions:
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | NACAC U23 Championships | San Salvador, El Salvador | 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 38.63 | |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 7th | 400 m | 45.23 | |
| 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | 2:58.61 | ||||
| 2018 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:01.97 | |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 3rd | 400 m | 44.17 | |
| 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 2:56.69 | ||||
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 2nd | 100 m | 9.84 | |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, United States | 1st | 100 m | 9.86 | |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 9th (semis) | 100 m | 10.02 | |
| 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 37.38 | ||||
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 3rd | 100 m | 9.81 |
Personal Life
Fred Kerley's older cousin is Jeremy Kerley, who used to play in the NFL (National Football League) as a wide receiver. Fred Kerley is also a Christian and often goes to church.
See also
In Spanish: Fred Kerley para niños
