Jared Connaughton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jared Connaughton

Connaughton in 2009
Personal information
Born	(1985-07-20) July 20, 1985 (age 40) Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Residence	Keller, Texas, U.S.
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	80 kg (176 lb; 12 st 8 lb)
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	50 metres, 60 metres, 100 metres, 150 metres, 200 metres
Club	Islanders Track and Field Club
Medal record Representing  Canada Pan American Games Silver 2007 Rio de Janeiro 4x100m relay

Jared Neal Connaughton (born July 20, 1985) is a Canadian former track and field athlete. He was known for his speed in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprint races. After his career as an athlete, he became a coach. Today, he coaches cross country and track and field at Fort Worth Country Day School in Fort Worth, Texas.

Early Life and Education

Jared Connaughton was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. His parents are Susan and Neal Connaughton. He went to Bluefield High School and finished in 2003. Later, he earned a degree from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2008. Jared is married to Tamesha, who was also an athlete at the University of Texas at Arlington. They got married in December 2011 and have two children, Morgan and Louis.

Starting His Running Journey

Jared showed great talent in track and field from a young age. He won four medals at the Canadian Legion Championships, including one gold and three silver. He also earned two silver medals at the 2002 Canadian Junior Championships. Before focusing on track, Jared also played youth soccer and hockey.

College Track Star

Jared attended the University of Texas at Arlington. While there, he became a top athlete in the Southland Conference. In 2006, he was named the Southland Conference Track and Field athlete of the year for both indoor and outdoor seasons. He set new records in the 60-meter and 200-meter races. Jared competed in the NCAA indoor championship, showing he was one of the best college sprinters.

During the 2006 outdoor season, Jared continued to excel. He ran impressive times in the 100-meter and 200-meter events. He won both races at the Southland Conference championships. His strong performances helped his team win their first outdoor championship since 1997. In 2013, Jared was recognized as one of the 50 greatest track and field athletes in the Southland Conference.

Representing Canada

Jared Connaughton had a successful international career, competing for Canada in many major events.

Canada Games Success

In August 2005, Jared won both the 100-meter and 200-meter events at the Canada Summer Games in Regina, Saskatchewan. He was the first athlete from Prince Edward Island to win two gold medals at one Canada Games. He was also the first gold medalist from his province since 1969.

Canadian Championships and World Stage

Jared competed at the 2006 NACAC U-23 championships. He later won a silver medal at the Canadian Championship meet in Ottawa. In 2008, he became the Canadian National Champion in the 200-meter sprint. He set a new championship record with a time of 20.34 seconds.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Jared represented Canada in the 200-meter race and the 4 × 100-meter relay. His relay team finished 6th in the finals. In 2009, he won a bronze and a silver medal at the Canadian Championships. He then competed at the IAAF World Championships in Germany. His 4x100m relay team finished 5th, which was a great achievement for Canada.

In 2010, Jared won a silver medal in the 100-meter and a gold medal in the 200-meter at the Canadian Championships. He also competed at the Commonwealth Games in India, finishing 4th in the 200-meter.

Olympic Moments

Jared continued to perform well in 2011 and 2012. He won two silver medals at the Canadian Championships in 2011. He also set a personal best time of 20.30 seconds in the 200-meter race in Brazil in 2012.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Jared competed in the 200-meter and the 4 × 100-meter relay. His relay team initially crossed the finish line in 3rd place. However, they were later disqualified due to a small lane violation. This meant they lost their bronze medal.

Later Career and Retirement

In 2013, Jared faced some injuries but still managed to win a silver medal in the 200-meter at the Canadian Championships. He also won a gold medal as part of the 4x100m relay team at the Francophone Games in France.

Injuries continued to affect his performance in 2014. He competed at his second Commonwealth Games in Scotland. On August 29, 2014, Jared Connaughton announced his retirement from competitive running. Throughout his career, he won a total of 19 medals at various Canadian championships.

Best Times

Coaching Career

After retiring from running, Jared Connaughton became an athletics coach. He now coaches cross country and track and field at Fort Worth Country Day School. He has led the boys' track and field team to their first championship title in over 40 years. He also guided the girls' team to their first and second championship titles ever, in 2022 and 2024.