John Capel Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
John Capel

John Capel works out in the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Fitness Center in preparation for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
Personal information
Full name	John Capel Jr.
Nationality	United States
Born	(1978-10-27) October 27, 1978 (age 46) Brooksville, Florida
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	181 lb (82 kg)
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	100 meters, 200 meters
College team	University of Florida
Medal record Men's athletics World Championships Gold 2003 Paris 200 m Gold 2003 Paris 4 × 100 m relay Bronze 2005 Helsinki 200 m Universiade Silver 1999 Palma de Mallorca 100 m

John Capel Jr. (born October 27, 1978) is a former American track and field athlete. He was a world champion sprinter. Capel also played college football for the University of Florida. He was part of the Florida Gators track and field team there.

Early Life and Sports

John Capel went to Hernando High School. He was known as one of the best wide receivers in the country for football. He was also a top sprinter. In 1997, he won the 100 and 200 meters at the National Scholastic Championships.

He was named to several All-American teams for his skills. National Recruiting Advisor called him the top receiver. Parade also named him an All-American. He was ranked among the top 35 high school players by The Sporting News. He mostly played running back and scored many touchdowns. He also won state championships in track.

College Sports Career

Capel received a scholarship to the University of Florida. He played for the Florida Gators football team in 1998 and 1999.

In 1998, as a freshman, Capel played in every football game. He had some catches and rushed for yards. He also returned punts and kickoffs. He scored his first touchdown against Georgia.

In 1999, as a sophomore, Capel again played in every game. He was also busy with the school's track team. He had more catches and rushes. He returned kickoffs, including a long one against Michigan State in the Citrus Bowl.

Capel did not play football in 2000. He was busy competing as a sprinter for the U.S. Olympic team. After the Olympics, he decided to focus on track.

Amateur Track Success

Capel was an amazing sprinter in high school. He became known on the world stage in 1999. He left the University of Florida in 2000 to focus completely on track.

In 1997, he won the National Scholastic 100 and 200-meter dash titles. In 1999, he won the NCAA Outdoor 200-meter championship. He also finished second in the NCAA Outdoor 100 meters. He was part of the winning 4 x 100-meter relay team at the World University Games. He set a Florida record in the Southeastern Conference Outdoor 200-meter dash. This time was one of the fastest in the world. He was named Florida's Most Valuable Track Athlete.

Professional Track Achievements

John Capel, winner, at the Penn Relays at Franklin Field, April 26, 2008.

Capel won the 200-meter sprint at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials. He set a personal best time of 19.85 seconds. He then competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, finishing eighth in the 200-meter final. He also broke the American indoor record for the 200-meter sprint.

A major highlight for Capel was winning the 200-meter gold medal at the 2003 World Championships. This event took place in Paris, France. In August 2005, he won the bronze medal in the 200-meter race at the 2005 World Championships.

Facing Challenges and Returning to Track

In 2006, John Capel faced a challenge that led to a two-year break from track competition. After this time away, he worked hard to return to the sport. He shared that his young daughter helped inspire his comeback. She looked up his name online and learned about his past difficulties.

In June 2008, Capel went to Eugene, Oregon. He competed to join the American Men's Olympic Sprint team for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. He did not make it past the semifinals, but he ran a strong time of 10.06 seconds. This was a great performance after being away from track for two years.

Life After Competing

When John Capel was not competing in track meets, he worked for Flagstone Pavers. He drove a forklift and checked building blocks. He also coached track and field and football at his old school, Hernando High School. As of 2013, he was working as an assistant at Oak Hill Hospital. He is married to his high school sweetheart and they have four children.

Personal Best Times

• All information from IAAF Profile

As of July 2025, Capel holds three track records for 200 meters. These include records in Athens, Georgia, USA (19.99, 1999), Boise, Idaho (19.87, 1999), and Sacramento, California (19.85, 2000).

See also

In Spanish: John Capel para niños

• Florida Gators
• List of University of Florida Olympians