Leroy Burrell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Leroy Burrell

Burrell in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Leroy Russel Burrell
Born	(1967-02-21) February 21, 1967 (age 58) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Residence	Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in
Weight	180 lb
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Sprints and long jump
College team	Houston Cougars (1985-1990)
Club	Santa Monica Track Club
Coached by	Tom Tellez
Retired	1998
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	60 m: 6.48 s (1991) 100 m: 9.85 s (1994) 200 m: 20.12 s (1992) Long jump: 8.37 m (1989)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1992 Barcelona 4 × 100 m relay World Championships Gold 1991 Tokyo 4 × 100 m relay Gold 1993 Stuttgart 4 × 100 m relay Silver 1991 Tokyo 100 m Goodwill Games Gold 1990 Seattle 100 m Silver 1994 St. Petersburg 100 m World Cup Silver 1989 Barcelona 100 m

Leroy Russel Burrell (born February 21, 1967) is a famous American former track and field athlete. He was an amazing sprinter who twice broke the world record for the 100-meter dash. He also won an Olympic gold medal!

Early Life and College

Leroy Burrell grew up in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. He went to Penn Wood High School. There, he was so good that he almost won the state championship all by himself. He won the 100-meter, 200-meter, long jump, and triple jump events.

Even though he had poor eyesight from a childhood eye injury, he was a natural on the track. He attended the University of Houston from 1986 to 1990. During his time there, he was named an NCAA All-American nine times. He also set a new NCAA outdoor record in the long jump.

Professional Running Career

Leroy Burrell faced many challenges with injuries during his career. But he still achieved incredible things!

Big Wins and Records

In 1990, he won a gold medal in the 100-meter race at the Goodwill Games in Seattle. He beat another famous sprinter, Carl Lewis. The next year, at the 1991 World Championships, he won a silver medal in the 100-meter race, finishing right behind Carl Lewis.

At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Leroy had a tough time in the 100-meter final. He made a false start, which means he started running too early. When the race finally began again, he was a bit slow and finished fifth. However, he still won a gold medal as part of the U.S. 4 × 100-meter relay team!

Leroy Burrell first set the 100-meter world record in June 1991 with a time of 9.90 seconds. Later that year, Carl Lewis broke his record. But in July 1994, Leroy set the world record again! He ran the 100 meters in an amazing 9.85 seconds. This record stood until the 1996 Summer Olympics when Donovan Bailey ran even faster.

Coaching and Later Life

After he stopped competing in 1998, Leroy Burrell became a coach. He took over from his old college coach, Tom Tellez, at the University of Houston. As a coach, he led the University of Houston's track and field teams to many victories. His teams won 14 men's Conference USA titles and nine women's titles.

In 2014, he was honored by being inducted into the Texas Track and Field Coaches Hall of Fame. In June 2022, Leroy left his coaching job at Houston. He then became the head coach for the Auburn track and field team.

Family Life

Leroy Burrell married Michelle Finn, who was also a sprinter, in 1994. They have three sons: Cameron, Joshua, and Jaden. Their son Cameron also became a sprinter for the Houston Cougars. Sadly, Cameron passed away in 2021. In 2017, Cameron joined his father in the "sub-10 second club" for the 100-meter dash, which is a big achievement for sprinters.

Leroy's younger sister, Dawn Burrell, is also a very talented track and field athlete. She was part of the U.S. Olympic team in 2000. She also became a world indoor champion in the long jump.

World Records

Leroy Burrell held several world records during his career. Here are some of his most notable ones:

Personal Best Times

These are Leroy Burrell's fastest times in different sprint events:

Personal Best Jumps

Here are Leroy Burrell's best distances in jumping events:

See also

In Spanish: Leroy Burrell para niños