Maurice Greene (sprinter) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Maurice Greene

Greene after winning the 100 m race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	(1974-07-23) July 23, 1974 (age 51) Kansas City, Kansas, United States
Height	5 feet 9 inches (1.76 m)
Weight	180 lb
Sport
Sport	Sprinting
Event(s)	100 meters, 200 meters
College team	Kansas
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2000 Sydney 100 m Gold 2000 Sydney 4 × 100 m relay Silver 2004 Athens 4 × 100 m relay Bronze 2004 Athens 100 m World Championships Gold 1997 Athens 100 m Gold 1999 Seville 100 m Gold 1999 Seville 200 m Gold 1999 Seville 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2001 Edmonton 100 m World Indoor Championships Gold 1999 Maebashi 60 m Goodwill Games Gold 1998 New York City 100 m Gold 1998 New York City 4 × 100 m relay

Maurice Greene (born July 23, 1974) is a retired American track and field sprinter. He was a master of short-distance races like the 60 meters, 100 meters, and 200 meters. For a time, he held the world record in the 100 m with an amazing time of 9.79 seconds.

Between 1997 and 2004, Greene was one of the fastest men on the planet. He won four Olympic medals and became a five-time World Champion. At the 1999 World Championships, he won three gold medals. Only a few other athletes, like Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson, had ever done that before.

Greene was also a champion in indoor races. He held the world record for the 60-meter dash for almost 20 years. During his career, he ran the 100 m in under 10 seconds 52 times, tying with Usain Bolt. After retiring from running in 2008, he became a TV personality and a track coach.

Early Life and Start in Sports

Maurice Greene was born in Kansas City, Kansas. While attending F.L. Schlagle High School, he was a talented athlete in both American football and track and field. His skill in track earned him a scholarship to the University of Kansas.

In 1995, Greene competed in his first major international event, the World Championships in Sweden. The next year, he did not make the American team for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Watching the Olympics from the stands motivated him to become the best. He moved to Los Angeles and began training with a new coach, John Smith.

Rise to Fame and World Records

The year 1997 was Greene's big breakthrough. He won the 100 m title at the World Championships in Athens, Greece. This was the start of his time as the top sprinter in the world. He won the 100 m title again in 1999 and 2001.

Becoming a World Record Holder

In 1999, Greene made history by setting a new 100 m world record of 9.79 seconds. He broke the old record held by Donovan Bailey by 0.05 seconds, a huge margin in sprinting. Greene was so fast that he was the only sprinter to hold the world records for both the 60 m (indoors) and 100 m (outdoors) at the same time.

At the 1999 World Championships, he also won the 200 m race. This made him the first person to win both the 100 m and 200 m at the same World Championships.

Olympic Champion

Greene's biggest dream came true at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He won the gold medal in the 100 m, proving he was the fastest man in the world. He also won a second gold medal as part of the American 4 × 100 m relay team.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, he continued to win medals. He earned a bronze medal in the 100 m and a silver medal in the 4 × 100 m relay. These victories added to his amazing collection of Olympic medals.

Later Career and Retirement

After 2001, Greene dealt with several injuries that affected his racing. Despite this, he continued to compete at a high level. He ran his last major races in 2005.

On February 4, 2008, Greene announced his retirement from track and field. He said that injuries were making it hard to compete and that he wanted to give new athletes a chance to succeed. He has a tattoo that reads GOAT, which stands for "Greatest of All Time."

Life After Running

After his track career, Greene stayed involved in sports and entertainment. He became an ambassador for the IAAF (the governing body of track and field). He also appeared on several TV shows, including Dancing with the Stars, where he finished in 5th place.

For a time, he worked as a volunteer track coach at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Later, he became a physical education teacher, sharing his love for sports with students.

Personal Bests

This table shows Maurice Greene's fastest times in his main events.

0.1 m/s wind, former world record 1.6 m/s wind

International Competitions

See also

In Spanish: Maurice Greene para niños

• List of men's Olympic and World Championship athletics sprint champions
• List of 100 metres national champions (men)
• List of 2000 Summer Olympics medal winners
• List of 2004 Summer Olympics medal winners
• 100 metres at the Olympics
• 4 × 100 metres relay at the Olympics
• 100 metres at the World Championships in Athletics
• 200 metres at the World Championships in Athletics
• 4 × 100 metres relay at the World Championships in Athletics
• List of people from Kansas City, Kansas