Michael Johnson (sprinter) facts for kids
Johnson in 2016
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| Born | September 13, 1967 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 175 lb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Sprints | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Baylor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 m: 10.09 (Knoxville 1994) 200 m: 19.32 (Atlanta 1996) 300 m: 30.85 NB (Pretoria 2000) 400 m: 43.18 AR NR (Sevilla 1999) |
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Medal record
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Michael Duane Johnson (born September 13, 1967) is a famous American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships gold medals. He used to hold world records in the 200-meter and 400-meter races. Many people think he is one of the greatest sprinters in track and field history.
Contents
Early Life and College
Michael Johnson was born in Dallas, Texas. He went to Skyline High School, where he broke school records in running.
He started running when he was ten years old. Later, he won many titles at Baylor University. He finished his college degree in 1990.
Professional Career Highlights
Early Wins: 1991–1995
In 1991, Michael won his first world title. He won the 200-meter race at the World Championships in Tokyo. He won by a large amount!
Before the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Michael got sick. This made him lose strength. He was expected to win the 200-meter race, but he did not make it to the final. However, he still won a gold medal as part of the 4 × 400-meter relay team. They even set a new world record!
In 1993, he won the U.S. title in the 400-meter race. He then won world titles in both the 400-meter and 4 × 400-meter relay. His part in the relay was super fast, still one of the fastest ever!
At the 1995 World Championships, Michael made history. He won both the 200-meter and 400-meter races. No other male athlete had done this at a major event in the 20th century. He then won a third gold medal in the 4 × 400-meter relay.
Atlanta Olympics: 1996
In 1996, Michael ran the 200-meter race in 19.66 seconds. This broke a record that had stood for almost 17 years! He was ready for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He wanted to win both the 200-meter and 400-meter races. No male athlete had ever done this at the Olympics.
For the Olympics, Michael wore special golden Nike running shoes. This earned him the nickname "The Man With the Golden Shoes." His shoes were very light. One shoe was a bit bigger to fit his foot perfectly.
On July 29, Michael easily won the 400-meter Olympic title. He set an Olympic record of 43.49 seconds. Then, on August 1, he ran the 200-meter final. He set a new world record of 19.32 seconds! This was a huge improvement on his own record. It was like Bob Beamon's amazing long jump in 1968.
After this race, Michael hurt his leg. This stopped him from running in the 4 × 400-meter relay. But Team USA still won the gold medal!
After 1996, Michael won many awards. He also wrote a book called Slaying the Dragon.
Rivalry with Donovan Bailey
After the 1996 Olympics, a debate started. Was Michael Johnson or Donovan Bailey the "World's Fastest Man"? Bailey had won the 100-meter gold. A 150-meter race was set up between them. Bailey won because Michael hurt his leg during the race.
More World Titles: 1997–1999
After his injury, Michael came back strong. He won his third 400-meter world title at the 1997 World Championships in Athens.
In 1998, Michael helped the U.S. 4 × 400-meter relay team set a world record. However, this record was later removed because some team members were found to have used banned substances.
In 1999, Michael had some injuries. But he still competed at the 1999 World Championships in Seville. He won his fourth 400-meter world title! He set a new world record of 43.18 seconds. This record stood for almost 17 years.
Sydney Olympics: 2000
Michael qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics in the 400-meter race. He got hurt in the 200-meter final. This meant he could not defend his 200-meter Olympic title.
Michael ended his career at the Sydney Olympics. He won the gold medal in the 400-meter race. This brought his total Olympic gold medals to four. At 33 years old, he became the oldest Olympic gold medalist in a short track event.
He was also part of the United States 4 × 400-meter relay team. They originally won the gold medal. But the team was later disqualified. This happened because some team members were found to have used banned substances. Michael said he felt "cheated" and "betrayed" by this. He decided to return his own gold medal from that relay.
Amazing Achievements
Michael Johnson has run the 200-meter race in under 19.80 seconds six times. He has run the 400-meter race in under 44 seconds twenty-two times. He holds many of the fastest times ever in both races.
During his career, he set world records multiple times:
- Twice in the 200-meter race.
- Three times as part of the 4 × 400-meter relay team.
- Twice in the indoor 400-meter race.
- Once in the outdoor 400-meter race.
- Once in the 300-meter race.
Season's Best Times
| Year | 100 meters | 200 meters | 400 meters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | — | 21.30 | — |
| 1987 | — | 20.41 | 46.29 |
| 1988 | — | 20.07 | 45.23 |
| 1989 | 10.29 | 20.05 | 46.49 |
| 1990 | — | 19.85 | 44.21 |
| 1991 | 10.23 | 19.88 | 44.17 |
| 1992 | — | 19.79 | 43.98 |
| 1993 | 10.12 | 20.06 | 43.65 |
| 1994 | 10.09 | 19.94 | 43.90 |
| 1995 | — | 19.79 | 43.39 |
| 1996 | 10.12+ | 19.32 | 43.44 |
| 1997 | — | 20.05 | 43.75 |
| 1998 | — | 20.31 | 43.68 |
| 1999 | — | 19.93 | 43.18 |
| 2000 | — | 19.71 | 43.68 |
After Athletics
In 2007, Michael Johnson opened Michael Johnson Performance. This is a training center in McKinney, Texas. It helps young athletes and professionals in all sports. His company works with Olympic teams and football clubs around the world. For example, they work with Arsenal to help young players.
In 2024, he started a new Track and Field League. It is planned to begin in 2025.
Media Career
After he stopped competing, Michael became a television commentator. He often works for the BBC in the United Kingdom. He has also written for newspapers like the Daily Telegraph and The Times. He started working for the BBC in 2001.
He has been part of the BBC's team for many Olympic Games. He was there for the 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympics. He even saw his 400-meter world record broken by Wayde van Niekerk at the 2016 Olympics.
Michael also appeared on NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice in 2010. He left the show early due to a personal reason.
Before the 2012 Summer Olympics, Michael made a documentary for Channel 4. It was called Survival of the Fastest. It looked at why many top sprinters are of Afro-American and Afro-Caribbean descent.
Personal Life and Health
In 1998, Michael married Kerry Doyen. They had a son named Sebastian in 2000. They later separated.
Michael now lives in Marin County, California. He lives with his second wife, Armine Shamiryan, and his son Sebastian.
In September 2018, Michael had a stroke. It affected the left side of his body. By November, he said he was almost "back to normal." He felt his "Olympic mindset" helped him recover. In 2021, he stated he had fully recovered.
Interesting Facts About Michael Johnson
- Michael Johnson is the only male athlete ever to win both the 200-meter and 400-meter races at the same Olympics. He did this at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
- He is also the only man to win the Olympic 400-meter title twice in a row. He did this at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
- Besides his Olympic success, Michael won eight gold medals at the World Championships. He is tied with Carl Lewis for the fourth most gold medals won by a runner.
- Michael held the U.S. national records for the 200, 300, and 400 meters.
- He was elected to the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2004. His 200-meter race at the 1996 Olympics was called the greatest track and field moment of the last 25 years.
- Michael was an Olympic torch bearer for the London 2012 Olympics. He carried the torch to Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral.
- In 2008, Michael returned his 4 × 400-meter relay gold medal from the 2000 Olympics. This was because a teammate admitted to using banned substances. Michael said he felt the medal was not won fairly.
Michael Johnson Quotes
- “As strong as my legs are, it is my mind that has made me a champion.”
- “Life is often compared to a marathon, but I think it is more like being a sprinter; long stretches of hard work punctuated by brief moments in which we are given the opportunity to perform at our best.”
- “Be who you are in every situation.”
- “You learn as much from those who have failed as from those who have succeeded.”
- “The basis of self-discipline: Don’t allow the edges to blur.”
Images for kids
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Johnson in 2016
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Johnson in 1996
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Johnson's gold spikes
See also
In Spanish: Michael Johnson (atleta) para niños
