Roger Kingdom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Roger Kingdom

Kingdom (center)
Personal information
Full name	Roger Nona Kingdom
Born	(1962-08-26) August 26, 1962 (age 62) Vienna, Georgia, United States
Alma mater	University of Pittsburgh
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	91 kg (201 lb)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the United States Olympic Games Gold 1984 Los Angeles 110 m hurdles Gold 1988 Seoul 110 m hurdles World Championships Bronze 1995 Gothenburg 110 m hurdles IAAF World Indoor Championships Gold 1989 Budapest 60 m hurdles Summer Universiade Gold 1989 Duisburg 110 m hurdles IAAF World Cup Gold 1989 Barcelona 110 m hurdles Pan American Games Gold 1983 Caracas 110 m hurdles Gold 1995 Mar del Plata 110 m hurdles
Updated on 10 February 2014.

Roger Kingdom (born August 26, 1962) is a famous American athlete. He was a top hurdler who won two Olympic gold medals in the 110-meter hurdles. In 1989, he even set a new World Record! After his amazing career as an athlete, Roger Kingdom became a coach. He now works as a speed and conditioning coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL.

Roger Kingdom's Early Life and Athletics

Roger Kingdom was born in Vienna, Georgia. When he was young, he was a very talented athlete. He was great at the high jump and discus. He was also a good American football player.

College Sports and Early Wins

Roger went to the University of Pittsburgh on a football scholarship. But he also shined on the school's track team. In 1983, he won the national championship for the 110-meter hurdles. The next year, in 1984, he won the national indoor championship for the 55-meter hurdles.

Olympic Gold Medals

Roger Kingdom had a long and successful career in the 110-meter high hurdles. He won his first Olympic gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

In 1988, he was the favorite to win again at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. He ran an amazing race, finishing in 12.98 seconds. This made him the first person to run the Olympic final under 13 seconds! This record stood until 1996. Roger Kingdom is only the second athlete ever to win the 110-meter hurdles Olympic title twice in a row.

Setting a World Record

In 1989, Roger Kingdom set a new World Record in the 110-meter high hurdles. He ran it in 12.92 seconds in Zürich, Switzerland. This record lasted for four years until 1993.

Overcoming Injuries

In 1991, Roger had surgery on his knee. This slowed him down for a bit. But he worked hard and came back strong! In 1995, he won a gold medal at the 1995 Pan American Games and a bronze medal at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics.

Roger Kingdom stopped competing as an athlete in 1999.

Hall of Fame Honors

In 2006, Roger Kingdom was honored by being added to the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. In 2018, he was also part of the first group of athletes to be inducted into the University of Pittsburgh Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame.

Roger Kingdom's Coaching Career

After his athletic career, Roger Kingdom started coaching.

Coaching College Teams

In 2004, he joined the California University of Pennsylvania as an assistant coach for their Track & Field and Cross Country teams. By 2006, he became the director of both teams.

In 2018, he worked as the Interim Director of Track & Field/Cross Country at the University of Central Florida.

Coaching in the NFL

On March 6, 2014, Roger Kingdom was hired by the NFL's Arizona Cardinals. He worked as an assistant strength and conditioning coach. His main goal was to help the team improve their speed.

In 2019, Roger Kingdom returned to the NFL. He became the speed and conditioning coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He worked with head coach Bruce Arians, who he had also worked with at the Cardinals.

In 2021, Roger Kingdom helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl. This was a huge achievement for him as a coach!

Roger Kingdom's Personal Life

Roger Kingdom is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

He lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife, Mary. They have three daughters named Jierra, Cierra, and Carina.

Roger Kingdom's Achievements

(All achievements are for the 110 m hurdles unless noted)

• 1983
  • NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship
    • Won the college national championship in 13.53 seconds.
  • 1983 Pan American Games - Caracas, Venezuela
    • Won the gold medal in 13.44 seconds.
• 1984
  • NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championship
    • Won the 55m hurdles college national championship in 7.08 seconds.
  • 1984 Summer Olympics - Los Angeles, U.S.
    • Won the gold medal in 13.20 seconds.
• 1988
  • 1988 Summer Olympics - Seoul, South Korea
    • Won the gold medal in 12.98 seconds. OLYMPIC RECORD
• 1989
  • 1989 IAAF World Cup - Barcelona, Spain
    • Won the gold medal in 12.87 seconds (with wind).
  • 1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships - Budapest, Hungary
    • Won the 60 m hurdles gold medal in 7.43 seconds.
• 1990
  • Goodwill Games - Seattle, USA
    • Won the gold medal in 13.47 seconds.
• 1995
  • 1995 World Championships in Athletics - Gothenburg, Sweden
    • Won the bronze medal in 13.19 seconds.

Awards

• World Athletics Awards

World Athlete of the Year (Men)：1989

See also

In Spanish: Roger Kingdom para niños

• Olympic medalists in athletics