Tony Darden facts for kids
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| Birth name | Tony Lee Darden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 2, 1957 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Tony Darden, born on September 2, 1957, is a former American track and field athlete. He was a fast runner, specializing in sprint races. Tony is famous for winning the 400-meter race at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan.
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Tony Darden's Running Career
Tony Darden had a very successful running career. He competed for his high school, Norristown High, in Pennsylvania. He also ran for Arizona State and his track club, Philadelphia Pioneers.
High School Achievements
While in high school, Tony Darden won many state championships. He became well-known across the country. He even set national indoor records for the 300 and 500-yard races.
College Success at Arizona State
At Arizona State University, Darden was a very important part of the track team. He competed in sprint races and sprint relays. He helped his team win their first NCAA Championship in 1977.
In 1977, Darden was also on two Arizona State relay teams that broke records. One team tied the world's best time for the 4x220 yards relay. They ran it in 1 minute and 21.7 seconds. This happened in Austin, Texas, at the Texas Relays. The second team broke the world record for the 4×200 meters relay. They finished in 1 minute and 21.4 seconds. This record-breaking run took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Penn Relays.
Pan American Games Victory
In 1979, Tony Darden qualified for the 1979 Pan American Games. He had finished second at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Many expected Willie Smith, another top American runner, to be the main challenger. Their biggest rival was the famous Cuban athlete Alberto Juantorena.
However, Willie Smith faced a foot injury and a shoe problem. This opened the door for Darden. Tony ran an amazing race and managed to beat Juantorena, who finished second.
World Cup Races
Tony Darden also competed in the Athletics World Cup. In 1979, he finished third in the 400-meter race. He then ran the final part of the United States 4 × 400-meter relay team. He helped the team win the gold medal. Even though he faced some criticism for his individual race, his strong relay performance made up for it.
At the 1981 Athletics World Cup, Darden again ran the last leg of the United States 4 × 400-meter relay team. They won the race, and their time was the third fastest ever recorded at that point. Also in 1981, he won the British AAA Championships title in the 400 meters event.
Olympic Dreams
Tony Darden never got to run in the Olympic Games. In 1976, as a high school student, he reached the quarter-finals at the United States Olympic Trials. In 1980, he finished fifth in the trials. This meant he qualified for the 4 × 400-meter relay team. However, the United States decided not to participate in the 1980 Olympics.
Tony Darden set his personal best time in the 400 meters race. He ran it in 45.01 seconds on June 21, 1981, in Sacramento.
Tony Darden's Life After Running
As of 2012, Tony Darden was the head coach for the Greater Norristown Police Athletic League track and field team. He is also a USATF level one certified coach. This means he is officially trained to coach track and field athletes.
Between 2000 and 2004, Darden was a member of the Norristown Municipal Council. In 2004, he served as the Norristown Council President.
Tony Darden's Rankings
Experts from Track and Field News ranked Tony Darden among the best 400-meter sprinters. This was both in the US and worldwide, from 1977 to 1982.
| Year | World rank | US rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | - | 6th |
| 1978 | - | - |
| 1979 | 3rd | 1st |
| 1980 | - | 6th |
| 1981 | 4th | 3rd |
| 1982 | - | 5th |
USA Championships Results
Tony Darden was a very strong competitor in the 400-meter race at the USA National Track and Field Championships. He competed there between 1977 and 1984.
| Year | 400m |
|---|---|
| 1977 | 2nd |
| 1978 | - |
| 1979 | 2nd |
| 1980 | 2nd |
| 1981 | 2nd |
| 1982 | 5th |
| 1983 | 6th |
| 1984 | 6th |
Awards and Honors
Tony Darden has received several awards and honors for his achievements.
- In 2007, Darden was added to the Penn Relays 'Wall of Fame'.
- He had already been inducted into the Penn Relays "Relays’ Wall of Fame" in 1994. This was as a member of the winning 1977 Arizona State University 4 × 400-meter relay team.
- In 1989, Darden and his teammates from the 1977 sprint relay teams were inducted into the Arizona State University Hall of Fame.
- In 1990, Darden was inducted into the Norristown Area School District Hall of Champions.
