Wallace Spearmon facts for kids
Spearmon at 2010 Weltklasse Zürich
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| Born | December 24, 1984 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Running | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 100 meters, 200 meters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Wallace Spearmon Jr. is a famous American sprinter who used to compete in track and field events. He was born on December 24, 1984, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was especially good at the 200-meter race.
Wallace Spearmon Jr. won two NCAA outdoor championships in the 200-meter race. He also earned a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics. His fastest time in the 200-meter race is 19.65 seconds. This makes him one of the fastest 200-meter runners ever! He also won bronze medals at the World Championships in 2007 and 2009.
Contents
Wallace Spearmon Jr.'s Amazing Career
Wallace Spearmon Jr. went to Fayetteville High School. After that, he attended the University of Arkansas. He ran for his college team for two seasons before becoming a professional athlete.
College Success
While at the University of Arkansas, he won several important races:
- The 200-meter NCAA Outdoor title in both 2004 and 2005.
- The NCAA Indoor 200-meter title in 2005.
World Championship Medals
Wallace Spearmon Jr. achieved great success at the World Championships:
- In August 2005, he won a silver medal in the 200-meter race at the World Championships in Helsinki.
- In August 2007, he earned a bronze medal at the World Championships in Osaka.
- He won another bronze medal at the World Championships in Berlin.
He also won the 200-meter race at the USA outdoor athletics championships in 2006.
Fast Times and Records
Wallace Spearmon Jr.'s personal best time in the 200-meter race is 19.65 seconds. He achieved this amazing time in Daegu, South Korea. At one point, this made him the third fastest man over that distance.
He also had a personal best of 9.96 seconds in the 100-meter race. He set this record in Shanghai in 2007.
Olympic Moments
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Wallace Spearmon Jr. initially finished third in the 200-meter race. However, he was later disqualified because he stepped out of his lane during the race.
In the 2012 London Olympics, he finished fourth in the 200-meter final. His time was 19.90 seconds, just a tiny bit slower than the medal winners.
Later Career and Challenges
In April 2010, he ran a fast 200-meter race in Kingston, Jamaica, finishing behind the famous Usain Bolt. He also won the first Diamond Race Trophy for the 200-meter event in Zurich.
In 2014, Wallace Spearmon Jr. had a short suspension. This happened because he was taking a medicine that contained a substance called methylprednisolone. He had not asked for special permission to take it. The sports authority understood it was a minor mistake.
He attended the 2015 World Championships, but he did not start his race.
Personal Life
Wallace Spearmon Jr.'s father, Wallace Spearmon Sr., was also a sprinter. His dad won a bronze medal in the 200 meters at the Pan American Games in 1987.
Wallace Spearmon Jr. is good friends with fellow sprinter Usain Bolt. They are known for their jokes and strong friendship.
He even appeared on the TV show MythBusters in 2011. He helped the hosts, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, test if a human could run on water. He returned to the show in 2013 to race against a car!
Personal Bests
Here are some of Wallace Spearmon Jr.'s fastest times in different races:
| Event | Time (sec) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 meters | 6.66 | Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States | February 11, 2012 |
| 100 meters | 9.96 | Shanghai, China | September 28, 2007 |
| 200 meters | 19.65 | Daegu, South Korea | September 28, 2006 |
| 200 meters (indoors) | 20.10 World U-23 Record | Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States | March 11, 2005 |
| 300 meters (indoors) | 31.88 Former WR | Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States | February 10, 2006 |
| 400 meters | 45.22 | Paris, France | July 8, 2006 |
Wallace Spearmon Jr. holds track records for the 200 meters in several places. These include Arlington, Virginia; Carson, California; Rieti, Italy; and Split, Croatia.
See also
In Spanish: Wallace Spearmon para niños
