Xavier Carter facts for kids
Xavier Carter at the 2006 NCAA Championships
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 8, 1985 Palm Bay, Florida, United States |
| Residence | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Height | 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 170 pounds (77 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Running |
| Event(s) | 200 meters, 400 meters |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 60m: 6.74 s (Fayetteville 2005) 100m: 10.00 s (Eugene 2008) |
Xavier Carter (born December 8, 1985) is a former American professional track and field athlete. He was a talented runner and football player. Xavier went to Louisiana State University (LSU), where he was a star on both the track and field team and the football team. Before college, he graduated from Palm Bay High School in Melbourne, Florida. Xavier is known for being one of the fastest sprinters ever in the 200 meters race. His best time in this event is 19.63 seconds.
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Xavier Carter's Amazing High School Sports Career
During his time in high school, Xavier Carter became a top athlete in both track and football. He won many awards and titles, showing his incredible talent.
Winning Track and Field Titles in Florida
Xavier's high school track and field career was very impressive. He won nine state titles in Florida. He also earned ten regional, district, and county crowns. On top of that, he secured nine Cape Coast Conference titles.
He won state championships in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 400 meters races. He did this in two years in a row, 2003 and 2004. This made him the only athlete in Florida history to achieve such a feat. His time of 45.44 seconds in the 400 meters from 2004 is still a record for Florida high schools.
Recognized as a Top High School Athlete
In both his junior and senior years, Xavier was named "Athlete of the Year" by several big organizations. These included USA Track and Field, Nike, Gatorade, and the National High School Coaches Association.
Football Success in High School
After his successful track career, Xavier also shined in football. He played in the 2004 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He was also named to USA Today's All-USA team. Experts considered him a top football recruit. He was ranked as the fifth-best wide receiver prospect in the country by Rivals.com. Xavier decided to attend Louisiana State University for college.
Fastest Times in High School Track
In his junior year of high school, Xavier was teammates with Joe Cohen and Reggie Nelson on the football team. In track, he ran incredibly fast times. He ran the 100 m sprint in 10.38 seconds. He completed the 200 m sprint in 20.69 seconds. His 400 meters time was 45.88 seconds, which was the best in the United States for 2003.
As a senior, Xavier improved his times even more. He ran the 100 m sprint in 10.29 seconds. He finished the 200 m sprint in 20.49 seconds. His 400 m time was 45.44 seconds. He also set a national high school record for the indoor 200 m race with a time of 20.69 seconds. This made him the first U.S. high school athlete to run under 21 seconds in that event.
College Track and Field Achievements
At the 2005 NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship, Xavier finished second in the 200 m finals. His time was 20.08 seconds.
The next year, at the same event, Xavier achieved something truly amazing. He won national titles in four different events! He was the first person to do this since the legendary Jesse Owens in 1935 and 1936. Xavier was also the first athlete ever to win both the 100 m and 400 m events on the same day. He became known as "X-Man" because of the first letter of his name and his special victory sign of crossing his forearms to make an "X."
Xavier Carter's Professional Track Career
After his incredible success at the NCAA championships, Xavier decided to become a professional track and field athlete. He chose to leave college early to focus on his professional career.
Joining the Professional Circuit
Xavier announced that he would not use his remaining two years of college eligibility. He signed a deal with Nike on July 28, 2006. This deal was set to last until the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Becoming One of the Fastest 200m Sprinters Ever
On July 11, 2006, at a Grand Prix event in Lausanne, Switzerland, Xavier ran an incredibly fast 200 m race. He recorded a time of 19.63 seconds. At that time, it was the second-fastest 200 m race ever run. As of October 2023, this time makes him the eleventh fastest man in the history of the 200-meter dash. He is among a group of elite sprinters like Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, and Michael Johnson.
Overcoming Injuries and Preparing for the Olympics
Xavier's 2007 season was difficult because of a knee injury. He did not fully recover until the start of the 2008 athletics season. In his first 400 m race of the season, Xavier ran a time of 44.70 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix. He even broke the track record by a tiny fraction of a second. However, he said that these races were just practice for the important 2008 Olympic Trials.
Olympic Trials and Future Goals
Xavier entered the 100 m and 200 m events at the 2008 USA Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. He set a new personal best in the 100 m heats with a time of 10 seconds. However, his performances were not enough to earn a spot on the Olympic team. He finished last in the 100 m final. He also qualified for the 200 m final but chose not to start the race. This meant he missed the chance to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Track and Field Personal Bests
Xavier Carter achieved impressive personal best times in various track events. These times show his speed and talent as a sprinter.
| Event | Time (seconds) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 meters | 6.74 | Fayetteville, Florida | February 26, 2005 |
| 100 meters | 10.00 | Eugene, Oregon | June 28, 2008 |
| 200 meters | 19.63 | Lausanne, Switzerland | July 11, 2006 |
| 400 meters | 44.53 | Sacramento, California | June 10, 2006 |
