Danny Harris
Encyclopedia
Danny Lee Harris (born September 7, 1965 in Torrance, California
) is a former American
400m hurdles
runner who won silver medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles and the 1987 World Championships
in Rome, both behind Edwin Moses
. His time of 48.02 in 1984 at age 18 is still the current World Junior Record.
Harris's greatest moment came at a meeting in Madrid in 1987 where he defeated Edwin Moses
- who had been undefeated since 1976. Later in the same year, Harris came very close to defeating Moses again in a dramatic final at the World Championships, but Moses defended his title by 2/100 of a second.
Harris could not take part in the 1988 Olympics
, just finishing fifth at the 1988 US trials in Indianapolis.
Danny Harris is an alumnus of Perris High School in Perris, California
, where he grew up. In 1983, he won the CIF California State Championship
in the 300 hurdles, and ran a thrilling anchor leg vs Hawthorne High School
's Henry Thomas
in the team's second place 4x400 metres relay team see the video, leading Perris to its most impressive showing at the event. He returned to coach the boy's track team in 2001, and he led them to their first League Championship since he ran for the school almost 20 years earlier.
Harris competed collegiately at Iowa State University. He collected three national championships and four Drake Relay titles while at Iowa State. He was never beaten by a collegiate athlete in the 400-meter hurdles during his time at Iowa State. Harris helped lead the Cyclones to three outdoor Big Eight team titles and two indoor crowns during his three year career, collecting 12 Big Eight career titles. Harris set Big Eight records in the 400 hurdles, 600 yards and 4x400 relay. He was inducted into the Iowa State Hall of Fame in 2000.
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
) is a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
400m hurdles
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
runner who won silver medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles and the 1987 World Championships
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
in Rome, both behind Edwin Moses
Edwin Moses
Edwin Corley Moses is an American track and field athlete who won gold medals in the 400 metre hurdles at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics. Between 1977 and 1987, Moses won 107 consecutive finals and set the world record in his event four times...
. His time of 48.02 in 1984 at age 18 is still the current World Junior Record.
Harris's greatest moment came at a meeting in Madrid in 1987 where he defeated Edwin Moses
Edwin Moses
Edwin Corley Moses is an American track and field athlete who won gold medals in the 400 metre hurdles at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics. Between 1977 and 1987, Moses won 107 consecutive finals and set the world record in his event four times...
- who had been undefeated since 1976. Later in the same year, Harris came very close to defeating Moses again in a dramatic final at the World Championships, but Moses defended his title by 2/100 of a second.
Harris could not take part in the 1988 Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, just finishing fifth at the 1988 US trials in Indianapolis.
Danny Harris is an alumnus of Perris High School in Perris, California
Perris, California
Perris is a city in Riverside County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city population was 68,386, up from 36,189 at the 2000 census. The city is named in honor of Fred T. Perris, chief engineer of the California Southern Railroad...
, where he grew up. In 1983, he won the CIF California State Championship
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
in the 300 hurdles, and ran a thrilling anchor leg vs Hawthorne High School
Hawthorne High School (Hawthorne, California)
Hawthorne High School is a public high school located in Hawthorne, California, within the Centinela Valley Union High School District. It opened in the mid 1950s and is most notable for its association with The Beach Boys, whose original members Brian, Carl, Dennis Wilson, and Al Jardine attended...
's Henry Thomas
Henry Thomas (athlete)
Henry Thomas is a former American sprinter known for running at the high school and collegiate levels. He demonstrated extremely rare versatility, successful at 100 metres through 400 metres, holding the World Youth best for 100 metres , set in a race 7 days after he set the world Youth best in...
in the team's second place 4x400 metres relay team see the video, leading Perris to its most impressive showing at the event. He returned to coach the boy's track team in 2001, and he led them to their first League Championship since he ran for the school almost 20 years earlier.
Harris competed collegiately at Iowa State University. He collected three national championships and four Drake Relay titles while at Iowa State. He was never beaten by a collegiate athlete in the 400-meter hurdles during his time at Iowa State. Harris helped lead the Cyclones to three outdoor Big Eight team titles and two indoor crowns during his three year career, collecting 12 Big Eight career titles. Harris set Big Eight records in the 400 hurdles, 600 yards and 4x400 relay. He was inducted into the Iowa State Hall of Fame in 2000.
External links
- California State Records before 2000
- USA Track & Field Bio
- Youtube video of 1983 California State Meet 300 Hurdles
- Youtube video of 1983 California State Meet 4x400 Relay