Johnny Gray
Encyclopedia
John Lee Gray, Jr. (born June 19, 1960 in Los Angeles, California
) was an American
800 m runner of the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1985 he set the US record
of 1:42.60 min at a meet in Koblenz
. That time puts Gray as the #11 performer of all time. He came seventh in the 1984 Summer Olympics
, fifth in 1988
, and won the bronze medal at the Barcelona Olympics
of 1992. In 1993 Gray was one of the favourites to win a gold medal at the World Championships
in Stuttgart as he had won the A-race at the prestigious meeting in Zurich. However, he failed to qualify for the final in Stuttgart. He also set a world 600 m best in 1986 at 1:12.81 min.
In 1992 and 1993 Gray came close to breaking the world indoor record over 800 m several times. He holds the US indoor record at 1:45.00 min (Sindelfingen 1992).
Having led the Olympic 800 m race at the 1992 Summer Olympics
with a blazing first lap at better than world record pace, Gray was passed twice during the final lap to claim the bronze medal. A reporter later asked him what he would have done differently if he could run the race a second time, and it is rumored that he responded, "I would have taken it out harder." Runners refer to such an attitude as "taking it to the Gray zone" in his honor. This tactic also resulted in some devastating failures as in the 1987 and 1993 World Championships when he jogged to the finish of quarterfinal races, depleted and defeated. He walked to the finish of the 1980 Olympic Trials
.
Inducted into the USA National Track and Field Hall of Fame
Dec. 2008. Also member of Santa Monica College Hall of Fame, Melrose Games in NYC Hall of Fame, Mt. Sac Relays Hall of Fame, and obtained the key to the city for Santa Monica, Inglewood, Walnut, Agoura Hills and New York.
Sons
Grandson
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
800 m runner of the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1985 he set the US record
United States records in track and field
The following are the national records in track & field in the United States maintained by USA Track & Field .Key:-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratified by IAAF...
of 1:42.60 min at a meet in Koblenz
Koblenz
Koblenz is a German city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz was one of the military posts established by Drusus about 8 BC, the...
. That time puts Gray as the #11 performer of all time. He came seventh in 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...
, fifth in 1988
Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's 800 metres
The men's 800 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entrylist of 70 competitors, with nine qualifying heats , four second-round races and two semi-finals , before the final took off on Monday September 26, 1988....
, and won the bronze medal at the Barcelona Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
of 1992. In 1993 Gray was one of the favourites to win a gold medal at the World Championships
1993 World Championships in Athletics
The 4th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany between August 13 and August 22 with the participation of 187 nations....
in Stuttgart as he had won the A-race at the prestigious meeting in Zurich. However, he failed to qualify for the final in Stuttgart. He also set a world 600 m best in 1986 at 1:12.81 min.
In 1992 and 1993 Gray came close to breaking the world indoor record over 800 m several times. He holds the US indoor record at 1:45.00 min (Sindelfingen 1992).
Having led the Olympic 800 m race at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
with a blazing first lap at better than world record pace, Gray was passed twice during the final lap to claim the bronze medal. A reporter later asked him what he would have done differently if he could run the race a second time, and it is rumored that he responded, "I would have taken it out harder." Runners refer to such an attitude as "taking it to the Gray zone" in his honor. This tactic also resulted in some devastating failures as in the 1987 and 1993 World Championships when he jogged to the finish of quarterfinal races, depleted and defeated. He walked to the finish of the 1980 Olympic Trials
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
.
Inducted into the USA National Track and Field Hall of Fame
National Track and Field Hall of Fame
The National Track and Field Hall of Fame located within the Armory Foundation at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, between 168th and 169th Streets, in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, is a museum operated by The Armory Foundation in conjunction with USA Track & Field...
Dec. 2008. Also member of Santa Monica College Hall of Fame, Melrose Games in NYC Hall of Fame, Mt. Sac Relays Hall of Fame, and obtained the key to the city for Santa Monica, Inglewood, Walnut, Agoura Hills and New York.
Family life
Wife- Judy Kathryn Terrell (b. December 21, 1961)
Sons
- Johnny Lee Gray, III (b. July 21, 1983)(Who is currently playing professional basketball overseas, and a graduate of University of Pacific)
- Jared Kyle Gray (b. September 2, 1985)
- Jaylon Kameron Gray (b. December 19, 1997)
Grandson
- Caleb Vincent Gray (b. July 13, 2008) (Born to Johnny Gray III and April Graham)