LaShawn Merritt
Encyclopedia
LaShawn Merritt is an American
track and field
athlete who competes in sprinting events, specializing in the 400 meters. He is the reigning Olympic champion over the distance and his personal best of 43.75 seconds makes him the fifth fastest of all time. In October 2010 he was suspended for 21 months for failing a doping test.
He was a successful junior athlete and won the 400 m gold at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics
, as well as setting two world junior records in the relays. He became part of the American 4×400 meter relay team and helped win the event at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
. He established himself individually in 2007 by winning a silver medal
in the 400 m at the 2007 World Championships
.
He came out on top of a rivalry with Jeremy Wariner
in 2008 by winning in the 2008 Olympic final
in a personal best time, and by a record margin. He also broke the Olympic record in the relay with the American team, recording the second fastest time ever. Merritt established himself as the World Champion with a win at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
in the 400 m and the 4×400 m relay. He failed three drugs tests in the winter of 2009–2010, testing positive for the banned steroid Dehydroepiandrosterone
, which he had allegedly consumed through the use of a penis enlargement
drug. He accepted a two year ban from the sport.
where he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School
. LaShawn spent one year as a college athlete at East Carolina University
, signing an endorsement contract with Nike
during his first season of indoor track, making him no longer eligible to compete in an NCAA event. He then transferred to Old Dominion University
in Norfolk
, Virginia
. He is currently enrolled at Norfolk State University
in Business Administration Norfolk
, Virginia
.
. He took the gold medal in the 400 meters race, and set two junior world records as part of the American 4×100 and 4×400 meter relay teams. He took part in the 2005 World Championships in Athletics
, his first major senior championship, and acted as the relay substitute for the men's 4×400 m. He helped the team win their heat and was substituted for Jeremy Wariner
for the final, where the American team won the gold medal.
He broke into the senior ranks in 2006, and was selected for the 4×400 m relay team for the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
. Along with Tyree Washington
, Milton Campbell
and Wallace Spearmon
, he won the World Indoor title in the event. Outdoors, he improved his best to 44.14 seconds for a bronze medal
at the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
and was selected to represent the United States at the 2006 IAAF World Cup
, at which he won the 400 m competition.
Prior to the 400 m final at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
in Osaka
, Merritt stated his intent to beat all-comers. He achieved his first sub-44 second run, finishing in 43.96, and beat 2000 Olympic champion Angelo Taylor
to the line. However, this was not enough to beat the reigning World and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner, who was half a second ahead. Nevertheless, the silver medal
was Merritt's first at a global championships over the 400 m. He again formed part of the United States' 4×400 meter relay team and, with fellow individual medallists Wariner and Taylor among the team, the American's eased to victory some three and a half seconds ahead of the Bahamians. With Wariner absent from the field, Merritt won the gold medal
at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final
.
provided the venue for many of their duels. He scored his first major win over Wariner in a close affair at the Internationales Stadionfest in Berlin
. He confirmed his Olympic place a month later by winning at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials
, again defeating the reigning Olympic champion Wariner. Later in July at the Golden Gala
meeting, Wariner responded by edging a win in the 400 m by just 0.01 seconds. At the Meeting Gaz de France
in Paris
, the last Golden League competition before the Olympics, Wariner seemed to have the momentum behind him after a win in 43.86 seconds.
Merritt won the 400 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing. A close race between Merritt and Wariner was expected, though it ultimately ended in a rout. The 0.99 second margin between Merritt's first-place finish and Wariner's second-place finish was the largest in an Olympic 400 m final. His time of 43.75, a new personal best, made him the fifth fastest 400 m runner on the all-time lists, still two places behind Wariner, who is third on the all-time list of fastest runners. He teamed up with Wariner, Angelo Taylor and 400 m bronze medallist David Neville
for the men's 4×400 m relay. The team defeated the Olympic record mark with had stood since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics by running a time of 2:55.39, the second fastest in the history of the event.
Weeks after the Olympics, he lost to Wariner by a large margin at the Weltklasse Zürich
, although Warriner's winning time of 43.82 seconds was still slower than Merritt's Olympic winning run. Merritt secured his fourth win over Wariner that season at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
. Although the two had both beaten each other that season, Merritt had won all the most important races, ending the season as the Olympic and American champion over 400 m as well as taking home the World Athletics Final payday. He opted to miss out on the 2009 indoor season to focus on improving his running and technique.
somewhat uncontested, equalling his own world leading time of 44.50 seconds. At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
, in Berlin
, he went on to win the 400 m in a world-leading time of 44.06 seconds, once again beating Wariner.
On 22 April 2010 it was revealed he had failed three drugs tests and as a result he accepted a provisional suspension. He claimed that the failed drug tests resulted from his use of an over-the-counter penis enlargement product, ExtenZe
. Merritt stated that he had not read the small print to check the ingredients of the product, which contains the banned steroid
Dehydroepiandrosterone
. He accepted a two-year ban for the infraction and stated that he had made a "foolish, immature and egotistical mistake...Any penalty I may receive for my action will not overshadow the embarrassment and humiliation I feel".
of Grenada, having led most of the race, but went on to run the final leg of the United States' gold medal winning 4x400m relay team having been in third place coming out of the final bend.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete who competes in sprinting events, specializing in the 400 meters. He is the reigning Olympic champion over the distance and his personal best of 43.75 seconds makes him the fifth fastest of all time. In October 2010 he was suspended for 21 months for failing a doping test.
He was a successful junior athlete and won the 400 m gold at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics
2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics was the 2004 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Grosseto in Italy.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:-References:*. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-06-06....
, as well as setting two world junior records in the relays. He became part of the American 4×400 meter relay team and helped win the event at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 11th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations was held in Moscow from March 10 to March 12, 2006 in the Olimpiyski Sport arena....
. He established himself individually in 2007 by winning a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the 400 m at the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
.
He came out on top of a rivalry with Jeremy Wariner
Jeremy Wariner
Jeremy Mathew Wariner is an American track athlete specializing in the 400 meters. He has won four Olympic medals and six World Championships medals...
in 2008 by winning in the 2008 Olympic final
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking...
in a personal best time, and by a record margin. He also broke the Olympic record in the relay with the American team, recording the second fastest time ever. Merritt established himself as the World Champion with a win at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
in the 400 m and the 4×400 m relay. He failed three drugs tests in the winter of 2009–2010, testing positive for the banned steroid Dehydroepiandrosterone
Dehydroepiandrosterone
5-Dehydroepiandrosterone is a 19-carbon endogenous steroid hormone. It is the major secretory steroidal product of the adrenal glands and is also produced by the gonads and the brain. DHEA is the most abundant circulating steroid in humans....
, which he had allegedly consumed through the use of a penis enlargement
Penis enlargement
Penis enlargement procedures are techniques alleged to make the human penis increase in girth, length, or hardness. Often, in the course of advertising fraudulent products, the distinction between temporary enlargement, i.e...
drug. He accepted a two year ban from the sport.
Biography
Merritt is a native of Portsmouth, VirginiaPortsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
where he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School
Woodrow Wilson High School (Portsmouth, Virginia)
Woodrow Wilson High School is a public high school located in Portsmouth, Virginia. It is administered by Portsmouth City Public Schools. The school colors are royal blue, orange, and white, and the nickname is the Presidents.- History :...
. LaShawn spent one year as a college athlete at East Carolina University
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...
, signing an endorsement contract with Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
during his first season of indoor track, making him no longer eligible to compete in an NCAA event. He then transferred to Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He is currently enrolled at Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University is a four-year, state-supported, coed, liberal arts, historically black university located in Norfolk, Virginia. It is member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and the Virginia High-Tech Partnership.-Academics:...
in Business Administration Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Early career
Merritt came to prominence as a junior athlete at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics was the 2004 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Grosseto in Italy.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:-References:*. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-06-06....
. He took the gold medal in the 400 meters race, and set two junior world records as part of the American 4×100 and 4×400 meter relay teams. He took part in the 2005 World Championships in Athletics
2005 World Championships in Athletics
The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of...
, his first major senior championship, and acted as the relay substitute for the men's 4×400 m. He helped the team win their heat and was substituted for Jeremy Wariner
Jeremy Wariner
Jeremy Mathew Wariner is an American track athlete specializing in the 400 meters. He has won four Olympic medals and six World Championships medals...
for the final, where the American team won the gold medal.
He broke into the senior ranks in 2006, and was selected for the 4×400 m relay team for the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 11th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations was held in Moscow from March 10 to March 12, 2006 in the Olimpiyski Sport arena....
. Along with Tyree Washington
Tyree Washington
Tyree Washington is a retired American sprinter.He attended both La Sierra High School and San Bernardino Valley College....
, Milton Campbell
Milton Campbell
Milton Campbell is a former track and field athlete from the United States who mainly competes in the 400 metres.His success comes during the indoor season...
and Wallace Spearmon
Wallace Spearmon
Wallace Spearmon, Jr., is a sprint athlete, who specializes in the 200 meters. He is a two-time NCAA outdoor champion in the 200 m and won the silver medal in the event at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics...
, he won the World Indoor title in the event. Outdoors, he improved his best to 44.14 seconds for a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
at the 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*...
and was selected to represent the United States at the 2006 IAAF World Cup
2006 IAAF World Cup
The 10th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event, held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which took place on 16 and 17 September 2006 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece....
, at which he won the 400 m competition.
Prior to the 400 m final at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Merritt stated his intent to beat all-comers. He achieved his first sub-44 second run, finishing in 43.96, and beat 2000 Olympic champion Angelo Taylor
Angelo Taylor
Angelo F. Taylor is an American athlete, winner of 400 m hurdles at the 2000 and 2008 Summer Olympics....
to the line. However, this was not enough to beat the reigning World and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner, who was half a second ahead. Nevertheless, the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
was Merritt's first at a global championships over the 400 m. He again formed part of the United States' 4×400 meter relay team and, with fellow individual medallists Wariner and Taylor among the team, the American's eased to victory some three and a half seconds ahead of the Bahamians. With Wariner absent from the field, Merritt won the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final
2007 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 5th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 22 and September 23, 2007.-Men:- Women :-External links:*...
.
Olympic champion and Wariner duels
Merritt's 2008 season was distinguished by a considerable rivalry with Wariner, who had won the 400 m at every major global championship since 2004. The 2008 IAAF Golden League2008 IAAF Golden League
The 2008 Golden League was the 11th edition of the IAAF's annual series of six athletics meets, held across Europe, with athletes having the chance to win the Golden League Jackpot of $1 million.-Programme:- Men :- Women :...
provided the venue for many of their duels. He scored his first major win over Wariner in a close affair at the Internationales Stadionfest in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He confirmed his Olympic place a month later by winning at the 2008 United States 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,...
, again defeating the reigning Olympic champion Wariner. Later in July at the Golden Gala
Golden Gala
Golden Gala is an annual track and field event at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League.-History:...
meeting, Wariner responded by edging a win in the 400 m by just 0.01 seconds. At the Meeting Gaz de France
Meeting Gaz de France
Meeting Areva, previously known as Meeting Gaz de France, is an annual track and field event at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. It was first organized in 1999...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, the last Golden League competition before the Olympics, Wariner seemed to have the momentum behind him after a win in 43.86 seconds.
Merritt won the 400 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing. A close race between Merritt and Wariner was expected, though it ultimately ended in a rout. The 0.99 second margin between Merritt's first-place finish and Wariner's second-place finish was the largest in an Olympic 400 m final. His time of 43.75, a new personal best, made him the fifth fastest 400 m runner on the all-time lists, still two places behind Wariner, who is third on the all-time list of fastest runners. He teamed up with Wariner, Angelo Taylor and 400 m bronze medallist David Neville
David Neville (athlete)
David Neville is an American sprinter who specializes in the 400 meters and two-time medalist in the Summer Olympics...
for the men's 4×400 m relay. The team defeated the Olympic record mark with had stood since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics by running a time of 2:55.39, the second fastest in the history of the event.
Weeks after the Olympics, he lost to Wariner by a large margin at the Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich is an annual track and field meeting at the Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. One of the first large-scale international athletics events , it is sometimes referred to as the one day...
, although Warriner's winning time of 43.82 seconds was still slower than Merritt's Olympic winning run. Merritt secured his fourth win over Wariner that season at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 6th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany on September 13 and September 14, 2008.A number of road races also took place on the second day of competition. There were seven different starting points around the Stuttgart area and the distances varied...
. Although the two had both beaten each other that season, Merritt had won all the most important races, ending the season as the Olympic and American champion over 400 m as well as taking home the World Athletics Final payday. He opted to miss out on the 2009 indoor season to focus on improving his running and technique.
2009 World Champion
With Wariner already qualified for the World Championships as the defending champion, Merritt won the 400 m at the 2009 US Championships2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships took place between June 25–28 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The competition acted as a way of selecting the United States team for the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin later that year....
somewhat uncontested, equalling his own world leading time of 44.50 seconds. At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
, in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, he went on to win the 400 m in a world-leading time of 44.06 seconds, once again beating Wariner.
On 22 April 2010 it was revealed he had failed three drugs tests and as a result he accepted a provisional suspension. He claimed that the failed drug tests resulted from his use of an over-the-counter penis enlargement product, ExtenZe
ExtenZe
ExtenZe is a herbal nutritional supplement claiming to promote "natural male enhancement", which suggests a euphemism for penis enlargement. However, television commercials make few definitive claims, employing suggestion and euphemism or promising a "better" or "more fun" sexual experience...
. Merritt stated that he had not read the small print to check the ingredients of the product, which contains the banned steroid
Steroid
A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...
Dehydroepiandrosterone
Dehydroepiandrosterone
5-Dehydroepiandrosterone is a 19-carbon endogenous steroid hormone. It is the major secretory steroidal product of the adrenal glands and is also produced by the gonads and the brain. DHEA is the most abundant circulating steroid in humans....
. He accepted a two-year ban for the infraction and stated that he had made a "foolish, immature and egotistical mistake...Any penalty I may receive for my action will not overshadow the embarrassment and humiliation I feel".
2011: Return to the track
After his two year ban was reduced to 21 months, LaShawn Merritt finished second at the Stockholm meeting of the Diamond League series with a time of 44.74. He received a berth to the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea due to him being the 2009 World Champion for the 400 meters. At the 2011 World Championships, he set a world leading time of 44.35. He eventually won the silver medal behind teenager Kirani JamesKirani James
Kirani James is a Grenadian sprinter who specializes in the 200 and 400 metres. He is the reigning 400 metres world champion.Prodigious from a young age, he ran the fastest 400 m times ever by a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old...
of Grenada, having led most of the race, but went on to run the final leg of the United States' gold medal winning 4x400m relay team having been in third place coming out of the final bend.
Personal bests
| Event | Time (sec Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 metres 100 metres The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896... |
10.56 | Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in... , United States |
March 31, 2007 |
| 200 metres 200 metres A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first... |
19.98 | Carson, California Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city.... , United States |
May 20, 2007 |
| 300 metres | 31.30 | Eugene, Oregon Eugene, Oregon Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S... , United States |
June 7, 2009 |
| 400 metres 400 metres The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and... |
43.75 | Beijing, China | August 21, 2008 |
| Indoor events | |||
| 60 metres 60 metres 60 metres is a sprint event in track and field athletics. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes... |
6.68 | Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in... , United States |
February 18, 2006 |
| 200 metres 200 metres A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first... |
20.40 | Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks... , United States |
February 12, 2005 |
| 300 metres | 31.94 | Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks... , United States |
February 10, 2006 |
| 400 metres 400 metres The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and... |
44.93 | Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks... , United States |
February 11, 2005 |
| 500 metres | 1:03.38 | New York City, New York, United States | February 3, 2006 |
- All information taken from IAAF profile.
Achievements
| 2004 | World Junior Championships 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics The 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics was the 2004 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Grosseto in Italy.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:-References:*. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-06-06.... |
Grosseto Grosseto Grosseto is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Tuscany, the capital of the Province of Grosseto. The city lies 14 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the Maremma, at the centre of an alluvial plain, on the Ombrone river.... , Italy |
1st | 400 m | |
| 1st | 4×100 m relay | WJR | |||
| 1st | 4×400 m relay | WJR | |||
| 2005 | World Championships in Athletics 2005 World Championships in Athletics The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of... |
Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland |
1st | 4×400 m relay | (heats) |
| 2006 | World Indoor Championships 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 11th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations was held in Moscow from March 10 to March 12, 2006 in the Olimpiyski Sport arena.... |
Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... , Russia |
1st | 4×400 m relay 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 4 x 400 metres relay The Men's 4 x 400 metres relay event at the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships was held on March 12.-Medalists:* Runners who participated in the heats only and received medals.-Heats:... |
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| World Athletics Final 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*... |
Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany |
3rd | 400 m | ||
| World Cup 2006 IAAF World Cup The 10th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event, held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which took place on 16 and 17 September 2006 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.... |
Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... , Greece |
1st | 400 m | ||
| 1st | 4×400 m relay | ||||
| 2007 | World Championships in Athletics 2007 World Championships in Athletics The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007... |
Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan |
2nd | 400 m 2007 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres The men's 400 metres at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Nagai Stadium on 28, 29 and 31 August.-Medalists:-Records:Prior to the competition, the established records were as follows.-Schedule:-Results:-Heats:... |
43.96 PB |
| 1st | 4×400 m relay 2007 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 x 400 metres relay The men's 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Nagai Stadium on 1 and 2 September.-Medalists:* Runners who participated in the heats only and received medals.-Records:... |
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| World Athletics Final 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final The 5th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 22 and September 23, 2007.-Men:- Women :-External links:*... |
Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany |
1st | 400 m | ||
| 2008 | Summer Olympics 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
1st | 400 m | 43.75 PB |
| 1st | 4×400 m relay | ||||
| 2009 | World Championships in Athletics 2009 World Championships in Athletics The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate.... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany |
1st | 400 m 2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres The men's 400 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 18, 19 and 21 August.The United States had a strong tradition in the event, with an American topping the Olympic 400 m podium every time since the 1988 Olympics. Similar to the 2007 World... |
44.06 |
| 1st | 4×400 m relay 2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 x 400 metres relay The men's 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 22 and August 23.-Medalists:* Runners who participated in the heats only and received medals.-Records:... |
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| World Athletics Final 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final The 7th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki, Greece on September 12 and September 13, 2009. The competition represented the culmination of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Tour, a selection of athletics meetings which began on September 20, 2008 at the... |
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace... , Greece |
1st | 400 m 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final results These are the results of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final, which took place in Thessaloniki, Greece on 12 and 13 September.The year's top seven athletes, based on their points ranking of the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Tour, qualified to compete in each event, with an extra four athletes selected... |
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| 2011 | World Championships 2011 World Championships in Athletics The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011.... |
Daegu Daegu Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the... , South Korea |
2nd | 400 m 2011 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres The men's 400 metres at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on August 28, 29 and 30.Going into the Championships, defending champion LaShawn Merritt was serving a 2 year ban. The ban was still in effect during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, so... |
44.63 |
| 1st | 4×400 m relay 2011 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay The Men's 4 × 400 metres relay event at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on 1 and 2 September. Thursday and Friday. This is a change in schedule from previous years when all the relays were at the end of the program... |