Contents
Michael Johnson
Winning the Olympic 200m and 400m double in Atlanta.
200m world record · 400m world record
- Born
- 13 September 1967
- Birthplace
- United States
More people
Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson is an American sprinter who dominated the 200 and 400 metres in the 1990s. His upright running style and gold shoes made his record-breaking performances instantly recognisable.
Early life
Dallas
Grew up in Dallas and attended Skyline High School.
College
Studied and competed at Baylor University.
Career
- 1991
World champion
Won the world 200m title.
- 1996
Olympic double
Won both the 200m and 400m in Atlanta.
- 1999
400m record
Ran 43.18 seconds at the World Championships.
- 2000
Olympic defence
Retained his 400m title in Sydney.
- 2001
Retirement
Finished his competitive career and moved into broadcasting.
Achievements
200m world record
Ran 19.32 seconds in the Olympic final.
400m world record
Set a mark that stood until 2016.
Consecutive 400m golds
Became the first man to defend the Olympic title.
Beyond sport
Broadcasting
Became a familiar analyst on the BBC’s athletics coverage.
Recovery
Relearned to walk after a stroke in 2018 and spoke publicly about rehabilitation.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Biography and career evidence ↗Photo: Kb1367. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
