Johnson, Michael

Johnson, Michael

▪ American athlete
in full  Michael Duane Johnson  
born September 13, 1967, Dallas, Texas, U.S.
 
 American sprinter, perhaps the most eminent figure in athletics (track and field) in the 1990s. For much of the decade he was virtually unbeaten in the long sprints—the 200-metre and 400-metre races—and he held world records in the indoor 400 metres and the outdoor 200 metres. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, he became the first man to win gold medals at both distances; he also set Olympic marks in both events.

      In high school Johnson was one of the top 200-metre runners in Texas. After entering Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in 1986, he first began competing at 400 metres. In 1989, during his junior year, he set the indoor 200-metre U.S. record to win the national collegiate title—a title that he defended his senior year, both indoors and outdoors.

 Johnson's statuesque running style—upright back, low knee-lift, and composed face—was very unlike other trackmen. In 1991 he lowered the world indoor mark at 200 metres, winning that event outdoors at the world championships. He won his first Olympic medal at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain, as a member of the 4 × 400-metre relay team that set the world record, which he helped to lower again the following year. In 1995 he twice broke the world mark in the indoor 400 metres and won both long sprints at the world championships. For his double victory at the 1996 Olympic Games, at which he shattered the 200-metre world record by 0.34 second while posting a time of 19.32 seconds, he was named Athlete of the Year by Track & Field News, which had awarded him American Athlete of the Year five times (1990, 1993–96).

      At the 2000 Sydney (Australia) Games, Johnson became the first male Olympian to defend his title in the 400 metres; he did not run in the 200-metre race, having failed to qualify at the U.S. trials because of an injury. He also earned a gold medal as the anchor of the 4 × 400-metre relay team. At the Games' conclusion, Johnson announced that he was retiring from Olympic and world championship competition. In 2008 Johnson returned his 2000 Olympic relay gold medal to the International Olympic Committee after one of his teammates admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs at the time of the race. While Johnson was under no obligation to return his medal, with this admission his teammate became the third member of the 4 × 400-metre relay team to have either admitted to or tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs since 2000, and the strongly anti-doping Johnson felt that the medal was now “tainted.”

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • JOHNSON (MICHAEL) — JOHNSON MICHAEL (1967 ) Surnommé la «Statue de Waco», du nom de la ville du Texas qui l’a vu naître et en raison de sa courte foulée qui lui fait toujours garder le buste droit, Michael Johnson est sans doute le premier athlète avant tout… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Johnson,Michael — Johnson, Michael. Born 1967. American runner. At the 1995 World Championships he became the first person to win both the 200 and 400 meters. He holds world record times in both events. * * * …   Universalium

  • Johnson, Michael Duane — ▪ 1996       In 1995 U.S. track star Michael Johnson gave further proof that he was the finest sprinter in the world. He did not lose a single race at the distances of 400 and 200 m all year and was clocked under 44 seconds in the 400 m four… …   Universalium

  • Johnson, Michael (Duane) — born Sept. 13, 1967, Dallas, Texas, U.S. U.S. sprinter. For much of the 1990s he was virtually unbeaten in the 200 m and 400 m races. He shared an Olympic gold medal in 1992 on the world record setting 4 × 400 m relay team, and at the 1996… …   Universalium

  • Johnson, Michael (Duane) — (n. 13 sep. 1967, Dallas, Texas, EE.UU.). Velocista estadounidense. Durante buena parte de la década de 1990 fue prácticamente imbatible en las carreras de 200 y 400 m planos. Compartió una medalla de oro en los Juegos Olímpicos de 1992, como… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Michael Johnson — or Mike Johnson may refer to: Contents 1 Musicians 2 Sports 2.1 American football …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Johnson (athlete) — Michael Duane Johnson (born September 13, 1967 in Dallas, Texas) is a retired United States sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and was crowned world champion nine times. Johnson currently holds the world record in the 400 m and 4 x 400 m… …   Wikipedia

  • Johnson (Familienname) — Johnson ist ein Familienname. Herkunft und Bedeutung Johnson ist eine patronymische Namensbildung, abgeleitet vom englischen Vornamen John (deutsch: Johannes). Namensträger Inhaltsverzeichnis A B C D E F G H I J K L …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Michael Johnson (futbolista) — Michael Johnson Nacimiento 24 de febrero de 1988 (23 años) Urmston, Gran Manchester, Inglaterra …   Wikipedia Español

  • Michael Johnson — ist der Name folgender Personen: Michael Johnson (Countrysänger) (* 1944), amerikanischer Countrymusiker Michael Johnson (Leichtathlet) (* 1967), amerikanischer Leichtathlet Michael Johnson (Politiker) (* 1970), australischer Politiker Michael… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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