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Michael Johnson - Biography
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Michael Johnson Biography
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| Name : | Michael Johnson |
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Date of birth :
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Sep 13, 1967
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Education :
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Skyline High, and Baylor University for four years
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Michael Johnson Detailed Biography
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Shattered world record in 200m (19.32) and set Olympic record in 400m (43.49) to become first man to win the gold in both races in the same Olympic Games at Atlanta in 1996; two-time world champion in 200 (1991,95) and four-time world champ in 400 (1993,95,97,99); set world record in 400m (43.18) at '99 world championships in Seville; won the 400 in Sydney in 2000 to become the only man to win the event in two consecutive Olympics; retired in 2001.
Michael Johnson is an inspiration for anyone trying to reach a goal. He says his confidence is not that of his own, but that of his fathers.
He believes a lot in self discipline and being responsible for his own actions. Two big things ,I believe, that are lacking from the American society. He has prevailed when others would have given up and faced defeat. He has set the standards for men that come after him. Those are high standards, and a great goal for anyone to go after. He is a person that any mother or father should be happy when their son or daughter wants to model their life to his. He has shown me what it is like to fail, what it is like to succeed, and how it is that I'm going to get there.
His childhood is not out of a storybook like most people would like imagine. He has a hard working Mother and Father that he used as role models. His parents told him no matter what you do you have to try your hardest and push yourself. When he was little he never dreamed of being a runner, until he realized speed was like nothing else. He is very happy he learned of this desire when he was young, and he always knew that some day running would be gone.
In his college career he started running as a sophomore, because he just wanted to study as a freshman. At the end of every year he would find himself injured and in despaired. His senior year he decided to change his fate. He weight lifted and worked on his flexibility. It was 1990, and Johnson’s first trip to the NCAA Championships. This was a great new feeling for him. He won the 200 with time of 20.16. His 400 times were improving, but not well enough for him to comfortably compete with them.
He ran in the US Championships in 1990 and his 200 m time had broken the 20 second standard for the second time. This time he had no wind to help him, but he time was a blazing 19.9, within reach of the world record. In 1990 he was relived to the world for all to see. Before 1990 the world had known him only for his inquires. He was 22 years of age and working with his life long coach Clyde Hart. He was reaching his goals setting new standards for himself and showing the world what Michael Johnson was all about. He continued to race and win in Europe and make deals with big companies like Nike, and this all at the beginning. He continued to train in Waco, Texas.
After many races he was within reach of Barcelona, Spain. During the Olympic trails there was a strong head wind for his heat that made their times so much slower than the other heat that he was selected for lane eight for the finals. In the 200 meter dash this was more of a death sentence than a chance. Carl Lewis was also running that year and he counted Johnson out of the race. Before the race he found what he now calls the "danger zone." That is when he is focused on nothing except the race. He proved his doughters wrong and ran seven hundredths off the world record from LANE EIGHT! He ran some more races in Spain before heading back. He then returned to Waco to train for the Olympics. He got food poisoning from a Spanish restaurant and was sick for two weeks. At the Olympics he finished a disappointing sixth in the 200 and helped the 4 by 400 team take home a gold. If he hadn't have been sick I beveled he would have won.
With the bitter taste of this loss in his mouth he was compelled farther than ever imagined. He even thought about trying the double in Atlanta. This became reality when he won the gold in the 200 and the 400. His gold shoes carried him to break the world record, which was already his, by running 19.32.
He recently broke the 400 record by running it in 43.18 seconds, and this after three years of injury and controversy. His eyes are now set on the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
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