Jeremy Wariner

Wariner picked up where he left off in 2006 in posting a new 400m personal best of 43.50 seconds at the DN Galan GP in Stockholm on August 7, 2007. The performance equals the sixth-fastest time ever run (Quincy Watts, 1992). It also betters Wariner's previous personal best of 43.62 from his win in Rome on July 14, 2006, and it's the fastest time in the world since National Track & Field Hall of Famer Michael Johnson set the world record of 43.18 at the 1999 World Outdoor Championships in Seville, Spain. Only Johnson and Butch Reynolds have ever run faster in the 400m than Wariner.  Wariner continued his world dominance of the men’s 400 meters in 2006 in posting a new personal best and the world’s fastest time of 43.62 seconds, bettering the 44-second barrier on three occasions, and posting the five fastest times in the world that season. For his efforts, Wariner was ranked #1 in the world for the third consecutive year by Track & Field News. The only race he did not win was the final competition of the season in Shanghai when he did not finish. Wariner saved his best performance for the biggest stage in 2005 in winning the gold medal at the World Outdoor Championship in Helsinki, Finland. Wariner won the race in a then personal best time of 43.93 seconds, and joined fellow Americans Lee Evans, Michael Johnson, Harry "Butch" Reynolds, Larry James, Quincy Watts, Danny Everett and Steve Lewis as the only athletes in history to break the 44-second barrier. At season’s end, Wariner became only the ninth quarter-miler ever to repeat as the world’s #1 ranked 400m in the 59-year history of the Track & Field News annual rankings.. The then 20-year-old Wariner shocked the world with his gold medal winning performance at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. With his win in his then personal best time of 44.00 seconds, Wariner became the youngest gold medalist in the event since 19-year-old Steve Lewis won in 1988 and posted the fastest time in the world since Michael Johnson in 2000. He also broke Johnson’s Baylor school record.  With Wariner placing first, followed by fellow Americans Otis Harris and Derrick Brew in second and third place respectively, the U.S. got its first sweep in the 400 since 1988. Later in Athens he ran the third leg on Team USA’s Olympic gold medal winning 4x400m relay squad. Wariner ran the then fastest time in the world in 2004 at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento by clocking 44.37 to claim the 400-meter title. “I just feel like he's a young man who is good to coach,” said his coach, Clyde Hart. “He loves running, he loves practice. I thought Michael [Johnson] was going to be only one I had to possess all those qualities, but Jeremy has all of it, too. If you have a natural ability to do that, you just go out there and get him ready.” Earlier in 2004 Wariner captured NCAA titles in both the indoor and outdoor 400 meters, setting stadium records at each championship. Wariner ran 44.71 at the outdoor championships in Austin and 45.39 at the indoor championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Wariner also led the Baylor 4x400-meter relay to a pair of national titles, setting an NCAA indoor record at 3:03.96 and clocking the fastest collegiate time this season of 3:01.03 at the NCAA outdoor meet. Winning was second nature to Wariner all season long, having lost only to his Baylor teammate, Darold Williamson. Wariner lettered in track and football at Lamar High School in Arlington, Texas, where he set school records in the 200, 400 and 4x100 relay...he holds the regional records in the 200 and 400 and won state titles in those two events...a member of the 2002 USA World Junior Team, Wariner is a three-time junior All-American in the 400…became a professional athlete after the Olympics, and has fellow Clyde Hart protégé Michael Johnson as his agent…his nickname of “Pookie” is embroidered on his racing spikes.  

2007: World Outdoor champion (43.45PR)...4th in 200m at USA Outdoor Championships (20.35)...1st at Stockholm (43.50PR)...adidas Track Classic champion (44.60)...6th in 200m at Nike Prefontaine Classic (20.78)...4th in 200m at Rethimno (20.57)...1st at London (44.05).
2006: 5th at USA Outdoors 200m (20.24)...1st at Golden Gala (43.62PB, WL)...Ran third leg in setting indoor 4x400m American record of 3:01.96 with Kerron Clement, Wallace Spearmon and Darold Williamson on Feb. 11 at Fayetteville, Ark... 2nd at adidas Track Classic (20.19)...1st in the 400m in Oslo (44.31)...1st in Waco, Tex. (44.12)...1st at Paris (43.91)... 1st at Stockholm (44.02)...1st at London (43.99)...ranked #1 in world by T&FN...bests of 20.19, 43.62.
2005: World Outdoor 400m (43.93) champion...World Outdoor 4X400m relay gold medalist (2:56.91)...1st in 400m at USA Outdoor Champs (44.20)...1st in 400m at adidas Track Classic (44.53)...1st in round 1 in Lausanne (44.96)...2nd at Waco, Tex. (45.13)...ranked #1 in world by T&FN...best of 43.93.
2004: Olympic 400m gold medalist (44.00PR, fastest in the world in 2004)...Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist (3rd leg in 43.98 - 2:55.91)...Olympic Trials champion (44.37)…NCAA Indoor champion (45.39)…NCAA Outdoor Champion (44.71)…NCAA Indoor 4x400m relay champion (3:03.96)…NCAA Outdoor 4x400m relay champion (3:01.03)…ranked #1 in the world by T&FN…best of 44.00PR.
2003: U.S. Junior 400m champion (46.41)…2nd at Pan Am Junior Champs (45.63)…7th at NCAA Indoors 400 (46.21)…2nd at Big 12 Indoors (46.33)…3rd at Big 12 Outdoors (46.59)…best of 45.13.
2002: 4th at USA Junior Championships (46.10)…2nd at Golden West Invitational…best of 46.10.

8/13/07