Hall of Fame

Michael Johnson became the first man in history to win the 200- and 400-meter gold medals at a single Olympics, setting world records in both events at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time, with his four Olympic gold medals. Born in Dallas, Johnson primarily ran the 200 event in high school before competing in the 400 when he became a student-athlete at Baylor University. Johnson won NCAA titles during his junior and senior years in both indoor and outdoor events. He earned his first Olympic medal at the Barcelona 1992 Games as part of the 4x400 relay team. Johnson broke the world record in the indoor 400 event twice in 1995, then notched his double victory at the Atlanta Games the following year. Track & Field News named him Athlete of the Year, and a five-time American Athlete of the Year. He  earned the nickname “World’s Fastest Man” and was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2004 after retiring from competition in 2008. Johnson became a performance coach and trainer for younger athletes. He has also worked as a sports commentator for BBC and as a sports columnist.