Michael JOHNSON

Michael Johnson - U.S.A. - Gold medals 1991, 1993 & 1996 World Championships.

Photo/Foto: George Herringshaw

Date: 25 August 1991

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    • DATE OF BIRTH
      Wednesday, 13 September 1967
    • PLACE OF BIRTH
      Dallas, U.S.A.
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  • U.S.A.
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Michael JOHNSON - U.S.A. - Gold medals 1991, 1993 & 1996 World Championships.

 

In 1987 a certain Mike Johnson, age nineteen, is listed as the World's 24th ranked 200 metres runner with a time of 20.41 seconds. He ran the time at Waco in April of that year. Within a year 'Mike' had rocketed to 7th fastest man in the world over 200m, with a 20.07 on May 15th.  At Waco in April he ran his fastest 400m of the year 45.23 secs. He also ran a relay leg of 43.5 in April which was a clear indication of things to come. He then went and broke his leg. In 1989 Johnson was ranked 26th in the World with 20.47 seconds (one place above a certain Carl Lewis) a time he set at Waco in April. In 1989 Michael Johnson as he became on the ranking lists was still setting some of his best times at Waco in April (his 4th best of that year). 

 

By 1990 he was already ranked No 1 in the World at 200 metres and though ranked No 3. over 400 metres, was unbeaten. The real break through onto the World stage came in 1991 when he won the World Championship 200 metres title in Tokyo with a CBP performance of 20.01seconds into a headwind of over three metres per second (see photo above). He beat Frankie Fredericks (no. 804) by 3.1 tenths of a second. Frankie later became a Frank just as  Mike had become Michael.

It was the decade of professional athletics and the age of 'image'. It also became the decade of Michael Johnson: athlete extraordinaire.

 

 
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                                           Hiccup at the 1992 Olympic Games.

 

The 1992 Olympic Games was the one major championship of the 1990s at which Micheal Johnson performed below par. He contested the 200 metres and on the first day of the event all seemed well. He won his heat in 20.80 seconds during the morning (He is pictured above on his blocks:  photo G.H. ©) and that evening followed Britain's Marcus Adam home in the opening heat of the second round with a 20.55 run. It then went all wrong. In the second semi final he trailed home in 6th place with a time of 20.78 seconds, moments after watching his fellow American Mike Marsh lower the Olympic record to 19.73 seconds in the first semi. Marsh's time was just one hundreth of a second off the world record.

 

No only would there not be a medal there would not even be a place in the final. He did of course win a medal when he helped the USA 4 x 400 relay team to a gold later in the week. It was on the last day of the Games and they broke the world record with a time of 2 minutes 55.74 seconds. During the 1992 season he ran a personal best 400 metres of 43.98 seconds and a personal best 200m time of 19.79 seconds - both of which were only bettered by the Olympic Champions in those respective events. One suspects though that he felt that the season was a disappointing one because of the Olympic hiccup.

 

 

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                                               A new World 400 metres Champion.

 

After the disappointment of failing to make the final in his individual event (200 metres) at the Barcelona Olympics, Michael Johnson stepped up a distance for the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart. It proved to be a fortuitous decision for not only did he win the 400 metres in some style, he also established a new Championship best performance of 43.65 seconds and beat in the process the world record holder Butch Reynolds (44.13 secs.). Third place went to Kenya's Samson Kitur (who is pictured above following Michael home in the final. 15th August 1993 πhoto G.H. ©)

 

Of course Michael did not leave Spain the year before empty handed because he won a gold medal as a member of the winning USA team in the 4 x 400 metres relay,a  race they won with a world record of 2 minutes 55.74 seconds. He left Germany with another 4 x 400m relay gold and another relay world record after the USA team clocked 2m 54.29. The team in Stuttgart had Butch Reynolds in place of Steve Lewis otherwise it was the same as in Barcelona. Michael on the last leg, who as one might expect, stole the show with a lap of 42.94 seconds - the fastest ever recorded in a relay.

 

During the season he did run some 200 metres, his best being 20.06 in Lausanne on July 7th, which ranked him 6th on the ranking lists at the end of the year. On the 400 metres ranking lists he was in a class of his own with the only sub 44 second timings - three in total. A 43.74 when winning the USA Championships in June and a 43.94 in Berlin ten days after his triumph at the World Championships. (George Herringshaw)

 

 

 

 Photo George Herringshaw.  9th August 1995.                                                             

 

                                       Record breaking double at 1995 World Championship.

 

 

Not since Eric Liddell (GBR) in 1924 had anyone won medals at both 200 metres and 400 metres at one of the 'majors' (Olympic / World Championship). The Scotsman's athletic feats inspired a film about him called "Chariots of Fire" in which Harold Abrahams (1924 Gold at 100 metres) also shared the glory. One day they should make a film about Michael Johnson, though aesthetically his running action may mitigate against such a project. Otherwise all the ingredieints are there, for never was there an athlete so supreme in his field. At Gothenborg, where he was defending his 400 metres title, he not only retained it with consumate ease but also beat the world record holder Butch Reynolds (44.22). He set a new championship record of 43.39 seconds (a personal best time) and at one stage looked like he might break the world record of 43.29 seconds.

 

He then turned his attention to the 200 metres final, scheduled for three days later, which he had won once before in 1991. Again it was almost a 'no contest' as he pattered away from the field like a demonic metronome, his arms pumping in his familiar upright stance. He stopped the clock at 19.79 seconds to equal his personal best established three years earlier and with the time set his second championship best performance. On the last day of the Championships he won his customary 4 x 400m gold medal though this time it was Butch Reynolds (43.74) who ran the team's fastest lap and not Michael (44.11). (George Herringshaw)

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