2004 Athens – Justin Gatlin – United States of America

Justin Gatlin (born February 10, 1982, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American sprint athlete. He attended Woodham High School in Pensacola, Florida, and currently lives and trains in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In the fall of 2000, Gatlin arrived at University of Tennessee as a good high school 110 m hurdler. After training and competing in UT's program for two years under the guidance of former Vol assistant Vince Anderson, Gatlin won six consecutive NCAA titles. In fall 2002, Gatlin left Tennessee after his sophomore season to join the professional ranks. Just two years later, he won the gold medal in the 100 m (9.85 s) in the 2004 Summer Olympics, narrowly beating Francis Obikwelu of Portugal and the defending champion Maurice Greene. He also won a bronze medal in a USA sweep of the 200 m race, and a silver medal as a member of the 4 x 100 m relay squad. In the 2005 World Athletics Championships in Helsinki, he again triumphed over 2003 champion Kim Collins, capturing the gold medal in the 100 m.

Gatlin's Olympic 100 m final time is the second fastest in Olympic history, and his fastest recorded 200 m time of 19.86 seconds, although wind-aided, is the fastest mark for a junior (under 20) athlete.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Olympic Final

Time

Justin Gatlin USA

9.85

Francis Obikwelu POR

9.86

Maurice Greene USA

9.87

Shawn Crawford USA

9.89

Asafa Powell JAM

9.94

Kim Collins SNK

10.00

Obadele Thompson BAR

10.10

Aziz Zakari GHA

Dnf

2000 Sydney – Maurice Greene – United States of America

Maurice Greene (born July 23, 1974) is an American athlete. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Greene participated in his youth in both American football and athletics, but eventually proved to be best in the latter.

In 1995, Greene took part in his first major international tournament at the World Championships in Gothenburg, but was eliminated in the 100 m quarter-finals. His next season was disappointing, as he failed to make the American team for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

However, the following season would mean his breakthrough. At the World Championships in Athens, Greene won the 100 m title. This marked the beginning of a dominance of especially the 100 m by Greene, successfully defending his title in 1999 and 2001, winning the Olympic championships in Sydney 2000 and setting the world record at 9.79 (beating the July 1996 record of Donovan Bailey at 9.84). At the 1999 World Championships, he also won the 200 m title, the first to win both events at a World Championships.

In 2002, Greene lost his World Record to fellow American Tim Montgomery, who beat his time by 0.01, while Greene himself was injured and watched the race from the stands.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Olympic Final

Time

Maurice Greene USA

9.87

Ato Boldon TRI

9.99

Obadele Thompson BAR

10.04

Dwain Chambers GBR

10.08

Jon Drummond USA

10.09

Darren Campbell GBR

10.13

Kim Collins SNK

10.17

Aziz Zakari GHA

Dnf

1996 Atlanta – Donovan Bailey - Canada

Donovan Bailey (born December 16, 1967 in Manchester, Jamaica) is a Canadian athlete. Bailey emigrated from Jamaica to Canada at age 13, and played basketball before his graduation. He began competing as a sprinter part-time in 1991, but he didn't take up the sport seriously until 1994. At that time, he was also a successful stockbroker.

The following year saw his international breakthrough. At the World Championships in Gothenburg, Bailey won the 100 metre sprint and the 4 x 100 metre relay titles respectively.

He repeated that double at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, setting a world record of 9.84 seconds in the 100m (the previous record was set in July 1994 by American Leroy Burrell at 9.9 seconds). Many Canadians felt his victory restored the image of Canadian athletes, which had been tarnished by Ben Johnson's previous disqualified win. Bailey won a third world title in 1997 with the Canadian relay team, while finishing second in the 100m behind Maurice Greene.

After that season, Bailey struggled with injuries and never reached his previous level of performance. He retired from the sport in 2001 having been a five-time World and Olympic champion.

Donovan Bailey still holds the indoor world record in the 50 metres (5.56, in Reno, Nevada, in 1996), and the Olympic and Canadian records for the 100 metres.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Olympic Final

Time

Donovan Bailey CAN

9.84

Frank Fredericks NAM

9.89

Ato Boldon TRI

9.90

Dennis Mitchell USA

9.99

Mike Marsh USA

10.10

Ezinwa NGR

10.14

Michael Green JAM

10.16

Linford Christie GBR

dq

1992 Barcelona – Linford Christie – United Kingdom

Linford Christie (born April 2, 1960) is a British athlete. Born in Saint Andrew, Jamaica, Christie followed his parents, who had emigrated five years before, to Britain at the age of seven. He did not take up athletics until he was 19.

In 1986, he was the surprise winner of the 100 metres at the European Championships and finished second at the Commonwealth Games.

At the 1988 Summer Olympics, Christie won silver behind Carl Lewis, though only after Ben Johnson, who set a new World Record in 9.79 seconds, had been disqualified for a doping offence. In fact, Christie's urine also contained metabolites a banned substance, however he was not stripped of his silver medal.

In 1992, he succeeded Allan Wells as a British Olympic 100 m champion, winning the title before Namibian Frankie Fredericks. In 1993, he became the first man in history to hold the Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth titles in the 100 m as he was victorious at the Stuttgart World Championships. He also became the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

After 1994, he was less successful. Christie was disqualified in the 1996 Olympic final after two false starts, and in 1999, he was found guilty of using the banned drug nandrolone. Although the (now defunct) British athletic federation found him to be not guilty, the IAAF overruled and confirmed the suspension. Christie, who had for some time been focusing on coaching, subsequently retired..

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Olympic Final

Time

Linford Christie GBR

9.96

Frank Fredericks NAM

10.02

Dennis Mitchell USA

10.04

Bruny Surin CAN

10.09

Leroy Burrell USA

10.10

Olapade Adeniken NGR

10.12

Ray Stewart JAM

10.22

Davidson Ezinwa NGR

10.26

1988 Seoul – Ben Johnson – Canada

Benjamin Sinclair "Ben" Johnson (born December 30, 1961) was a Canadian athlete, best known for his disqualification for doping use after winning the Olympic 100m final in 1988. Born in Falmouth, Jamaica, Johnson emigrated to Canada in 1976. He made his debut at a major international tournament at the 100 m at the 1983 World Championships, where he was eliminated in the semi-finals.

The following year, Ben Johnson reached to the final of the 100m at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, finished third behind Carl Lewis. With the Canadian 4 x 100 m relay team, he won a second bronze medal.

At the 1987 World Championships, in Rome, Johnson gained instant world fame when he beat Lewis for the title, setting a new World Record of 9.83 seconds as well. Johnson and Lewis were also the favourites for the 1988 Olympic title. In the final, Johnson beat Lewis, clocking a new World Record of 9.79 seconds. A few days later, however, Johnson's urine samples were found to contain steroids, and he was disqualified for doping use.

He later admitted having used the doping when he ran his 1987 World Record, which caused the IAAF to delete that record from the books as well. But Johnson and hundreds of other athletes have long complained that they used doping in order to remain on an equal footing with the other top athletes on drugs they had to compete against.

His claim bears some weight in light of the revelations since 1988. Including Johnson, four of the top five finishers of the 100-meter race have all tested positive to banned drugs at one point or another. They are Carl Lewis, who was given the gold medal, along with Linford Christie who was moved up to the silver medal, and Dennis Mitchell. Of these, only Johnson was forced to give up his records and his medals, although he was the only one of the four who tested positive or admitted using drugs during a medal-winning performance. Later, Christie was caught using steroids and banned. According to documents released in 2003 by a former senior US anti-doping official, Dr. Wade Exum, Carl Lewis and two of his training partners all took the same three types of banned stimulants (ones found in over-the-counter cold medicine), and were caught at the 1988 US Olympic trials, which is the competition used to select the US athletes that will compete in the Olympics.

In 1991, after Johnson's suspension ended, he attempted a comeback, but without much success. In 1993, he was found guilty of using doping at a race in Montreal, and was subsequently banned from the sport for life by the IAAF.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Olympic Final

Time

Ben Johnson CAN

9.79

Carl Lewis USA

9.92

Linford Christie GBR

9.97

Calvin Smith USA

9.99

Dennis Mitchell USA

10.04

Da Silva BRA

10.11

Desai Williams CAN

10.11

Ray Stewart JAM

12.26

1984 Los Angeles – Carl Lewis – United States of America

Frederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis (born July 1, 1961) is an American athlete. He has won 10 Olympic medals, of which 9 are gold, from 1984 to 1996. Also he has won 8 world championship's gold medals, and 1 bronze, from 1983 to 1993.

Although Carl was born in Birmingham, Alabama, he grew up in Willingboro, New Jersey, in the Philadelphia area. At age 13, Lewis started to compete in the long jump. With his high sprinting speed, he also performed well in the sprint events. In 1980, Carl was selected for the US Olympic team, but the American boycott of the Games delayed Lewis' debut.

The following seasons, Lewis set seasons best performances in the 100 m and long jump. At the inaugural World Championships in 1983, Lewis won his first major titles, achieving victory in the 100 m, long jump and the 4 x 100 m relay events.

This made him a great favourite for success at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Also entering the 200 m, Lewis sought to equal Jesse Owens' performance of 1936 by winning these four events, which he did.

After he had repeated his 1983 performance at the World Championships in Rome in 1987, he was set for four more golds at the 1988 Olympics. However, things did not all go his way. He won the 100 m, but only after Ben Johnson had been disqualified for a doping offence. In the 200 m, he was surprisingly beaten by compatriot Joe DeLoach. The 4 x 100 m relay team was disqualified in the heats (with Lewis not even running) due to a bad exchange. Lewis had no problems defending his long jump title and headed an all-American podium.

After 1988, Lewis' dominance in the sprint events began to wane, though his long jump performance was still excellent. However, he was challenged in that event as well, as compatriot Mike Powell won an exciting duel at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, in which the legendary record of Bob Beamon from 1968 was finally broken.

At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, another duel between the two was decided in favour of Lewis, winning his third consecutive Olympic long jump title. Lewis also ran the last leg of the American 4 x 100 m team.

In the years that followed, Lewis did not win any major titles. In 1996 - aged 36 - he made a strong comeback in the long jump event, and made a bid for a fourth consecutive Olympic title. Lewis succeeded with remarkable ease, becoming only the third Olympian to win four consecutive titles in an individual event - the two others being Al Oerter (discus throw 1956-1968) and Paul Elvstrøm (yachting, 1948-1960).

Carl Lewis recorded a single called "Break It Up" in 1987 with his band: Carl Lewis and the Electric Storm. Lewis retired after the Atlanta Olympics and is now an actor.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Olympic Final

Time

Carl Lewis USA

9.99

Sam Graddy USA

10.19

Ben Johnson CAN

10.22

Ron Brown USA

10.26

Mike McFarlene GBR

10.27

Ray Stewart JAM

10.29

Donovan Reid GBR

10.33

Tony Sharpe CAN

10.35

1980 Moscow – Allan Wells – United Kingdom

Allan Wipper Wells (born May 3, 1952) is a British (Scottish) athlete. Born in Edinburgh, Wells was initially a triple jumper and long jumper and started to concentrate on the sprint events in the early 1970s. In 1978, he won two gold medals (200 m, 4 x 100 m) and a silver one (100 m) at the Commonwealth Games, and became the fastest sprinter in the UK.

Wells never used the starting blocks until a rule change forced him to do so for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. With the strong American team absent due to their boycott of the Games, Wells reached the final where he faced pre-race favourite Silvio Leonard of Cuba. In a close finish, both Wells and Leonard set a final time of 10,25, but Wells crossed the line slightly earlier to become the oldest Olympic 100 m champion at that time. The 200 m final was another close affair, but this time Wells lost to Pietro Mennea, who beat him by 0,02. With the British relay team, Wells finished 4th.

In 1982, Wells won two more Commonwealth titles in the 100 m and 200 m, but he could no longer compete with the world top. In 1984, his second Olympic appearance ended with in the 100 m semi-finals.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Olympic Final

Time

Allan Wells GBR

10.25

Silvio Leonard CUB

10.25

Petar Petrov BUL

10.39

Aleksandr Aksinin URS

10.42

Osvaldo Lara CUB

10.43

Vladimir Muravyov URS

10.44

Marian Woronin POL

10.46

Herman Panzo FRA

10.49

1976 Montreal – Hasely Crawford – Trinidad & Tobago

Hasely Joachim Crawford (born August 16, 1950) is an athlete from Trinidad and Tobago. In 1976, he became the first Olympic champion of his country. Born in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, Crawford started with athletics at age 17. He debuted internationally in 1970, winning a bronze medal in the 100 m at the Commonwealth Games. Only two years later, he surprisingly qualified for the final of the Olympics in Munich, although he had to forfeit that race after 20 m due to an injury.

In 1975, Crawford was added to the team of American coach Bob Parks, who prepared Crawford excellently for the 100 m and 200 m events at the Montreal Olympics, running only a few races during the season. The tactics paid off, as Crawford won the 100 m, narrowly in front of Don Quarrie of Jamaica, winning Trinidad and Tobago's first Olympic gold medal. He had also qualified for the 200 m final, but pulled out due to an injury.

Hasely Crawford´s last success was a bronze medal in the 1978 Commonwealth Games (100 m). He did also participate in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics—the most participations for an Olympian of Trinidad and Tobago—but didn't reach to a final again.

A national hero in his home country, Crawford has appeared on postage stamps and has an airplane and a sports stadium named after him.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Olympic Final

Time

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Hasely Crawford TRI

10.06

Don Quarrie JAM

10.08

Valeriy Borzov URS

10.14

Harvey Glance USA

10.19

Guy Abrahams PAN

10.25

John Jones USA

10.27

Klaus-Dieter Kurrat GDR

10.31

Petar Petrov BUL

10.35

1972 Munich – Valeriy Borzov – Soviet Union (Ukraine)

Valeri Filippovich Borzov (born October 20, 1949) is a Ukrainian athlete, running for the Soviet Union in the past. In 1972, he won both the 100 m and 200 m at the Olympic Games.

Borzov (932) during the heats of the 200 m in Munich, 1972.Born in Sambir, Borzov started his athletics career in 1968. His first major achievement was winning the sprint-double at the 1971 European Championships in Helsinki, though he had already won the 100 m in 1969.

At the Olympics in Munich, two of the American sprinters (Eddie Hart and Reynaud Robinson) were eliminated because their coach had not announced the correct starting time of the heats. After Borzov won the final with relative ease, the Americans swore they would beat Borzov in the 200 m.

However, with all three Americans in the final this time, Borzov beat everybody again, displaying his excellent form. The Americans finally got their sprint gold, as they won the relay event, with Borzov's Soviet team taking second place.

Between Munich and the next Olympics in 1976, Borzov spent more time on his studies, though he did win his third successive 100 m title at the European Championships in 1974. False rumours of a planned assissination attempt on Borzov and his possible defection surrounded his return after an injury at the Olympics. He finished the 100 m race in third position, winning his fourth Olympic medal. In the 4 x 100 m, he won his fifth, another bronze.

A persisting injury meant Borzov had to abandon his hopes of a third Olympics, and he ended his career in 1979, after he had married four-fold Olympic gymnastics champion Lyudmila Turishcheva.

From 1991 to 1998, Borzov was president of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee, has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1994 and is Ukrainian minister of Youth and Sport.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Olympic Final

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