Maurice Greene (athlete)

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Maurice Greene Greene after winning the 100 m event at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney Nationality: American Distance(s): 100 meters, 200 meters Date of birth: July 23, 1974 (1974-07-23) (age 34) Place of birth: Kansas City, Kansas, United States Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Weight: 180 lb (82 kg)

Medal record Competitor for  United States Men's athletics Olympic Games Gold 2000 Sydney 100 m Gold 2000 Sydney 4x100 m relay Silver 2004 Athens 4x100 m relay Bronze 2004 Athens 100 m World Championships Gold 1997 Athens 100 m Gold 1999 Sevilla 100 m Gold 1999 Sevilla 200 m Gold 1999 Sevilla 4x100 m relay Gold 2001 Edmonton 100 m World Indoor Championships Gold 1999 Maebashi 60 m Goodwill Games Gold 1998 New York City 100 m Gold 1998 New York City 4x100 m relay

Maurice Greene (born July 23, 1974) now retired, is an American former sprinter in athletics, who holds several world records and Olympic medals. He was a former world record holder for the 100 meter sprint, with a time of 9.79 seconds.

[edit] Biography

Maurice Greene was born in Kansas City, Kansas and attended F.L. Schlagle High School. In his youth and high school, he participated in both football and track and field, but eventually proved to be best in the latter.

In 1995 he 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 be his breakthrough. At the World Championships in Athens, Greene won the 100 m title. This marked the beginning of Greene's dominance in the 100 m. He successfully defended his title in 1999 and 2001 and captured the Olympic gold medal in the 2000 Olympics. He was also successful at the 200 m. At the 1999 World Championships, he also won the 200 m title, the first to win both sprint events at a World Championships. However, he did not run the 200 m at the 2000 Olympics after an injury at the US trials.

In 1999 he set the 100 m world record at 9.79 s (+0.1 m/s wind), beating Donovan Bailey's standing world record of 9.84 s (+0.7 m/s wind), and lowering the world record by the largest margin since the advent of electronic timing. Greene also matched Bailey's 50 m indoor world record time, but the run was never ratified. He also set the 60 m indoor world record twice. His 60 m indoor record is currently at 6.39 s. Both records still stand. In addition, Maurice Greene is the only sprinter to hold the 60 m and 100 m world records at the same time.

In 2002, Greene lost his 100 m world record to fellow American Tim Montgomery, who beat his time by 0.01 (9.78 s +2.0 m/s), while Greene himself was injured and watched the race from the stands. Montgomery has since been found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs, and his record has been retroactively disqualified. The record was broken legitimately by Asafa Powell in 2005 with a time of 9.77 s (+1.6 m/s wind).

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greene added to his medal tally with the bronze after finishing third in his attempt to defend his 100 m title, and a silver as the anchor leg runner on the United States 4x100 m relay team, narrowly denied another Olympic Gold by the British team, who won by 0.01 seconds.

Greene ran 53 sub-10 second 100 m races during his career, more than any other sprinter in history. Asafa Powell is second with 50.^[1] Previously Greene had held the record for the most wind-legal sub-10 second clockings for 100 m in one season, when he ran 9 sub-10s in 1999. This record was also broken by Asafa Powell in 2006 (12), and it was improved by Powell in 2008 to 15.

On December 21, 2006, he appeared as one of the "strangers" on the NBC game show Identity. The contestant, a self-proclaimed track and field fan, incorrectly identified him by name as Marion Jones, although she correctly identified him as the "world's fastest man."

Greene also appeared on the TV reality show Blind Date.^[2]

On February 4, 2008, Greene announced his retirement from track and field in Beijing, citing nagging injuries and a wish to see new individuals succeed in the sport. Greene said he hopes to pursue coaching and business interests.^[3] In April 2008, the New York Times reported that Greene had paid Mexican discus thrower Angel Guillermo Heredia $10,000, which Heredia claimed was in payment for performance enhancing drugs. Greene admitted meeting Heredia and making the payment, but claimed it was common for him to pay for "stuff" for other members of his training group, and reiterated that he had never used banned drugs.^[4]

Greene was a contestant on Season 7 of Dancing With The Stars, and was paired with two-time champion Cheryl Burke. He was eliminated on Week 8 of the competition, taking 5th place.^[5] He hyperextended his leg during the competition. He later helped out in their pro-dancer competition and danced a Tango with future winner Anna Demidova.

[edit] DWTS Performances

• means that Michael Flatley filled in for judge Len Goodman that week.

Has tattoo that reads 'GOAT' referring to his claim to be 'Greatest Of All Time'.^[6][7]

[edit] Personal bests

[edit] Achievements

[edit] Video Interview

• Flotrack.com Videos of Maurice Greene

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• IAAF profile for Maurice Greene
• USATF profile

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Wilson Kipketer	Men's Track & Field ESPY Award 1999	Succeeded by Michael Johnson
Preceded by Michael Johnson	Men's Track & Field ESPY Award 2001 – 2002	Succeeded by Tim Montgomery