American sprint legend Michael Johnson has transformed the sport in recent years and here is everything you need to know about one of the greatest sprinters.
Michael Johnson is an American retired sprinter whose time on track delivered much success and is revered in the USA, North America and Europe.
The legendary Olympic champion put the USA on the global map, and is considered one of the greatest and most consistent sprinters in the history of Track and Field.
Michael Johnson, multiple winner of world championships and the Goodwill games, made the most out of his career that lasted for several years, including the 1990s, 2000s, and 2008. Pulse Sports tells you everything you need to know about the USA sprint legend.
How old is Michael Johnson?
Michael Johnson reveals Grand Slam Track’s early struggles
Image source: Imago
Michael Duane Johnson was born September 13, 1967. He is 57 years old. Born in the Texan city of Dallas, Michael Johnson was the youngest of five siblings. As a teenager he devoted himself to his studies, with athletics just a regular sideline.
Who discovered Michael Johnson?
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Michael Johnson (USA) reacts after finishing 6th in the men’s 200m semifinals during the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.© Imago
Aged 19, Michael Johnson enrolled at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. It was there, in April 1987, that he was spotted by Clyde Hart – the coach who would later take him to the pinnacle of world athletics – as he broke the university 200m record.
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By then he had already adopted his distinctive running style, characterised by an upright gait and short stride, that would later see him nicknamed “the Duck”. Johnson’s distinctive style defied the conventional wisdom that a high knee lift was necessary for maximum speed.
Michael Johnson’s 7 years unbeaten record
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Michael Johnson set the former 200m WR of 19.32s
Starting in 1993, Johnson embarked on an incredible sequence of 58 400m races in which he went undefeated, and he was soon being hailed as “Superman”. The pinnacle of his track career came on home soil, at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. 83,000 spectators looked on as Johnson, resplendent in his golden running shoes, completed a remarkable 200m-400m double, an achievement never matched before or since in men’s athletics.
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His times were remarkable too: 19.32 seconds for the 200m – a world record that stood for 12 years until being broken by Usain Bolt – and 43.49 seconds for the 400m.
As of July 2024, Johnson holds three of the top 100 times for the 200m (having broken 20 seconds 23 times) and 22 of the top 100 times for the 400m. Of those, he holds nine of the top 25 times for the 400m. He broke 44 seconds for the 400m 22 times, more than twice as many times as any other athlete.
Johnson held the US national records for the 200, 300, and 400 meters. The 4x400m relay world record was anchored by Johnson.
Michael Johnson’s titles: A decade of solid gold
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Michael Johnson was one of the most dominant athletes during his active years
On August 26, 1999 in Seville (Spain), Johnson set a new 400m world record of 43.18 seconds which stood until Wayde van Niekerk’s amazing performance in Rio 17 years later. In the space of a decade at the top, which culminated in a final Olympic gold in the 400m at Sydney 2000, he never once experienced the taste of silver or bronze.
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Johnson is the only male athlete to win both the 200 meters and 400 meters events at the same Olympics, a feat he accomplished at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Johnson is also the only man to successfully defend his Olympic title in the 400m, having done so at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
Aside from his Olympic success, Johnson accumulated eight gold medals at the World Championships and is tied with Carl Lewis for the fourth most gold medals won by a runner.
Michael Johnson: Grand Slam Track brainchild
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Michael Johnson envisions bright future for track || Courtesy
Grand Slam Track is an upcoming professional track and field league that was announced in 2024 by Michael Johnson. The first season is due to run from April to September 2025. After being initially announced in February 2024, the name of the league and other details were announced at a June 2024 press conference in Los Angeles hosted by John Anderson
Some of the male athletes that have signed with the Grand Slam Track include Kenny Bednarek, Fred Kerley, Oblique Seville, and Mathew Hudson-Smith. In the women’s category, Gabby Thomas, Masai Russell and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone headline the event. A total of 48 athletes have signed to be part of the event (24 in each category).
The Grand Slam Track league offers a chance for athletes, should they win each of the four Slams in their event category, to win upwards of US$400,000.00 in a single season.
Johnson is partnering with Winners Alliance, a global athlete licensing and sponsorship company, to increase the notoriety of the sport’s largest stars through a TV product with hopes to increase the viewership of an industry that has dwindled in popularity outside of the Olympic games in recent years.
Michael Johnson, How rich is he in 2025?
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Track legend Michael Johnson is the founder of the Grand Slam Track | AW
As of February 2025, Michael Johnson has an estimated net worth of at least $10.5 million. He owns 4.2 million shares of FLUX stock. Johnson has worked for the BBC since 2001, appearing as a pundit at multiple events, including the Olympics.
