Kirani James
James at the 2011 World Championships
Kirani James ( born September 1, 1992, St. George's ) is a Grenadian sprinter who specializes in the 400 -meter run. Over this distance, he became world champion in 2011 and the following year Olympic champion.
Career
Youth and Junior Time
James joined internationally for the first time in 2007 at the age of 14 years in appearance when he takes on Providenciales in the 400 - meter race won the title in the U17 age group at the CARIFTA Games. In the same year he won at the World Youth Championships in Ostrava, the silver medal behind the nearly three years older Britons Christopher Clarke. James' time of 46.96 s was the fastest ever spilled a 14 -year-old over 400 meters.
2008 James defended his title in the 400 - meter sprint at the CARIFTA Games in Basseterre successfully and also won another gold medal in the 200 -meter run. At the Junior World Championships in Bydgoszcz, he finished second behind the more than three years older Americans Marcus Boyd. With 45,70 s James ran faster than any 15 -year-old before. At the end of the season he won at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune.
In his third appearance at the Games CARFITA James 2009, launched in Vieux Fort for the first time in the age group U20. He won the 400 - meter race in 45.45 s, and thus beat the six -year-old championship record of Jamaican Usain Bolt at nine tenths of seconds. He also won in the same year gold medals at the World Youth Championships in Bressanone over 200 and 400 meters and in the Pan American Junior Championships in Port of Spain over 400 meters. Among several U.S. colleges who offered James because of its outstanding performance sports scholarship, he opted for the Alabama State University.
In April 2010, James won at the CARIFTA Games in Georgetown in the age group U20 title in the 200 - and 400 -meter run and scored with 20.76 s and 45.02 s in both competitions personal bests. About 400 meters he rose six weeks later by a hundredth of a second. At the Junior World Championships in Moncton enough for him 45.89 s to win.
International success
End of February 2011 increased its James Hallenbestleistung over 400 meters at 44.80 seconds and moved with it to third place in the eternal Hall of Fame behind the Americans Michael Johnson and Kerron Clement ago. Months later he won at the World Athletics Championships 2011 in Daegu, South Korea on his parade route with a time of 44.60 s in Daegu His newly established personal best lasted only four whole days. When athletics meeting world-class Zurich he was able to increase again and ran a time of 44.36 s In November, the Athletics IAAF him nominating student athletes of the year.
At the Olympic Games in London in 2012, he won in his discipline to consider in 43.94 s the gold medal. It was the first medal for Grenada in the history of the Olympic Games. At the same time his time was also national record, Weltjahresbestleistung and the fastest time that has been running since 2008.
2013, the 400-meter season was tailored to the duel between him and LaShawn Merritt. Already in three races before the World Championships in Moscow, met the two. Two of the three duels James could decide for himself where he ran 43.96 s with intermediate Weltjahresbestleistung in Paris. At the World Championships he ran unchallenged into the finals; there he was - weakened stomach problems - only seventh and so had to Merritt left the gold medal. At their last meeting of the year in Zurich, he had to settle for 44.32 s again defeated his opponent.
Bests
- 200 m: 20.41 s, April 16, 2011 El Paso Hall: 20.58 s, January 21, 2011 Albuquerque
- Hall: 44,80 s, February 27, 2011 Fayetteville