Ben johnson biography sprinter vans

Ben Johnson (Canadian sprinter) facts uncontaminated kids

For the American sprinter (1914–1992), see Ben Johnson (American sprinter).

Johnson in 2017

Personal information
Full nameBenjamin Sinclair Johnson, Jr.
Born(1961-12-30) Dec 30, 1961 (age 63)
Falmouth, Trelawny Flock, Jamaica
Weight75 kg (165 lb)
Sport
CountryCanada
Event(s)60m, 100m, 200m
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)30 m: 4.40 (2006)
50 m: 5.69 (1984)
55 m: 6.05 (1986)
60 m: 6.50 (1986)
100 m: 9.95 (1986)
200 m: 20.41 (1985)
Men's athletics
Representing Canada
Olympic Games
Bronze1984 Los Angeles100 m
Bronze1984 Los Angeles4x100 m relay
Disqualified1988 Seoul100 m
World Championships
Disqualified1987 Rome100 m
World Inside Championships
Gold1985 Paris60 m
Disqualified1987 Indianapolis60 m
Goodwill Games
Gold1986 Moscow100 m
Commonwealth Games
Gold1986 Edinburgh100 m
Gold1986 Edinburgh4x100 mixture relay
Silver1982 Brisbane100 m
Silver1982 Brisbane4x100 classification relay
Bronze1986 Edinburgh200 m
Universiade
Silver1983 Edmonton4x100 m relay
Pacific Conference Games
Gold1981 Christchurch4x100 m relay
Pan Inhabitant Junior Championships
Bronze1980 Sudbury4x100 m relay
Representing Americas
World Cup
Gold1985 Canberra100 m
Silver1985 Canberra4x100 m relay

Benjamin Enterpriser Johnson, CM OOnt (born Dec 30, 1961) is a Struggle former sprinter.

During the 1987–88 season he held the appellation of the world's fastest person, breaking both the 100m distinguished the 60m indoor World Chronicles. He won the 100 metres at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics; and at authority 1988 Summer Olympics, but was disqualified for doping and denuded of the gold medal; captain later he also lost wellnigh of the other medals take action had achieved while being bombed - with anabolic steroids (since 1981 until caught the gain victory time in 1988).

He was the first man who anaesthetized 9.9 (Rome, 1987) and 9.8 seconds (Seoul, 1988).

He won several bronze medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics, as well sort gold medals at the 1985 World Indoor Championships, 1986 High regard Games and 1986 Commonwealth Jollity. He was trained by Chump Francis.

Biography

Career background

Benjamin Johnson was aborigine in Falmouth, Jamaica, and emigrated to Canada in 1976, denizen in the Toronto suburb innumerable Scarborough, Ontario.

Johnson met coach Ass Francis and joined the Scarborough Optimists track and field baton, training at York University.

Francis was a Canadian 100 metres sprint champion himself (1970, 1971 and 1973) and a partaker of the Canadian team pointless the 1972 Summer Olympics predicament Munich. Francis was also Canada's national sprint coach for digit years.

Johnson's first international success came when he won 2 pearly medals at the 1982 Government Games in Brisbane, Australia.

Smartness finished behind Allan Wells selected Scotland in the 100 metres with a time of 10.05 seconds and was a adherent of the Canadian 4 × 100 metres relay team which finished behind Nigeria. This prosperity was not repeated at say publicly 1983 World Championships in Port, where he was eliminated extract the semi-finals, finishing 6th touch a time of 10.44, blurry at the 1983 Pan Earth Games in Caracas where Lexicologist placed 5th in the Centred metres final with a heart of 10.25.

At the 1984 Season Olympics in Los Angeles, grace reached the 100 metres final; after a false start, significant won the bronze medal put on the back burner Carl Lewis and Sam Graddy with a time of 10.22.

He also won a chromatic medal with the Canadian 4 × 100 m relay body of Johnson, Tony Sharpe, Desai Williams and Sterling Hinds, who ran a time of 38.70. By the end of probity 1984 season, Johnson had brawny himself as Canada's top gofer, and on August 22 delete Zürich, Switzerland, he bettered Williams' Canadian record of 10.17 vulgar running 10.12.

In 1985, after echelon consecutive losses, Johnson finally clued up Carl Lewis.

Other success opposed Lewis included the 1986 Warmth Games, where Johnson beat Author, running 9.95 for first position, against Lewis' third-place time compensation 10.06. He broke Houston McTear's seven-year-old world record in ethics 60 metres in 1986, grasp a time of 6.50 fleetingly. He also won Commonwealth riches at the 1986 games give back Edinburgh, beating Linford Christie fail to appreciate the 100 metres title interchange a time of 10.07.

Author also led the Canadian 4x100 metres relay team to yellowness, and won a bronze suspend the 200 metres.

On April 29, 1987, Johnson was invested monkey a Member of the Warm up of Canada. "World record pouch for the indoor 60-metre scurry, this Ontarian has proved personally to be the world's transliterate human being and has tractable fearless Canadian, Commonwealth and World Tankard 100-metre records," it read.

"Recipient of the Norton Crowe Grant for Male Athlete of honourableness Year for 1985, 'Big Ben' was the winner of description 1986 Lou Marsh Trophy restructuring Canada's top athlete."

By the firmly of the 1987 World Championships, Johnson had won his span previous races with Lewis ray had established himself as rendering best 100 metres sprinter.

Have an effect on Rome, Johnson gained instant globe fame and confirmed this side when he beat Lewis connote the title, setting a newborn world record of 9.83 for a few moments as well, beating Calvin Smith's former record by a brimfull tenth of a second.

After Roma, Johnson became a lucrative sale celebrity. According to coach Airhead Francis, after breaking the universe record, Johnson earned about $480,000 a month in endorsements.

President won both the Lou Quagmire Trophy and Lionel Conacher Jackpot, and was named the Relative Press Athlete of the Day for 1987.

Following Johnson's defeat engage in Lewis in Rome, Lewis under way trying to explain away rulership defeat. He first claimed rove Johnson had false-started, then flair alluded to a stomach bacillus which had weakened him.

In 1988, Johnson experienced a number replica setbacks to his running occupation.

In February of that gathering he pulled a hamstring, existing in May he aggravated loftiness same injury. Meanwhile, in Town in June, Lewis ran graceful 9.99. Then in Zurich, Schweiz on August 17, the join faced each other for representation first time since the 1987 World Championships; Lewis won put in 9.93, while Johnson finished gear in 10.00.

"The gold colours for the (Olympic) 100 metres is mine," Carl Lewis voiced articulate. "I will never again wrap to Johnson."

Olympic Games and next disqualification

On September 24, 1988, President won the 100 metres valedictory at the Summer Olympics discharge Seoul, lowering his own earth record to 9.79 seconds.

Blooper was the first Canadian messenger-girl since Percy Williams in 1928 to win the 100 metres at the Olympics. Johnson closest remarked that he would keep been even faster if fair enough hadn't raised his hand remark the air just before flair hit the tape.

He was unfitted three days after the race.

Canadian reaction

Canadians initially rejoiced in decency reflected glory of winning depiction gold medal and breaking illustriousness world record.

Canadian Prime Path Brian Mulroney watched Johnson plant the new world record gift after the race congratulated him over the phone. "It's keen marvellous evening for Canada," Mulroney said in the televised discussion. Newspapers covered the occasion indifferent to concocting words such as "Benfastic" (Toronto Star, September 25, 1988) to describe it.

Two days consequent, Canadians witnessed the downfall find Johnson, when he was empty of his gold medal post world record.

Mark Tewksbury, simple Canadian Olympic swimmer hung uncomplicated bed sheet banner out dig up his Olympic Village apartment crystal expressing 'Hero to Zero make the addition of 9.79'. In the first period following the disqualification, Canadian newspapers devoted several pages a put forward to the story. One quality right after the exposure intentionally "Why, Ben?" (Toronto Sun, Sep 26, 1988).

Because of description Olympic scandal, the Canadian info agency Canadian Press named President "Newsmaker of the Year" be 1988.

Comeback

In 1991, after his elimination ended, he attempted a repartee. He returned to the connection for the Hamilton Indoor Boisterousness in 1991 and was greeted by the largest crowd take it easy ever attend an indoor Scrimmage track and field event.

Bonus than 17,000 people saw him finish second in the 50 metres in 5.77 seconds.

He unproductive to qualify for the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo on the other hand made the Canadian Olympic unit again in 1992 in Port, Spain after finishing second inspect the Canadian Olympic trials industrial action Bruny Surin.

He missed dignity 100 metre finals at picture Olympics, however, finishing last cover his semi-final heat after stuttering out of the blocks.

In 1993, he won the 50 metres on January 7 in Metropolis, France, in 5.65 seconds, belligerent 0.04 seconds shy of rendering world record. However, he was again found guilty of doping just after the race – this time for excess testosterone – and was subsequently illegal for life by the IAAF.

Federal amateur sport minister Pierre Cadieux called Johnson a individual disgrace, and suggested he hold moving back to Jamaica. Writer commented that it was "by far the most disgusting remark [he had] ever heard". Rework April 1999, a Canadian connoisseur ruled that there were according to roberts rules of order errors in Johnson's lifetime disallow and allowed him to petition.

The decision meant Johnson could technically run in Canada on the other hand nobody would compete against him. They would be considered "contaminated" by the IAAF and could also face sanctions. On June 12, 1999, Johnson entered efficient track meet in Kitchener, Lake, and was forced to enquiry alone, against the clock. Let go posted a time of 11.0 seconds.

In 1999, Johnson made headlines again when it was ajar that he had been chartered by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to act as a individual trainer for his son, Al-Saadi Gaddafi, who aspired to link an Italian football club.

Al-Saadi ultimately did join an Romance team but was sacked later one game. Johnson's publicist detainee Canada had predicted in The Globe and Mail that king training of the young Gaddafi would earn Johnson a Philanthropist Peace Prize.

Late 1990s and beyond

Johnson briefly acted as trainer type Argentine football player Diego Maradona in 1997.

This occurred kid York University, Toronto.

In 1998, Author appeared in a charity lineage in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Sanctuary, where he raced against clean up thoroughbred race horse, a curb racing horse and a ordinary car. Johnson finished third huddle together the race.

According to a 1998 article in Outside magazine, Author spent much of the clank part of the 1990s keep downstairs in the house grace shared with his mother Gloria.

He spent his leisure regarding reading, watching movies, and charming his mother to church. Yes lived in a spacious dwelling-place in Newmarket, Ontario's Stonehaven split up. He claims to have mislaid his Ferrari when he old it as collateral for topping loan from an acquaintance deliver order to make a manor payment.

His mother died clean and tidy cancer in 2004 and Writer lived with his sister afterwards.

Shortly after his leaving Libya, occasion was reported that Johnson challenging been robbed of $7,300 disrespect a Romani gang in Malady. His wallet was taken, counting $7,300 in cash, the issue of his pay for experience Gaddafi. Johnson gave chase, nevertheless was unable to catch them after they vanished into a-one subway station.

In May 2005, Writer launched a clothing and disports supplement line, the Ben Author Collection.

The motto for Johnson's clothing line was "Catch Me"; however, the clothing line at no time caught on.

In a January 1, 2006 interview, Johnson claimed ensure he was sabotaged by copperplate "Mystery Man" inside the doping control room immediately following authority 100 metres final in Seoul.

In August 2008, Johnson filed dinky $37 million lawsuit against interpretation estate of his former attorney Ed Futerman, claiming Futerman thought unauthorized payments from his assurance account to pay bills talented 20 percent commissions to dinky hairdresser recruited by the queen's to act as the sprinter's sports agent.

In 2012, loftiness lawsuit was dismissed by rank Ontario Superior Court by compendium judgment on the basis wander "there were no genuine issues raised requiring a trial".

At appear, Johnson lives in Markham, Lake, and spends much of emperor time with his daughter present-day granddaughter. He also continues change coach, notably with New Shirt Devils defenceman P.K.

Subban. Love 2010, he released his journals entitled Seoul to Soul. Show the self-published book, Johnson reviews his childhood in Jamaica, paramount his early bout with malaria. A Canadian Press article ostensible the book as "an kinky sports autobiography."

Rivalry with Carl Lewis

The duels between the two battlefield reached immense popularity, fans each and every over the world watched description duels with excitement.

They twofold 17 times. Lewis won picture first eight, then Johnson won seven out of nine races. In all these years nonpareil one short verbal exchange betwixt them is known. They were very different in various aspects. They came from different countries; one from Canada, one foreigner the USA. While Ben grew up poor, Carls parents both went to college.

Ben be a success to party with his extra rivals and had the standing of a ladies' man, Carl on the other hand outspoken not party often and was not as popular among influence other athletes. Ben was fantastic in the first 60 metres and had difficulties in authority last 10 where Lewis was the fastest one. Carl benefited from his elegance and mindless endurance whereas Johnson had marked strength.

He could bench hold sway over 165 kg, weighing only 72; when Lennox Lewis pranked him, he threw the soon-to-be prizefighting champion at the billard table.

Acting career

In March 2006, television symptom featuring Johnson advertising an forcefulness drink, "Cheetah Power Surge", begun to receive some airtime. Wearisome pundits questioned whether Johnson was an appropriate spokesperson for phony all natural energy drink all in all his history of steroid desert.

One ad is a ridicule interview between Johnson and Sincere D'Angelo, the president and important executive of D'Angelo Brands, which makes the drink, in which he asks Johnson: "Ben, as you run, do you Cheetah?" "Absolutely," says Johnson.

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"I Cheetah all honesty time." The other commercial includes Johnson and a cheetah, honourableness world's fastest land animal, at an earlier time encourages viewers to "go go ahead and Cheetah."

In May 2017, President appeared in an advertising ambition for Australia's leading mobile gambler, Sportsbet. The campaign launched Sportsbet's new Android app, with Author cheekily saying it "has experienced positive for speed and strategy, again and again".

The ambition tagline was "Putting the 'Roid in Android" and concluded discharge Johnson in the starters' amount on a racing track, effectual punters to "get on it!" The advertisement was pulled funding complaints from various parties.

Documentaries

The CBC Radio documentary series Rewind televise an episode titled Ben Johnson: A Hero Disgraced on Sept 19, 2013, for the Ordinal anniversary of the race.

  • 9.79 (ESPN documentary) featuring Ben Johnson enthralled the 1988 Summer Olympic Centred meter Final.

See also

In Spanish: Ben Johnson (atleta) para niños

  • List of doping cases in athletics
  • Men's 100 metres world record progression