View source for Michael Johnson (sprinter)

{{Short description|American sprinter (born 1967)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Michael Johnson
| image = Johnson, Michael D.jpg
| caption = Johnson in 2016
| full_name = Michael Duane Johnson
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1967|9|13}}
| birth_place = [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], U.S.
| height = 6 ft 1 in<ref name=website>{{cite news |url=https://www.deseret.com/1996/6/20/19249699/johnson-can-t-be-caught-despite-strange-style |title=Johnson Can't Be Caught – Despite Strange Style |author=Fish, Mike |work=[[Deseret News]] |date=June 20, 1996}}</ref>
| weight = 175 lb<ref name=website/>
| sport = [[Track and field]]
| event = [[Sprint (running)|Sprints]]
| collegeteam = [[Baylor Bears track and field|Baylor]]
| pb = '''100&nbsp;m''': 10.09 ([[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]] 1994)<br />'''200&nbsp;m''': 19.32 ([[Atlanta]] 1996)<br />'''300&nbsp;m''': 30.85 '''[[List of United States records in track and field|NB]]''' ([[Pretoria]] 2000)<br />'''400&nbsp;m''': 43.18 '''[[List of North, Central American and Caribbean records in athletics|AR]] [[List of United States records in track and field|NR]]''' ([[Sevilla]] 1999)
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[International athletics championships and games|International athletics competitions]]}}
{{MedalCount
|[[Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]|4|0|0
|[[World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]|8|0|0
|[[Goodwill Games]]|4|0|0
|'''Total'''|'''16'''|'''0'''|'''0'''
}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona]]|[[Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Atlanta]]|[[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|200 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Atlanta]]|[[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]]|[[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|DQ|[[2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney]]|[[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1991 World Championships in Athletics|1991 Tokyo]]|[[1991 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 200 metres|200 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics|1993 Stuttgart]]|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics|1993 Stuttgart]]|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995 Göteborg]]|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 200 metres|200 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|1995 Göteborg|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|1995 Göteborg|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1997 World Championships in Athletics|1997 Athens]]|[[1997 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics|1999 Seville]]|[[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Goodwill Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1990 Goodwill Games|1990 Seattle]]|[[Athletics at the 1990 Goodwill Games|200 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1994 Goodwill Games|1994 Saint Petersburg]]|[[Athletics at the 1994 Goodwill Games|200 m]]}}
{{MedalGold|1994 Saint Petersburg|[[Athletics at the 1994 Goodwill Games|4 × 400&nbsp;m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1998 Goodwill Games|1998 New York]]|[[Athletics at the 1998 Goodwill Games|400 m]]}}
}}

'''Michael Duane Johnson''' (born September 13, 1967) is an American [[Sprint (running)|sprinter]] who became Olympic Champion four times, and World Champion eight times in the span of his career.<ref name="baylor" /> He held the [[list of world records in athletics|world]] and [[List of Olympic records in athletics|Olympic records]] in the [[men's 200 metres world record progression|200 m]] and [[men's 400 metres world record progression|400 m]], as well as the world record in the indoor 400 m. He also once held the world's best time in the 300 m. Johnson is generally considered one of the greatest and most consistent sprinters in the history of [[track and field]].<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/jo/michael-johnson-2.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417115358/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/jo/michael-johnson-2.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 17, 2020 |title=Michael Johnson |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Michael Johnson |url=https://baylorbears.com/news/2015/4/17/Track_amp_Field_Hosts_Michael_Johnson_Classic.aspx |title=Track & Field Hosts Michael Johnson Classic |publisher=Baylor Bears |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref>

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 Summer Olympics]] in [[Atlanta]]. Johnson is also the only man to successfully defend his Olympic title in the 400 m, 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.<ref name="usatf">{{cite web |url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/athletes/bios/TrackAndFieldArchive/2001/Johnson_Michael.asp |title=Michael Johnson |work=USA Track & Field.org |date=January 24, 2001 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.legit.ng/1262705-33-year-mother-wins-12th-gold-medal-break-usain-bolts-record-photo.html |title=33-year-old mum Allyson Felix wins 12th gold medal to break Usain Bolt's record |author=Abiola, Rahaman |date=October 3, 2019 |website=Legit.ng |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref>

Johnson's distinctive stiff upright running position and very short steps defied the conventional wisdom that a high knee lift was necessary for maximum speed. As of July 2024, Johnson holds three of the top 100 times for the 200 meters (having broken 20 seconds 23 times) and 22 of the top 100 times for the 400 meters. Of those, he holds nine of the top 25 times for the 400 meters. He broke 44 seconds for the 400 meters 22 times, more than twice as many times as any other athlete.

Johnson held the [[list of United States records in track and field|US national records]] for the 200, [[300 metres|300]], and 400 meters. The [[4 × 400 meters relay]] [[world record in athletics|world record]] was [[anchor leg|anchored]] by Johnson.

Since 2001, Johnson has worked for the [[BBC]], appearing as a pundit at multiple events. He has been a part of the BBC's Olympics athletics coverage since [[2004 Summer Olympics|Athens 2004]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/society/article/sue-barker-michael-johnson-sports-punditry-5d575wbdf|title=Michael Johnson: Sue Barker taught me how to be a presenter|first=Alex|last=Farber|date=August 13, 2024|work=The Times|accessdate=May 2, 2025|url-access=subscription|quote=He has been a regular pundit for the BBC since 2001 and part of the Olympics broadcasting team since Athens 2004}}</ref>

==Career==
===1991–1995===
In 1991 at the [[1991 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] in Tokyo, Johnson earned his first world title by winning the [[1991 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 200 metres|200 m race]] by the unusual margin of victory of 0.33 seconds over [[Frankie Fredericks]].

Two weeks before the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] began, Johnson and his agent both contracted food poisoning at a restaurant in Spain.<ref name=espn>{{cite web |author=Schwartz, Larry |title=Johnson doubled the difficulty |work=[[SportsCentury]] |publisher=[[ESPN]] |url=https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016046.html |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref> Johnson lost both weight and strength. He was the favorite to win the 200 m going into the Olympics, but he could do no better than sixth in his semifinal heat, and failed to reach the [[Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|200 m final]] by 0.16 seconds. Nevertheless, he was able to race as a member of the 4 × 400 m relay team, which won a [[Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|gold medal]] and set a new world-record time of 2:55.74. Johnson ran his leg in a time of 44.73.

He won the 1993 U.S. title in the 400 m, and followed it with [[1993 World Championships in Athletics|world titles]] in both the [[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]] and [[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]. His 42.91 second split time in the 4 × 400 m relay remains the fastest 400 meters in history.<ref name=baylor/> At the [[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995 World Championships]] in [[Gothenburg]], Johnson won his first [[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 200 metres|200 m]] and [[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]] "double". No elite-level male track athlete had accomplished this in a major meet in the 20th century.<ref name=espn/> At the end he made it a "triple" by adding another title in the [[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]].

===1996 Atlanta Olympics===
In June 1996, Johnson was 28 when he ran the 200-m in 19.66 seconds at the U.S. Olympic Trials, breaking [[Pietro Mennea]]'s record of 19.72 seconds that had stood for nearly 17 years.<ref>{{cite AV media | date=June 6, 2020 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dokF-cCLlFU | title=Michael Johnson smashes 200m world record at 1996 trials | time=1:35 | via=YouTube }}</ref> With that performance he qualified to run at the [[1996 Summer Olympics]] in Atlanta and prepared to attempt to win both the 200 meters and 400 meters events, a feat never before achieved by a male athlete.<ref name=espn/> (Two women have won Olympic gold medals in both races in the same year: [[Valerie Brisco-Hooks]] in the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] in Los Angeles, and [[Marie-José Pérec]], in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.)

Johnson entered the Olympic finals donning a custom-designed pair of golden-colored [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] racing spikes made with [[Zytel]], causing him to be nicknamed "The Man With the Golden Shoes". Sources differ on the exact weight of these shoes; the manufacturer of the spikes claims they weighed {{convert|3|oz|g}} each,<ref name=gold>{{cite news |author=Christie, James |title=Bailey's Shoes Go High-Tech: Spikes to be ready for Skydome sprint |newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]] |date=April 8, 1997 |url=http://www.omni-lite.com/press1.php |access-date=June 5, 2008 |archive-date=March 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317124811/http://www.omni-lite.com/press1.php |url-status=dead}}</ref> while other sources state each shoe weighed about {{convert|94|g|oz|1}}.<ref>{{cite web |author=Berggren, Svante |title=Sole structure – European Patent EP 0964625 |work=FreePatentsOnline.com |date=November 2004 |url=http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP0964625B1.html |access-date=June 4, 2008}}</ref> The left shoe was a US size 10.5 while the right shoe was a US size 11, to account for Johnson's longer right foot.<ref name=gold/>

On July 29, Johnson easily captured the [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|400 m Olympic title]] with an Olympic record time of 43.49 seconds, 0.92 seconds ahead of silver medalist [[Roger Black]] of Great Britain. At the [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|200 m final]] on August 1, Johnson ran the opening 100 meters in 10.12 seconds and finished the race in a world-record time of 19.32 seconds, breaking by more than three tenths of a second the previous record he had set in the U.S. Olympic Trials, on the same track one month earlier—the [[Men's 200 metres world record progression|largest improvement ever on a 200 m world record]]. Some commentators compared the performance to [[Bob Beamon]]'s record-shattering [[long jump]] at the [[1968 Summer Olympics]] in [[Mexico City]].<ref name="baylor"/> During the race, Johnson strained a muscle in his leg, which prevented him from winning his third gold medal of the Olympics in the [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]] as Team USA went on to win the gold even without him.<ref>{{cite news |title=Atlanta 1996 - Feat |publisher=AFP News |date=April 19, 2012 |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/atlanta-1996-feat-193508436.html |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref>

After the 1996 season ended, Johnson received the [[James E. Sullivan Award]] as the top amateur athlete in any sport in the United States,<ref>In [[American English]], the term "athlete" is a generic term for a competitive sportsperson, and is not specific to the sport known as "athletics" in most of the English-speaking world and "track and field" in the U.S.</ref> and was named [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Wide World of Sports (U.S. TV series)|Wide World of Sports]]'' Athlete of the Year. In August, [[HarperCollins]] published his biographical/motivational book, ''Slaying the Dragon: How to Turn Your Small Steps to Great Feats''.

===Rivalry with Donovan Bailey===
[[File:Golden shoes Michael Johnson.jpg|thumb|right|Johnson's gold spikes]]
After the end of the [[1996 Summer Olympics]], American [[Sportscaster]] [[Bob Costas]] claimed that Johnson was faster than 100 m Gold medalist [[Donovan Bailey]] because Johnson's 200 m time (19.32 Seconds) divided by 2 (9.66 Seconds) was shorter than Bailey's 100 m time (9.84).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Giddens |first=David |date=August 10, 2017 |title=Meet me in the middle: The weird Donovan Bailey vs. Michael Johnson 150 m race |pages=1 |work=CBC Sports |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sportslongform/entry/bailey-johnson-150-match-race}}</ref> This started a debate on whether Johnson or Bailey was the real "World's Fastest Man", which in turn resulted in a [[Bailey-Johnson 150-metre race|150 m race between the two]], in which Bailey won after Johnson, already behind in the race, alleged to have injured his [[hamstring]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 8, 2004 |title=The World's Fastest Man |url=https://everything2.com/title/The+World%2527s+Fastest+Man |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref>

===1997–1999===
After recovering from the injury, Johnson was able to compete for his third 400 m world title. The [[International Association of Athletics Federations|IAAF]] invented a new policy of giving a "bye" to the defending champions essentially to allow Johnson to compete in the [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|IAAF World Championships]] that year, because Johnson was unable to qualify the conventional method (by competing in the [[USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships]]) due to his injury from the race with Bailey. More than a month after the U.S. Championships, Johnson had recovered from his injury and won the [[1997 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 meters]] at the [[1997 World Championships in Athletics|1997 World Championships]] in [[Athens]].

At the [[1998 Goodwill Games]] in New York City, Johnson anchored the U.S. 4 × 400 m relay team with [[Jerome Young]], [[Antonio Pettigrew]], and [[Tyree Washington]] to a win and set a world record of 2:54.20. Pettigrew has since admitted doping from 1997, while Young was caught doping in 1999.<ref name=pettigrew/> The world record was annulled by the IAAF in August 2008, and reverted to the time of 2:54:29 Johnson helped set in the 1993 World Championships.<ref>{{cite news |title=400m relay world record amended |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7556411.stm |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=August 12, 2008 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref>

Johnson was plagued by injury in 1999, and his following season was troubled with two injury scares that limited him to just four 400 m races before the [[1999 World Championships in Athletics|1999 World Championships]] in [[Seville]]. Were it not for the [[International Association of Athletics Federations|IAAF]] policy established two years earlier for Johnson, that allowed automatic entry to defending champions, he could not have raced in Seville since he failed to compete in the U.S. trials due to his injury. He recovered and won his fourth [[1999 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 meter world title]] with a new world-record time of 43.18 seconds at the relatively late age of 31 years and 11 months, which stood for 12 days short of 17 years before being beaten at the [[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Olympics]] by the [[South Africa]]n [[Wayde van Niekerk]]. Johnson's splits for this world record were 21.22 seconds for the opening 200 meters and 21.96 seconds for the closing 200 meters, giving a differential of 0.74 seconds.

===2000 Sydney Olympics===
After qualifying for the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] in the 400 m, Johnson sustained an injury in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials for the 200 meters while racing in a highly anticipated matchup against the 100 m and 200 m world champion, [[Maurice Greene (sprinter)|Maurice Greene]]. The injury prevented a defense of his 200 m Olympic title. Johnson ended his career at the [[Sydney]] Olympics by winning the gold medal in the 400&nbsp;m, which brought his total number of Olympic gold medals to four. By winning the 400&nbsp;m at the age of 33 years 12 days, he earned the distinction of being the oldest Olympic gold medalist at any track event shorter than 5000 m. Johnson was also the anchor of the United States 4 × 400 relay team along with [[Alvin Harrison]], [[Antonio Pettigrew]], and [[Calvin Harrison (athlete)|Calvin Harrison]], which originally won the gold medal, but was later stripped of the title after Pettigrew and [[Jerome Young]] (who ran in the heats) were found guilty of having used performance-enhancing drugs.

On July 18, 2004, the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]] (IAAF) ruled that [[Jerome Young]] was ineligible to compete in Sydney and annulled all his past results, including those achieved as part of relay teams. Young had competed for the USA team in the heats and semi-final of this event. Therefore, the United States team was stripped of the gold medal and Nigeria, Jamaica, and the Bahamas were moved up one position each.<ref name="IAAF">{{cite web |author=Patrick, Dick |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/summer/track/2004-07-18-sydney-medal_x.htm |title=IAAF votes to take away 2000 U.S. relay gold |work=USA Today |date=July 18, 2004 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref> On July 22, 2005, the [[Court of Arbitration for Sport]] (CAS) overturned this decision and restored the original finish order of the race based on a ruling that a team should not be disqualified because of a doping offense by an athlete who did not compete in the finals.<ref name="CAS">{{cite web |author=Yomi Omogbeja |url=https://athleticsafrica.com/Outgoing/nigeriadenied_ns_220705.html |title=CAS denies Nigeria Sydney relay gold |publisher=Athletics Africa |date=July 22, 2005 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref> Then in June 2008, [[Antonio Pettigrew]] "admitted in court he cheated to win" by using banned performance-enhancing substances, and agreed to return his gold medal.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/other-sports/briefs-antonio-pettigrew-agrees-to-return-relay-gold-medal/ |title=Antonio Pettigrew agrees to return relay gold medal |work=[[Seattle Times]] |date=June 4, 2008 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref> Johnson announced that he would return his own gold medal, won as part of the relay team with Pettigrew. Johnson stated that he felt "cheated, betrayed and let down" by what Pettigrew had done at the Games.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/2302250/Michael-Johnson-Why-drugs-cheat-shamed-me-into-handing-back-Olympic-relay-gold-medal.html "Michael Johnson: Why drugs cheat shamed me into handing back Olympic relay gold medal"], Daily Telegraph, June 3, 2008</ref> Pettigrew died by suicide in 2010.

==Achievements==
{{main article|List of career achievements by Michael Johnson}}
Johnson has run 200 m in under 19.80 seconds six times, and he has run the distance in less than 20 seconds twenty-three times. He holds nine of the top 50 200 m performances of all time.<ref name=alltime>{{cite web |author=Larsson, Peter |title=All-time men's best 200m |work=Track and Field all time Performances |date=June 1, 2008 |url=http://www.alltime-athletics.com/m_200ok.htm |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref> Johnson has run twenty-two 400 m races in under 44 seconds; he holds twenty-two of the top 50 and four of the top ten 400 m performances of all time.<ref name=alltime/> Over the course of his career, he twice set the world record in the 200 m, three times set the world record as part of the 4 × 400 m relay team, twice set the indoor 400 m world record, set the outdoor 400 m world record once, and set the 300 m mark once.

===Season's bests===
{| class="wikitable" style= "text-align: center"
|-
!Year
!100 meters
!200 meters
!400 meters
|-
|1986||—||21.30||—
|-
|1987||—||20.41||46.29
|-
|1988||—||20.07||45.23
|-
|1989||10.29||20.05||46.49
|-
|1990||—||19.85||44.21
|-
|1991||10.23||19.88||44.17
|-
|1992||—||19.79||43.98
|-
|1993||10.12||20.06||43.65
|-
|1994||bgcolor=#cafc03|'''10.09'''||19.94||43.90
|-
|1995||—||19.79||43.39
|-
|1996||10.12{{AthAbbr|+}}||bgcolor=#cafc03|'''19.32'''||43.44
|-
|1997||—||20.05||43.75
|-
|1998||—||20.31||43.68
|-
|1999||—||19.93||bgcolor=#cafc03|'''43.18'''
|-
|2000||—||19.71||43.68
|}

==Beyond athletics==
Johnson was elected to the [[National Track and Field Hall of Fame|United States Track and Field Hall of Fame]] in 2004, where his 200 m performance at the 1996 Olympics was named the greatest track and field moment of the last 25 years.<ref name=baylor/>

Since retiring from competitive track in 2001,<ref>{{cite news | title=SPRINTER JOHNSON TO RETIRE THIS SUMMER | date=March 14, 2001 | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2001/03/14/sprinter-johnson-to-retire-this-summer/ | work=chicagotribune.com }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Bahr | first=Kyle | title=`Thank you for the memories' | date=May 1, 2001 | url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2001/05/thank_you_for_the_memories | work=thedp.com }}</ref> Johnson has worked as a television commentator, often for the [[BBC]] in the United Kingdom, where he has also written columns for the ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'' and ''[[The Times]]'' newspapers. Johnson first appeared for the BBC in 2001 at the World Championships.<ref>{{cite news |title=Michael Johnson |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/commonwealthgames2002/hi/bbc_coverage/newsid_2056000/2056035.stm |date=July 15, 2002 |accessdate=July 31, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Michael Johnson joins the BBC Sport team for The XVII Commonwealth Games |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/06_june/18/michael_johnson.shtml |work=BBC |date=June 18, 2002 |accessdate=July 31, 2021}}</ref> He subsequently was part of the BBC's presenting team at the [[2004 Olympic Games]] in [[Athens]], [[2008 Olympic Games]] in [[Beijing]], [[2012 Olympic Games]] in [[London]], [[2016 Olympic Games]] in [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[2020 Olympic Games]] in [[Tokyo]], and [[2024 Olympic Games]] in [[Paris]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC - Press Office - The Olympics and Paralympics 2004 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2004/07_july/06/olympics.shtml#:~:text=Steve%20Rider%20and%20Sue%20Barker,day's%20highlights%20in%20Olympics%20Today. |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC - Press Office - 2008 Olympics press pack: BBC Television team |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/06_june/19/olympics5.shtml |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-05-15 |title=London 2012 Olympics: BBC presenters and commentary teams |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/18070768 |access-date=2025-05-02 |work=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rio 2016 on the BBC - TV |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/rio/tv/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tokyo 2020 on the BBC |url=https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/mediapacks/tokyo-2020/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fall in love with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on the BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/olympic-games-paris-2024-on-the-bbc |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> In addition, he has worked on the [[2002 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Manchester]], [[2006 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Melbourne]], [[2010 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Delhi]], [[2014 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Glasgow]], [[2018 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]] and [[2022 Commonwealth Games]] in [[Birmingham]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC SPORT {{!}} Commonwealth Games 2002 {{!}} BBC Coverage |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/commonwealthgames2002/hi/bbc_coverage/default.stm |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-03-01 |title=Melbourne coverage |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/commonwealth_games/4719492.stm |access-date=2025-05-02 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC - Press Office - Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games on the BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/09_september/17/commonwealth.shtml |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Glasgow 2014 Television Coverage on the BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/cwg/television/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games on the BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/commonwealth-games-2018#:~:text=The%20TV%20line-up%20includes,Paula%20Radcliffe%20and%20Katharine%20Merry. |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on the BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/birmingham-2022-commonwealth-games-on-the-bbc#:~:text=Daily%20coverage%20will%20begin%20on,for%20all%20the%20athletics%20events. |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.bbc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> He was in the BBC commentary booth for the [[Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|men's 400 meters final]] in Rio de Janeiro to see his world record broken by [[Wayde van Niekerk]], saying about van Niekerk's performance, "Oh my God! From lane eight, a world record. He took it out so quick. I have never seen anything from 200 to 400 like that. That was a massacre from Wayde van Niekerk. He just put those guys away."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/trackandfield/story/_/id/17304902/2016-rio-olympics-wayde-van-niekerk-south-africa-wins-men-400-meter-final-world-record-4303-seconds |title=Wayde van Niekerk wins 400m final in 43.03, shattering world record |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=August 14, 2016 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref>

Johnson guest-starred in the 2002 film, ''[[The Master of Disguise]]'', as one of the disguises Fabbrizio ([[James Brolin]]) takes on to borrow the [[Constitution of the United States|U.S. Constitution]], as part of a scheme by Devlin Bowman ([[Brent Spiner]]) to steal the world's greatest treasures. Incidentally, one of the guards in that scene happens to be played by another actor named [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0424965/ Michael Johnson].

In 2007 Johnson opened Michael Johnson Performance, at [[McKinney, Texas]], a training facility for youth athletes aged 9 to 18 and professional athletes in all sports.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://youth.michaeljohnsonperformance.com/ |title=Michael Johnson Performance Center |publisher=Youth.michaeljohnsonperformance.com |access-date=April 2, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102160547/http://youth.michaeljohnsonperformance.com/ |archive-date=January 2, 2011}}</ref> The company works with Olympic teams and football clubs and has operations around the world. Michael Johnson Performance currently works with [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], assisting in the development of young players in their academy.<ref>{{cite web |author=Whaling, James |title=Arsenal working with former Olympic athlete Michael Johnson to improve young players' fitness |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-working-former-olympic-athlete-5557108 |work=The Mirror |date=April 21, 2015 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref>

In June 2008, Johnson voluntarily returned the 4 × 400 m relay gold medal he earned in the 2000 Olympics after [[Antonio Pettigrew]], who ran the second leg, admitted he took performance-enhancing drugs between 1997 and 2001.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Statement From United States Olympic Committee Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr Regarding Antonio Pettigrew and Michael Johnson Returning their Medals |publisher=[[United States Olympic Committee]] |date=June 3, 2008 |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2008/June/03/Statement-From-United-States-Olympic-Committee-Chief-Executive-Officer-Jim-Scherr-Regarding-Antonio-Pettigrew-and-Michael-Johnson-Returning-their-Medals |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302001815/http://www.teamusa.org/News/2008/June/03/Statement-From-United-States-Olympic-Committee-Chief-Executive-Officer-Jim-Scherr-Regarding-Antonio-Pettigrew-and-Michael-Johnson-Returning-their-Medals |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 2, 2014 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref> Pettigrew made his admission while giving testimony in the trial of coach [[Trevor Graham]] for his role in the [[BALCO scandal]]. On August 2, 2008, the International Olympic Committee stripped the gold medal from the U.S. men's 4 × 400-meter relay team.<ref name=pettigrew>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/trackandfield/news/story?id=3515913 |author=Wilson, Stephen |title=IOC strips gold from 2000 US relay team |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=August 2, 2008 |access-date=October 11, 2019 |publisher=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> Three of the four runners in the event final, including Pettigrew and twins [[Alvin Harrison|Alvin]] and [[Calvin Harrison (athlete)|Calvin Harrison]], and preliminary round runner [[Jerome Young]], all have admitted or tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.<ref name=pettigrew/> Only Johnson and [[Angelo Taylor]], who also ran in preliminary rounds, were not implicated.<ref name=pettigrew/> Johnson had already returned his medal because, as he said, he felt the medal was not won fairly.<ref name=pettigrew/>

Johnson appeared as a contestant on NBC's 9th season of ''[[The Apprentice (U.S. season 9)|The Celebrity Apprentice]]'' (2010), placing 10th after exiting the show due to a personal issue on the fifth episode of the season first airing April 11, 2010.

As part of the build-up to the [[2012 Summer Olympics]], Johnson made a documentary, ''Survival of the Fastest'', for [[Channel 4]] which investigated the dominance of [[African-American]] and [[African-Caribbean]] sprinters.<ref>{{cite web |author=Clayton, Andy |date=July 5, 2012 |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/olympics-2012/u-s-olympic-track-legend-michael-johnson-descendants-west-african-slaves-superior-athletic-gene-article-1.1108301 |title=U.S. Olympic track legend Michael Johnson: Descendants of West African slaves have 'superior athletic gene' |work=New York Daily News |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref> The program made the suggestion that a side effect of the [[Atlantic slave trade|slave trade]] may have been to accelerate [[natural selection]] as only the very fittest could survive the brutal process, resulting in a population [[Black athletic superiority|predisposed to superior athletic performance]].

Johnson was one of the Olympic torch bearers in the relay in the run up to the [[London 2012 Olympics]], carrying it to [[Stonehenge]] and [[Salisbury Cathedral]] in Wiltshire.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18802568 |title=BBC News – Olympic torch: Michael Johnson takes flame to Stonehenge |department=[[BBC Sport]] |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=July 12, 2012 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref>

In the summer of 2018, Johnson was co-captain and a coach for Godspeed, a [[flag football]] team made of former professional [[American football]] players that participated in the [[American Flag Football League]] (AFFL). The team were crowned the champions of participating pro teams but lost in the final match to the amateur champion team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713111654/https://www.affl.com/godspeed/|title=Godspeed &#124; American Flag Football League|date=July 13, 2018|website=web.archive.org}}</ref>

In September 2018, Johnson suffered a stroke that affected his left side. By November, he stated he was almost "back to normal", and attributed his successful recovery to the "Olympic mindset".<ref name="BBC Sport">{{cite web |author=Johnson, Michael |title=Johnson "really lucky" after suffering a stroke |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/athletics/46264091 |publisher=BBC News |date=November 19, 2018 |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/nov/19/michael-johnson-back-to-normal-stroke-anger |title=Michael Johnson nearly 'back to normal' but reveals anger at suffering stroke |date=November 19, 2018 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=October 11, 2019}}</ref> In connection with his 54th birthday in 2021, he states that he has fully recovered.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Simeoni |first=Evi |title=Michael Johnsons Weisheiten: Grüße vom Champ |language=de |work=FAZ.NET |url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/mehr-sport/olympiasieger-michael-johnson-wird-54-und-gruesst-mit-lebensweisheiten-17553388.html |access-date=2022-04-26 |issn=0174-4909}}</ref>

In 2024, he launched a new Track and Field League, [[Grand Slam Track]], ahead of the [[2025 Grand Slam Track|2025 season start]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/us-sports-news-olympics-news-track-and-field-news-olympic-legend-michael-johnsons-thirty-million-dollars-backed-unnamed-track-league-secures-support-from-decorated-american-athlete/|website=Essentially Sports|title= Olympic Legend Michael Johnson's $30 Million-Backed 'Unnamed' Track League Secures Support From Decorated American Athlete|date= May 1, 2024|first=Christaline|last=Meyers|access-date=2 May 2024}}</ref>

==Personal life==
As of 2008 Johnson lived in [[Marin County, California]], with his second wife Armine Shamiryan, a chef, and his daughter Selendis Sebastian, born in 2000 during his first marriage to entertainment reporter Kerry D'Oyen.<ref name=baylor>{{cite web |title=Michael Johnson profile |publisher=[[Baylor University]] |year=2008 |url=http://baylorbears.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/johnson_michael00.html |access-date=June 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913075432/http://baylorbears.cstv.com/sports/c-track/mtt/johnson_michael00.html |archive-date=September 13, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Telegraph>{{cite news |title=Michael Johnson: 'For eight years I was a five-time gold medallist. Then it was four-time. It's not the same' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/athletics/9378922/Michael-Johnson-For-eight-years-I-was-a-five-time-gold-medallist.-Then-it-was-four-time.-Its-not-the-same.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/athletics/9378922/Michael-Johnson-For-eight-years-I-was-a-five-time-gold-medallist.-Then-it-was-four-time.-Its-not-the-same.html |archive-date=2022-01-12 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=October 11, 2019 |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=July 9, 2012 |author=de Bertodano, Helena}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Awards==
* [[World Athletics Awards]]
:: World Athlete of the Year (Men)：1996, 1999<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Athletes of the Year |url=https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/651c81d5050f9b2bc0433282.pdf?_gl=1*6hkuqu*_ga*NjYxMTM1NTI5LjE3MTUyMjE3MTY.*_ga_7FE9YV46NW*MTcxNTIyMTcxNS4xLjEuMTcxNTIyMTcyMi4wLjAuMA.. |website=[[World Athletics]] |format=PDF |access-date=}}</ref>

==References==
{{Notelist}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{World Athletics}}
* {{USATF}}
* {{Team USA Hall of Fame|new_id=michael-johnson|old_id=Michael-Johnson|archive=20230720073224}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Olympics.com}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060222220441/http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=119467 |date=mdy |title=Michael Johnson at Olympic.org}}

{{Navbox
|title=Related
|list1=
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{succession box|before={{Flag icon|ITA}} [[Pietro Mennea]]|title=[[Men's 200 metres world record progression|Men's 200 meters World Record Holder]]|years=June 23, 1996 – August 20, 2008|after={{flagicon|JAM}} [[Usain Bolt]]}}
{{succession box|before={{Flag icon|USA}} [[Butch Reynolds]]|title=[[Men's 400 metres world record progression|Men's 400 meters World Record Holder]]|years=August 26, 1999 – August 14, 2016 |after={{flagicon|RSA}} [[Wayde van Niekerk]]}}
{{s-ach|aw}}
{{succession box|title=[[Track & Field Athlete of the Year|Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year]]|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Roger Kingdom]]|after={{flagicon|URS}} [[Sergei Bubka]]|years=1990}}
{{succession box|title=[[Best Male Track Athlete ESPY Award|Men's Track & Field ESPY Award]]|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Kevin Young (athlete)|Kevin Young]]|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Dennis Mitchell]]|years=1994}}
{{succession box|title=[[IAAF World Athlete of the Year]]|before={{flagicon|UK}} [[Jonathan Edwards (triple jumper)|Jonathan Edwards]]|after={{flagicon|DEN}} [[Wilson Kipketer]]|years=1996}}
{{succession box|title=Men's Track & Field ESPY Award|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Dennis Mitchell]]|after={{flagicon|DEN}} [[Wilson Kipketer]]|years=1996–1997}}
{{succession box|title=[[Track & Field Athlete of the Year|Men's Track & Field Athlete of the Year]]|before={{flagicon|ETH}} [[Haile Gebrselassie]]|after={{flagicon|DEN}} [[Wilson Kipketer]]|years=1996}}
{{succession box|title=[[L'Équipe Champion of Champions]]|before={{flagicon|GBR}} [[Jonathan Edwards (triple jumper)|Jonathan Edwards]]|after={{flagicon|UKR}} [[Sergei Bubka]]|years=1996}}
{{succession box|title=[[BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year]]<br /><small>(with {{flagicon|USA}} [[Evander Holyfield]])</small>|before={{flagicon|NZL}} [[Jonah Lomu]]|after={{flagicon|SUI}} [[Martina Hingis]]|years=1996}}
{{succession box|title=[[IAAF World Athlete of the Year]]|before={{flagicon|ETH}} [[Haile Gebrselassie]]|after={{flagicon|CZE}} [[Jan Železný]]|years=1999}}
{{succession box|title=[[Best Male Track Athlete ESPY Award|Men's Track & Field ESPY Award]]|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Maurice Greene (sprinter)|Maurice Greene]]|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Maurice Greene (sprinter)|Maurice Greene]]|years=2000}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|GBR}} [[Simon Hughes (cricketer)|Simon Hughes]]|title=[[Royal Television Society|RTS Television Sport Awards]]<br />Best Sports Pundit|after={{flagicon|GBR}} [[John Francome]]|years = 2003}}
{{succession box|before=[[Pablo Morales]]<br />[[Dan Jansen]]|after=[[Dan Jansen]]<br />[[Pete Sampras]]|title=[[USOC Athlete of the Year#SportsMan of the Year|USOC Sportsman of the Year]]|years=1993<br />1995, 1996}}
{{s-ach|ach}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|BRA}} [[Robson da Silva]]|title=[[200 metres#Men's Seasons Best|Men's 200 m Best Year Performance]]|years=1990–1991|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Michael Marsh (athlete)|Michael Marsh]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Danny Everett]]|title=[[400 metres#Men's Seasons Best|Men's 400 m Best Year Performance]]|years=1991|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Michael Marsh (athlete)|Quincy Watts]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Quincy Watts]]|title=Men's 400 m Best Year Performance|years=1993–2000|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Michael Marsh (athlete)|Tyree Washington]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|GBR}} [[John Regis (athlete)|John Regis]]|title=Men's 200 m Best Year Performance|years=1995–1996|after={{flagicon|TRI}} [[Ato Boldon]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|NGR}} [[Francis Obikwelu]]|title=Men's 200 m Best Year Performance|years=2000|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Joshua J. Johnson]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions 200 m Men}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 400 m Men}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 4x400 m Men|1992}}
{{Footer World Champions 200 m Men}}
{{Footer World Champions 400 m Men}}
{{Footer World Champions 4 x 400 m Men|1993|1995}}
{{IAAF World Athlete of the Year (men)}}
{{Sullivan Award winners}}
{{Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year navbox}}
{{Footer US NC 400m Men}}
{{Footer US NC 200m Men}}
{{Footer US NC Indoor 400m Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1992 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1996 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2000 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer WBYP 400m Men}}
{{ESPY Male Athlete}}
{{BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year}}
{{L'Équipe Champion of Champions}}
{{IAAF Hall of Fame}}
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{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Michael}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male sprinters]]
[[Category:African-American track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
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[[Category:Baylor Bears men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:James E. Sullivan Award recipients]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Participants in American reality television series]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from San Rafael, California]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Dallas]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
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[[Category:World record setters in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winners]]
[[Category:Track & Field News Athlete of the Year winners]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games silver medalists for the United States]]
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[[Category:Medalists at the 1989 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1994 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1998 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:American Flag Football League players]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners]]