View source for Roger Black

{{Short description|British sprinter (born 1966)}}
{{for-multi|the insult comedian|Roger Black (actor)|the American graphic designer|Roger Black (graphic designer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name           = Roger Black<br /><small>{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}}}}</small>
| image          = File:Roger Black 2011.jpg
| image_size     = 200px
| caption        = Black in 2011
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1966|3|31|df=yes}}
| birth_place    = [[Gosport]], [[Hampshire]], England
| death_date     = 
| death_place    =
| nationality = British (English)
| sport       = [[Sport of Athletics|Athletics]]
| event       = 400 m
| club        = [[Team Solent Athletic Club|Southampton & Eastleigh A.A.C./Team Solent]]
| footnotes      =
| show-medals    = yes
| medaltemplates = 
{{Medal|Sport | Men's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{Medal|Country | {{GBR2}} }}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{Medal|Silver | [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Atlanta]] | [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Silver | [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Atlanta]] | [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Bronze | [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona]] | [[Athletics at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1991 World Championships in Athletics|1991 Tokyo]]|[[1991 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 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Silver |[[1987 World Championships in Athletics|1987 Rome]]|[[1987 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Silver |[[1991 World Championships in Athletics|1991 Tokyo]]|[[1991 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[European Athletics Championships|European Championships]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1986 European Championships in Athletics|1986 Stuttgart]]|400 m}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1986 European Championships in Athletics|1986 Stuttgart]]|4 × 400 m relay}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1990 European Championships in Athletics|1990 Split]]|[[1990 European Championships in Athletics – Men's 400 metres|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1990 European Championships in Athletics|1990 Split]]|[[1990 European Athletics Championships – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1994 European Championships in Athletics|1994 Helsinki]]|4 × 400 m relay}}
{{Medal|Silver |[[1994 European Championships in Athletics|1994 Helsinki]]|400 m}}
{{Medal|Country | {{ENG}} }}
{{Medal|Comp|[[Athletics at the Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1986 Commonwealth Games|1986 Edinburgh]]|[[Athletics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games|400 m]]}}
{{Medal|Gold |[[1986 Commonwealth Games|1986 Edinburgh]]|[[Athletics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games|4 × 400 m relay]]}}
}}

'''Roger Anthony Black''' <small>[[Order of the British Empire|MBE]]</small> (born 31 March 1966) is an English former [[Athletics (sport)|athlete]] who competed internationally for [[Great Britain]] and [[England at the Commonwealth Games|England]]. During his athletics career, he won individual silver medals in the [[400 metres]] sprint at both the [[Olympic Games]] and [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]], two individual gold medals at the [[European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]], and [[4 × 400 metres relay]] gold medals at both the World and European Championships.

Since retiring from athletics, he has worked as a [[television presenter]] and motivational speaker. In 2008, Black joined forces with fellow athlete [[Steve Backley]] and founded BackleyBlack LLP. Black has a collection of fifteen medals from major senior athletics competitions to add to his two [[Europe]]an junior championship [[gold medal]]s.

Black won five national outdoor championships at 400 metres, and one at 200 metres.<ref>Blaack's career straddled the era of the [[AAA Championships]], [[UK Athletics Championships]] and [[British Athletics Championships]], winning three of his titles at the "Triple As" and three at the "UKAs". Most domestic statisticians consider the AA Championships the 'de facto' national championships as the UK Athletics Championships, despite being the key event of the then national federation, the [[British Athletics Federation]], often failed to attract the best athletes. Nonetheless, both events were presented as the national championships for the period in which both were held annually. </ref> As of July 2022, Black remains ranked joint third in the all-time Great Britain lists for the 400 metres.

== Early life ==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=May 2024}}
He was born in [[Gosport]], [[Hampshire]], to David (a doctor) and Thelma, with a twin sister Julia. He attended [[Alverstoke]] Church of England Primary School and [[Portsmouth Grammar School]], becoming Head Boy in 1983/84. It was whilst playing football with a local team (RPFC) that he began demonstrating his prowess as a runner, scoring numerous goals as a flying forward leaving many defenders in his wake. He then joined athletics clubs, re-took one of his A-level exams and began studying medicine at the [[University of Southampton]], but he left his course after three months as he had begun to achieve success as an athlete.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

== Athletics career ==
Black rose to prominence after winning the 400 metres event at the [[1985 European Athletics Junior Championships ]] in a time of 45.43 at the age of 19.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004924/19850826/023/0023 |title=British winners |work=Liverpool Daily Post (Welsh Edition) |date=26 August 1985 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref> In 1986, Black graduated to the senior ranks and made a spectacular impact first winning for [[England at the 1986 Commonwealth Games|England]] at the [[1986 Commonwealth Games]] in Edinburgh in 45.57, and then at the European Championships in Stuttgart, winning in a time of 44.59, his first British Record, breaking [[Derek Redmond]]'s 44.82 record from the previous year. Having also won golds in both 4 × 400&nbsp;m relays at both of those events as well, Black's 1986 season had turned into a gold rush of four gold medals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1986/athletes |title=Edinburgh 1986 Team |website=Team England |access-date=14 June 2025 }}</ref>

His next three seasons were wiped out through illness and injuries and he only just made the relay team for the 1987 World Championships in Rome, where the GB team won the silver medal. He returned to the track in 1990 and his good form took him to the European Championships again, which were held in Split. Black contested the 400&nbsp;m final and retained his title with a time of 45.11, holding off his old rival [[Thomas Schönlebe]]. He then anchored the GB team to an easy 4 × 400&nbsp;m victory winning by a margin of 15 metres, and a European record of 2:58.23, with his split time of 43.9. He thus achieved a rare double-double – two gold medals at consecutive championships.

Black's outstanding 1990 season was followed by the 1991 World Championship season holding much expectation. His early season form at Crystal Palace saw him beat Olympic Champion [[Steve Lewis (sprinter)|Steve Lewis]] and [[Antonio Pettigrew]] but only to lose to [[Michael Johnson (athlete)|Michael Johnson]]. Johnson would not contest the 400&nbsp;m at the World Championships meaning the 400&nbsp;m would be a contest between Black, Pettigrew and [[Danny Everett]] as the main contenders.<ref name=oly>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68892 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref>

Black finished second in the individual 400&nbsp;m in Tokyo to Antonio Pettigrew. Black put in his effort on the third 100&nbsp;m and entered the home straight two metres up on Pettigrew. He then tired and was caught on the line. Pettigrew's time was 44.57 and Black finished in 44.62. Pettigrew later admitted the use of performance-enhancing drugs from 1997 onwards in June 2008. No clear evidence has emerged, and Pettigrew never admitted anything further, before his 2010 [[suicide]], of him using performance-enhancing drugs during the 1991 season.

In the final event of the Tokyo Championships, the men's 4 × 400 relay was billed as a two-way contest between the Great Britain team and the United States team. In an unusual change of tactics, the GB team members decided to put Black on the opening leg, followed by Redmond, then [[John Regis (athlete)|John Regis]] and, on anchor, the 400&nbsp;m hurdler [[Kriss Akabusi]]. Black later explained the tactics were to put him as first runner to give the team a lead or at least keep the team in close contention. Black's leg was 44.6 from a standing start. Redmond's leg was 44.1, though he conceded the lead to [[Quincy Watts]]. Regis followed Everett round the third lap, clocking 44.3. While Everett handed to Pettigrew with a two-metre lead, Regis handed to Akabusi. Akabusi sat in behind the World Champion Pettigrew for the first 200&nbsp;m of the final lap, closed around the crown of the final bend and then the much improved Akabusi kicked past Pettigrew in the final 80&nbsp;m to pull off a spectacular victory, winning in a time of 2:57.53 – a British and European record time.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005474/19910902/029/0029 |title=Out of this world |work=Liverpool Daily Post |date=2 September 1991 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref>

Black set a new British Record of 44.37 seconds on 3 July 1996 in [[Lausanne]], Switzerland. This was subsequently broken a year later by [[Iwan Thomas]] who shaved 0.01s from Black's time. Fellow GB athlete [[Mark Richardson (athlete)|Mark Richardson]] also equalled Black's mark in 1998. As of July 2022, Black's time still stands as the third fastest of all time recorded by a British runner.

His greatest individual achievement in track and field was in the [[1996 Olympics]] in Atlanta when in the final of the 400&nbsp;m he finished in second place behind [[Michael Johnson (athlete)|Michael Johnson]], winning the silver medal in the process.<ref name=oly/> However, partly due to injuries, he never rediscovered this form, and subsequently retired from the sport only two years later in 1998 after he was not selected for the 1998 European Championships.

Black was coached by Mike Smith and Mike Whittingham, and was sponsored by [[Reebok]].

==1997 World Championships==
The World Championships' 4 × 400&nbsp;m originally saw the USA beat Great Britain by 0.18 seconds in a thrilling finale. Subsequently, US athlete, [[Antonio Pettigrew]] admitted to using performance-enhancing substances during this period. On 7 January 2010, it was announced that Great Britain's 1997 World Championship 4 × 400&nbsp;m relay team are to be awarded the gold medal due to the disqualification of the USA team.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/8445003.stm |title=BBC Sport – Athletics – Great Britain's relay heroes will finally be honoured |work=BBC News |date=2010-01-07 |access-date=2012-04-11}}</ref>

Black, running second leg, tied up and lost ground to his old rival Pettigrew but [[Jamie Baulch]] and [[Mark Richardson (athlete)|Mark Richardson]] held second place round the last two laps. Great Britain's time of 2:56.65 was just outside the time they achieved in Atlanta the previous year.

==Awards==
Black was appointed [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) in the [[1992 New Year Honours]] for services to athletics.<ref>United Kingdom list: {{London Gazette |issue=52767 |date=30 December 1991 |pages=13 |supp=y}}</ref> In 1995 [[Southampton University]] gave Black an [[honorary degree]].

==Television career==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=May 2024}}
In 1998, Black appeared on the children's news programme ''[[Newsround]]'' with fellow athlete [[Iwan Thomas]] reporting on childhood obesity.

Black has worked regularly for the [[BBC]] on programmes such as ''[[Tomorrow's World]]'' and ''[[Grandstand (BBC)|Grandstand]]''. In 2004, he was one of the celebrities that took part in the pro-am dancing contest ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]'' on [[BBC One]]. In September 2006, he took part in [[BBC One]]'s ''[[Celebrity MasterChef]]'' programme, reaching the final along with [[Matt Dawson]] and [[Hardeep Singh Kohli]].

He was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (UK TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1999, when he was surprised by [[Michael Aspel]] at [[Heathrow Airport]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}



==Writing==
Black has written an [[autobiography]], published by [[Andre Deutsch]], entitled ''How Long's the Course?''  {{ISBN|0-233-99644-3}}

==Personal life==
Black is married to Julia Burgess, with whom he had twin boys George and Max in 2006. Black also has a daughter, [[Isabelle Black]] from his previous marriage to French international sprinter [[Elsa Devassoigne]]. Isabelle is also an international sprinter representing France. Despite being born in Gosport, and attending the prestigious [[Portsmouth Grammar School]], Black is a supporter of [[Southampton F.C.]] In August 2014, Black was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to ''[[The Guardian]]'' opposing [[Scottish independence]] in the run-up to September's [[2014 Scottish independence referendum|referendum on that issue]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/07/celebrities-open-letter-scotland-independence-full-text |title=Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories |work=The Guardian |date=2014-08-07 |access-date=2014-08-26}}</ref>

In February 2025, Black revealed he had undergone open heart surgery during the previous month for a condition he was first diagnosed with aged 11 but which had worsened.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/articles/c77rp14yn8vo|title=Olympic silver medallist Black has heart surgery|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=14 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/roger-black-recovering-from-open-heart-surgery-1039997310/|title=Roger Black recovering from open heart surgery|publisher=Athletics Weekly|accessdate=14 February 2025}}</ref>

==Achievements==
* 1985
** European Junior Championships – [[Cottbus]], [[Germany]]
*** 400 metres gold medal – 45.36 seconds
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay gold medal – 3:07.18
* 1986
** [[1986 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]] – [[Edinburgh]], [[Scotland]]
*** 400&nbsp;m. gold medal – 45.57 sec.
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay gold medal – 3:07.19
** [[1986 European Championships in Athletics#Track|European Championships]] – [[Stuttgart]], Germany
*** 400&nbsp;m. gold medal – 44.59 sec.
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay gold medal – 2:59.84
* 1987
** [[1987 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] – [[Rome]], [[Italy]]
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay silver medal
* 1990
** [[1990 European Championships in Athletics#Track|European Championships]] – [[Split (city)|Split]], [[Yugoslavia]]
*** 400&nbsp;m. gold medal – 45.08 sec.
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay gold medal – 2:58.22
* 1991
** [[1991 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] – [[Tokyo]], Japan
*** 400&nbsp;m. silver medal – 44.62 sec.
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay gold medal – 2:57.53
* 1992
** [[1992 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]] – [[Barcelona]], [[Spain]]
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay bronze medal – 2:59.73
* 1994
** [[1994 European Championships in Athletics#Track|European Championships]] – [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]]
*** 400&nbsp;m. silver medal – 45.2 sec.
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay gold medal – 2:59.13
* 1996
** [[1996 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]] – [[Atlanta]], [[United States|USA]]
*** 400&nbsp;m. silver medal – 44.41 sec.
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay silver medal – 2:56.60
* 1997
** [[1997 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] – [[Athens]], [[Greece]]
*** 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m. relay gold medal – 2:56.65

As of September 2024, Black holds the track record for the men's&nbsp;400&nbsp;metres for [[Frankfurt]]. On 29/06/1991 aged 25 he ran 44.91&nbsp;seconds making him the only man to break 45&nbsp;seconds on this track.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* [https://www.rogerblack.co.uk/ Roger Black Homepage]
* [https://www.gordonpoole.com/talent/roger-black-mbe/ Roger Black MBE Motivational Speaking Profile and Video]
* {{World Athletics}}

{{Footer World Champions 4 x 400&nbsp;m Men|1991|1997}}
{{Footer European Champions 400&nbsp;m Men}}
{{Footer European Champions 4x400 m Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 400m Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 4x400 m Men}}
{{Footer IAAF World Cup Champions 4x400 m Men}}
{{Footer UK NC 200 Metres Men}}
{{Footer UK NC 400 Metres Men}}
{{British Indoor Athletics Championships men's 400 metres champions}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Black, Roger}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:English men sprinters]]
[[Category:British men sprinters]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1986 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:European Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:BBC sports presenters and reporters]]
[[Category:English television presenters]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:People educated at The Portsmouth Grammar School]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Gosport]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1986 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]