Sept. 24, 2003
Chapel Hill, N.C. -
2003 has been an extraordinary year for former UNC track athlete Allen Johnson, as he won his fourth World Championship in the 110 meter high hurdles in Paris, France. He won the meet with a time of 13.12. Johnson's best time for the year is 12.97, which also led the world.
Johnson's all-time best mark is 12.92, which is tied for the all-time American record. His fourth World Title this year ranks Johnson as the only hurdler ever to win four Gold Medals at the World Championships.
"He is a great representative of track and field across the world," said North Carolina head track coach Dennis Craddock, who coached Johnson at Carolina. "He is a great representative for the University of North Carolina because he is such a great person as well as an athlete."
He has also won two Indoor World titles in his career. Johnson is a two-time Olympian, 1996 & 2000, with hopes of competing in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. He won the Gold Medal in the 1996 Olympics in the 110 HH.
"He is quiet, but yet aggressive and very competitive. He never boasts on how
good or great he is, as he lets his actions speak for himself. I'm very proud of Allen for being that total person," said Craddock.
At UNC, Johnson was a two-time All America in the Indoor 55-meter hurdles in 1992 and 1993. He was also a two-time All America in outdoor 110-meter hurdles at and an Indoor National Champion in 1992 in the 55-meter hurdles. Johnson holds the UNC school record in the long jump with a 26-8 1/2 mark and also holds the school record in the 55-meter, 60-meter and 110-meter hurdles .
