Jeremy Wariner
USA
Athletics
Overall Ranks
#8 among American Olympians
#6 among Track & Field Athletes
#6 among Male American Olympians
#4 among American Track & Field Athletes
#4 among Male Track & Field Athletes
#3 among American Male Track & Field Athletes
Olympic Results
2004
400m - Gold
4x400m Relay - Gold
2008
400m - Silver
4x400m - Gold
Total
Events - 4
Gold - 3
Silver - 1
Jeremy Matthew Wariner was born on January 31, 1984 in Irving, Texas, and was an excellent multi-sport athlete in high school, and was the state champion in both the 200m and 400m sprints. He enrolled at Baylor University after graduation, and as a sophomore won the NCAA championship in the 400m, then qualified for the Olympics in the same event that summer.
He was considered the favorite in Athens in the 400m, even though it was his first-ever international competition. The others in contention were fellow Americans Otis Harris (#48) and Derrick Brew (#80). Harris led the race through the first half, but Wariner had caught up by the end of the final curve, and he finished stronger down the stretch, beating Harris by 0.16 seconds to win the gold medal.
The three medalists joined forces a few days later in the 4x400m relay, joined by Darold Williamson in the final. Harris led off and gave the Americans a lead of almost a second, Brew extended it to 2.5 seconds, Wariner made it 3.5 during his leg, and they finished 4.69 seconds ahead of Australia to win the gold in the most dominant 4x400m relay in Olympic history.
In 2005 and 2007, Wariner won gold at the world championships in the same two events, giving him a perfect 4-year run of the 400m. He switched coaches early in 2008, and it seemed to have a negative impact, as he ended up losing two races to LaShawn Merritt early that year, including at the Olympic Trials, but he still got to compete again in Beijing.
In the 400m in 2008, Wariner and Merritt had the two fastest times in the semifinal, separated by only 0.03 seconds, so the final looked like it would be a great battle, and it was for a while. The pair was far ahead and close together through the final curve, but on the homestretch, Merritt turned on the burners and pulled away, winning by almost a full second as Wariner slowed down once he knew he had the silver.
In the 4x400m relay, the Americans again had all 3 medalists from the individual event competing, along with Angelo Taylor (#76), the hurdle champ at that distance. Merritt led off and gave them a lead of more than a second, then Taylor maintained that lead on his leg. Bronze medalist David Neville extended the lead to 1.28 seconds before handing off to Wariner, who pulled away and gave the Americans a win by more than 2.5 seconds and set a new Olympic record.
He returned to his original coach after the loss, but it didn't change anything. He came in second to Merritt again at the 2009 World Championships, then failed to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in the 400m, but was still added to the team to run in the relay. Unfortunately, he tore a hamstring shortly before the Olympics and was forced to withdraw.
He continued competing for a few more years, but never got close to making the Olympics again, and ended up retiring by 2016. His two relay golds included the biggest margin in Olympic history, and an Olympic record in the other. He also beat two more of the athletes on this list to win his 400m gold, and wasn't far from winning another before fading down the stretch, but his dominance over a short period makes him one of the greatest Olympians of all time.
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