The track and field world has recently witnessed constant assaults on the world records of various great legends. Sha?Carri Richardson, Shericka Jackson, Noah Lyles, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Erriyon Knighton, are some of the athletes out on a dismantling mission. While these athletes are inches away from the records of Usain Bolt and FloJo, one record comfortably sits atop an unscalable mountain.
American track and field legend Michael Johnson built his empire with thirty parts speed and seventy parts consistency. A social media post recently celebrated his unmatched consistency and reminded the world of a longstanding world record. In fact, even the closest candidates who can break the record stand miles apart from Johnson.
The inerasable track and field legacy of Michael Johnson
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Michael Johnson has held several records throughout his sprinting career across multiple categories. The 8x World Champion and 4x Olympics gold medalist especially held an edge in the 400m category. The world watched in amazement as Johnson maintained both his top speed and acceleration throughout the 400m course of the race. His sheer consistency made him a benchmark that even the best sprinters of any era only dream of.?
THE Sub 44 400m Kings🤴🏾
Michael Johnson – 22
Jeremy Wariner – 9
Lashawn Merritt – 9
Kirani James – 8 (age 31)
Wayde Van Niekerk- 6 (age 31)
Steven Gardiner – 6 (age 28)
Michael Norman – 5 (age 25)
Isaac Makwala – 4 (age 38)
Quincy Watts – 4
Butch Reynolds – 4📈@AustinJH_Stats pic.twitter.com/DFqmJnWr8A
— Track Spice 🌶️ (@trackspice) October 5, 2023
A recently uploaded tweet by Track Spice showcased the stellar and unreachable record of Johnson. According to the tweet, the 8x World Champion has shattered the 44-second barrier in 400m the most number of times. Interestingly, while Johnson stands on top with 22 sub44 runs, the second-position holders lag behind with just nine. Thus, already houses more than double the amount of sub44 runs from them.?
Moreover, one of those runners, Jeremy Wariner, has already retired. While the list also has the names of young athletes like Kirani James, the gap is just too wide to surpass. The constant ability to deliver possessed by Johnson is simply unparalleled. In fact, Johnson also holds the record for continuously delivering sub44 runs for nine years in a row.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Nine years of monstrosity unextinguished after 15 years of retirement
Michael Johnson retired from the world of track and field in 2008. However, the flames of his inextinguishable dedication still burn as bright as the Olympic torch despite 15 years passing by. The current record of 22 finishes under the 44-second mark wasn?t earned by Michael Johnson in a short span of time. Rather, the 4x Olympic gold medalist burned bright with peak efficiency throughout his career, especially between 1992 and 2000.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
While most sprinters fall out of their prime in such a broad time frame, Johnson only kept getting better. In fact, his last Olympic gold came from his 2000 run at the Olympics in Sydney. The irreplaceable legacy of Michael Johnson is the perfect example of the track and field world of both consistency and immortality. Today, breaking the 10 and 20-second barrier has become common due to the rising talent of powerhouse USA and Jamaica. However, the 44-second mark still stands as the holiest of holy grails in track and field. Will anybody be able to surpass the indomitable world record of Michael Johnson?
WATCH STORY – University of New Orleans Blesses Track and Field World With a Massive $19 Million Update