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Tim Montgomery gained the title "Fastest Man on Earth" when he broke the world record in the 100m dash on September 14, 2002, running it in 9.78. Since his luggage hadn't arrived with him, he ran in shoes borrowed from a running mate.
Born in Gaffney, SC, on January 25, 1975, Montgomery first played basketball and American football, but an injury caused him to switch to track and field. In 1994, he set a world junior record with a time of 9.96, but it was later disqualified because the track was 3.7cm too short. Though Montgomery did not qualify for the 1996 Summer Olympics 100m, he did compete in Atlanta, GA, in the four-man relay team's 100m heat, finishing second. He qualified for his first major international tournament in 1997, winning the bronze medal. Even though he had begun serious training in 1999, Montgomery did not qualify for the individual event of the 2000 Summer Olympics; he ran as an alternate in the heats of the relay event, and, in the final, the USA won the gold medal.
In 2004, Montgomery finished first at Martinique, in 10.08, and placed 6th at Nike Prefontaine Classic, finishing at 10.17.
Montgomery was later stripped of his medals after being convicted of using performance-enhancing drugs. In 2006, he was also convicted of check fraud and was sentenced to almost four years in prison. In 2008, he was found guilty of selling heroin, and sentenced to an additional five years in jail.
Last updated: March 24, 2009.
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