| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1975-01-28)January 28, 1975 (age 50) Gaffney, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | 160 lb (73 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track and field |
Event | 100-meter dash |
| College team | Blinn Buccaneers Norfolk State Spartans |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personalbest(s) | 100 m : 9.92 (Indianapolis 1997) 200 m : 20.52 (Osaka 1999) |
Medal record | |
Timothy Montgomery (born January 28, 1975) is an American former tracksprinter who specialized in the100-meter dash. In 2005, he was stripped of his records—including a now-voidmen's 100-meter world record of 9.78 seconds set in 2002—after being found guilty of usingperformance-enhancing drugs as a central figure in theBALCO scandal. Since retiring from athletics, he has been tried and convicted for his part in a New York–basedcheck fraud scheme and for dealingheroin in theHampton Roads area of Virginia.
Montgomery's first major medal was an Olympic silver in the4 × 100-meter relay at the1996 Atlanta Olympics. He was a 100-meter bronze medalist at the1997 World Championships, then shared in the relay gold medal with the United States team at the1999 World Championships. He also took Olympic gold at the2000 Summer Olympics with the American relay team. He initially won a silver medal in the 100 meters at the2001 World Championships, but this was nullified due to doping. His official personal best for the 100 meters stands at 9.92 seconds, making him asub-10 second sprinter.
Born inGaffney, South Carolina, Montgomery was initially a basketball and football player prior to trying out for track. He attendedGaffney High School where he ran track, winning the 200 meter state title his senior year.[1]
Montgomery studied atBlinn College inBrenham, Texas, and transferred toNorfolk State University in 1994. Located in the Hampton Roads area of the Virginia port city ofNorfolk, Norfolk State was known for its strong track program. While in school, he competed in several junior track events, and did well in the sprint and relay events.
Montgomery did not qualify for the 100 meters at the 1996 Summer Olympics, but he did compete inAtlanta in the heats of the 4 × 100-meter relay team that eventually finished second behind Canada. He qualified for his first major international tournament in 1997, and won the bronze medal at those World Championships, finishing third behindMaurice Greene. Two years later, Montgomery came in sixth in the individual final, but did win a gold medal with the United States relay team.
Montgomery did not qualify for the individual 100 meters at the 2000 Summer Olympics inSydney, though he again ran as an alternate in the heats of the relay event. In the final, the United States won the gold medal.
Montgomery broke Greene's 100-meter world record by 0.01 seconds in September 2002. With a maximum-allowable tailwind of 2.0 meters per second (4.5 mph), Montgomery posted a time of 9.78 seconds. This record was later nullified because of doping.
In 2014, Montgomery relocated toGainesville, Florida, to start a business focused on general athletic and sports training for youth and adults. The motto for the business is "Never Underestimate My Ability" as encoded into the business website nameNUMA Speed. The motto is a reference to both the initial success, extensive life challenges and ultimate redemption reflected in his athletic and business timeline.
Montgomery did not qualify for the2004 Summer Olympics, finishing seventh in the final of the United States Olympic trials. Before the trials, however, he was charged with using illegal performance-enhancing drugs by theUnited States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). While he has not returned a positive drug test, according to press reports he testified to the agency that he, along with a number of other prominent athletes, obtained steroids andhuman growth hormone fromBALCO, a laboratory near San Francisco. The USADA sought a four-year suspension on Montgomery, who appealed to theCourt of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). On December 13, 2005, CAS found Montgomery guilty and imposed a two-year ban. On top of the ban, all of Montgomery's results and awards since March 31, 2001, including his former world record, were also stripped.[2] After the ban was made public, Montgomery announced his retirement. The investigation also implicated his former partnerMarion Jones, winner of the women's 100 meters at the 2000 Sydney Games.
On November 24, 2008, Montgomery admitted to takingtestosterone and human growth hormone before the Sydney Games 4 × 100-meter relay, in which he helped claim the gold medal.[3] After the admission anInternational Olympic Committee spokesperson said the committee would look into the matter as part of its open file on the BALCO investigation, but as of 2019[update] the United States team continues to be officially listed as the winner of the event[4] and no action has been taken against teammatesJon Drummond,Bernard Williams,Brian Lewis, Maurice Greene, andKenny Brokenburr.
In April 2006, Montgomery was indicted and arrested on fraud charges for his alleged involvement in amoney laundering scheme. He was accused of depositing three bogus checks totaling $775,000.[5] Montgomery allegedly received $20,000 for his participation. His former coach,Steve Riddick, was also a defendant in the case.[6]
Riddick served a prison term of five years and three months. Marion Jones served a six-month prison term for lying to investigators about the check-fraud scam.[7][8]
Montgomery pleaded guilty to the charges on April 9, 2007. He was sentenced to 46 months in prison on May 16, 2008.[9]
On May 1, 2008, an indictment was unsealed that accused Montgomery of dealing more than 100 grams of heroin in the Hampton Roads area over the previous year, according tothe Virginian-Pilot, the daily newspaper in Virginia Beach. Montgomery told the newspaper he knew nothing of the accusations and that his arrest was a "total surprise."[10]
In October 2008, Montgomery was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison.[11]
Montgomery has four children.[12][13] His son Tim Jr (June 2003) is withMarion Jones; He married Jamalee Montgomery, the mother of his other children, in October 2009. His daughter Tymiah (2001)[14] ran track forUniversity of Florida Gators and he has two younger sons.[15]
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Men's Track & Field ESPY Award 2003 | Succeeded by |
