(2).jpg) | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1997-04-15)April 15, 1997 (age 27) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Country | United States |
| Sport | Track |
| Event | 800 meters |
| College team | Texas A&M Aggies |
| Coached by | Pete Julian |
| Achievements and titles | |
| World finals | 2017 London 800 m, 13th (sf) 2019 Doha 800 m,  Gold2022 Eugene 800 m, 29th (h) |
| Personalbests | |
Donavan Brazier (born April 15, 1997) is an Americanmiddle-distance runner. He holds theAmerican junior record in the men's800 meters and won thegold medal at the2019 World Championships. With a time of 1:42.34, he was the American national and NACAC area record holder in the event from 2019 until 2024, whenMarco Arop andBryce Hoppel ran 1:41.20 and 1:41.67 to break the NACAC record and American record respectively.
In 2014, hisjunior year atKenowa Hills High School, Brazier won the 800 meters at theNew Balance national scholastic championships in 1:48.61; his time was a new Michigan state record.[2][3] His times continued the drop in his senior year; he ran a 45.92 split on a 4 × 400 meters relay and improved his 800-meter best to 1:47.55, placing him fourth on the all-time national high school list.[2][4] Brazier ran 1:47.55 in June 2015 at 800 meters atSeattleBrooks PR. Brazier competed in the 800 meters at2015 USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships but was disqualified.[5] In summer 2015, Brazier attempted to earn an opportunity to represent United States on his first national team as a junior (U20) at2015 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships to compete in the 800 m.[6]
After graduating from high school after the 2015 season Brazier went toTexas A&M University, where he was coached by former top runnerAlleyne Francique and head coachPat Henry.[3] He ran 1:45.92 in his collegiate debut race on January 16, 2016, breakingJohn Marshall's Americanjunior indoor record by almost two seconds; the time was also aNACAC junior indoor record, and missed the Americancollegiate record by only 0.05 seconds.[4][note 1] He won the 2016SEC indoor championship in 1:46.08, but failed to finish his heat at theNCAA indoor championships due to a back injury.[8][9]
Brazier returned to action outdoors, but needed several meets to return to top shape.[9] He placed third at theSEC outdoor championships in 1:46.19, half a second behind Mississippi State'sBrandon McBride.[8] At theNCAA outdoor championships inEugene Brazier won his semi-final in a personal best 1:45.07.[9] The final was a rematch between Brazier and McBride; McBride led for most of the way, but Brazier passed him with 150 meters to go and won in 1:43.55.[10] The time was a newcollegiate record,[11]American Junior andNACAC junior record and world junior (U20) leader;[12] the previous American junior outdoor record wasJim Ryun's 1:44.3/1:44.9y, set exactly fifty years earlier on June 10, 1966.[13]
Brazier turned professional after his NCAA victory, signing an endorsement deal withNike and forgoing his three remaining years of collegiate eligibility.[14][15] Brazier finished 19th in 800 meters at2016 USATF Olympic Trials in 1:48.13.[16] Donavan Brazier reconnected with his coach fromTexas A&M University (Grenada’s top 400 m runnerAlleyne Francique).[17] At the2017 National Championships, he followedEric Sowinski's early kick into a breakaway position and held his pace as Sowinski faded to win his first national championship, thus qualifying for the World Championships.
On August 29, 2019, Brazier set a new 800 meter personal best of 1:42.70 en route to winning the Diamond League meet in Zurich, Switzerland. In this race, Brazier demonstrated phenomenal finishing speed by overtaking Botswanan runnerNijel Amos in the last 30 meters, who had attempted the race at world record pace.[18]
On October 1, 2019, Brazier won the 800 meter at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar. His time of 1:42.34 was a championships record and a new American record, surpassingJohnny Gray's 1:42.60 from 1985.[19] At the end of the season, Brazier was selected for theJesse Owens Award.[20]
On February 8, 2020, Brazier set theAmerican indoor 800 meter record in a time of 1:44.22 (since broken byJosh Hoey in 2025). He opened his 2020 season, in a1500 meters 2020 world lead of 3:35.85. In August he ran another 2020 world lead in the800 meters of 1:43.15.
On February 13, 2021, Brazier ran 1:44.21 in the 800m at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in New York City to lower his own American indoor record in the event by .01.
| Event | Time | Date | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor | 400 m | 47.02 | 9 April 2016 | Tempe, Arizona | |
| 800 m | 1:42.34 | 1 October 2019 | Doha, Qatar | ||
| 1500 m | 3:35.85 | 3 July 2020 | Portland, Oregon | ||
| Indoor | 400 m | 46.14 | 27 February 2022 | Spokane, Washington | |
| 600 m | 1:13.77 | 24 February 2019 | New York City, New York | WB | |
| 800 m | 1:44.21 | 13 February 2021 | New York City, New York | ||
| 1000 m | 2:21.79 | 11 February 2017 | New York City, New York | ||
| Mile | 3:59.30 | 9 December 2017 | College Station, Texas |
Brazier has been in a relationship withAlly Watt.[21]
|
