.jpg) Gray finishing 5th in the 800m at the 1988 Olympics | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | John Lee Gray Jr. |
| Born | (1960-06-19)June 19, 1960 (age 65) Los Angeles,California, U.S. |
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track |
Event | 800 meters |
| College team | Santa Monica College Arizona State University |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personalbests | 600 metres: 1:12.81WB 800 metres: 1:42.60[1] 1000 metres: 2:17.27 |
Medal record | |
John Lee Gray Jr. (born June 19, 1960) is a retired American world-class 800 meter runner from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s and the holder of the 600m world best. A four-time Olympian (1984-1996), in 1985 he set theUS record of 1:42.60 at a meet inKoblenz. That time puts Gray as the nineteenth fastest performer of all time. He came seventh in the1984 Summer Olympics, fifth in1988, and won the bronze medal at theBarcelona Olympics of 1992. In 1993 Gray was one of the favourites to win a gold medal at theWorld Championships in Stuttgart as he had won the A-race at the prestigious meeting in Zurich. However, he failed to qualify for the final in Stuttgart. He also set the world 600 meter record in 1986 at 1:12.81. In 1992 and 1993 Gray came close to breaking the world indoor record over 800 m several times. He held the US indoor record at 1:45.00 (Sindelfingen 1992) till February 2019.
Gray went toCrenshaw High School,Santa Monica College,Arizona State University and received his graduate degree fromCalifornia State University, Los Angeles.[2] He ran his "professional" career for theSanta Monica Track Club, coached by Merle McGee.[3] When he qualified for the 1996 Olympics by winning the1996 Olympic Trials on his 36th birthday, he became the oldest male American track athlete to qualify for the Olympics. Other older athletes who qualified were throwers, race walkers, marathoners and pole vaulterJeff Hartwig.Joetta Clark holds the same honor for women.[4]
Having led the Olympic 800 m race at the1992 Summer Olympics with a blazing first lap at better than world record pace, Gray was passed twice during the final lap to claim the bronze medal. A reporter later asked him what he would have done differently if he could run the race a second time, and it is rumored that he responded, "I would have taken it out harder." Runners refer to such an attitude as "taking it to the Gray zone" in his honor. This tactic also resulted in some devastating failures as in the 1987 and 1993 World Championships when he jogged to the finish of quarterfinal races, depleted and defeated. He walked to the finish of the 1980Olympic Trials.[5]
He was inducted into the United StatesNational Track and Field Hall of Fame December 2008.[6] Also member of Santa Monica College Hall of Fame, Millrose Games in NYC Hall of Fame, Mt. SAC Relays Hall of Fame,[7] and obtained the key to the city for Santa Monica, Inglewood, Walnut, Agoura Hills and New York.
Gray attempted to extend his career intomasters athletics. He had stated he intended to set new world records at all distances from200 metres to themile.[8] At age 40, he ran the 800 in 1:48.81 at the 2001USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, which is theWorld Masters Athletics record indoors. The time was superior to theoutdoor world record, most recently held byJim Sorensen, until that record was surpassed byAnthony Whiteman, May 20, 2012.[9] Based onIAAF rule 260.18a, that should have been the world record, but it was never formally recognized.
After competing in six Olympic Trials (1980-2000) he turned to coaching. His foremost protege' was SMTC teammateKhadevis Robinson, who Gray coached to 5National Championships. Robinson might best be remembered as the odd man out in the famous "Oregon sweep" at the 2008 Olympic Trials. That might be the second closest Olympic Trials race, to Gray's own 1984 trials, when Gray finished second, but was given the same (American record) time asEarl Jones, andJames Robinson was the odd man out with the same time as 3rd placeJohn Marshall.
Gray also coached atHarvard-Westlake School for six years. He then worked as an assistant coach at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles withJeanette Bolden.[10] In 2013, when Boldon moved to head theUniversity of Central Florida program, Gray followed suit.[11] Gray is now coaching top AmericanDuane Solomon.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing the United States | |||||
| 1984 | Olympic Games | Los Angeles, United States | 7th | 800 m | 1:47.89 |
| 1986 | Goodwill Games | Moscow, Soviet Union | 1st | 800 m | 1:46.52 |
| 1987 | Pan American Games | Indianapolis, United States | 1st | 800 m | 1:46.79 |
| World Championships | Rome, Italy | 30th (qf) | 800 m | 1:49.50 | |
| 1988 | Olympic Games | Seoul, South Korea | 5th | 800 m | 1:44.80 |
| 1990 | Goodwill Games | Seattle, United States | 7th | 800 m | 1:48.08 |
| 1991 | World Championships | Tokyo, Japan | 6th | 800 m | 1:45.67 |
| 1992 | Olympic Games | Barcelona, Spain | 3rd | 800 m | 1:43.97 |
| 1993 | World Championships | Stuttgart, Germany | 23rd (sf) | 800 m | 1:50.89 |
| 1994 | Goodwill Games | St. Petersburg, Russia | 10th | 800 m | 1:51.21 |
| 1996 | Olympic Games | Atlanta, United States | 7th | 800 m | 1:44.21 |
| 1998 | Goodwill Games | Uniondale, United States | 5th | 800 m | 1:47.20 |
| 1999 | Pan American Games | Winnipeg, Canada | 1st | 800 m | 1:45.38 |
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