22 Facts About Kirani James

Kirani James was born on 1 September 1992 and is a Grenadian professional sprinter who specializes in the 200 and 400 metres.

Kirani James received an athletic scholarship at the University of Alabama and won back-to-back NCAA Outdoor Championship titles in his first two years.

Kirani James is the third fastest of all-time indoors and ran a personal best of 43.74 at a 2014 Diamond League event in Lausanne.

Kirani James is one of only eleven athletes to win world championships at the youth, junior, and senior level of an athletic event.

Kirani James attended the Grenada Boys' Secondary School at age 12.

Kirani James was always considered as a promising athlete from since he first arrived at the scenes in the 400 and 200m in the Intercol games.

Kirani James was declared the 2009 Grenada Sportsman of the Year.

Kirani James accepted a scholarship offer from Alabama and in his first-ever appearance on an indoor track he ran a 45.79 in the 400 meters, placing first and breaking the 10-year-old school record of 46.46 held by Cori Loving.

Kirani James was runner-up at the NCAA Indoor Championships, finishing behind Torrin Lawrence.

Kirani James won the NCAA Outdoor Championship title in his first year of collegiate competition.

Kirani James failed to reach the podium at the NCAA Indoor meet as he clashed with another athlete and fell mid-race.

Kirani James managed to repeat as the collegiate champion outdoors as he edged ahead of Gil Roberts by one hundredth of a second.

Kirani James won the event in a personal best of 44.60 seconds, becoming the youngest 400 metres world champion at the age of 18.

Nine days later, Kirani James won the 400 metres at the 2011 IAAF Diamond League meet in Zurich with a new personal best of 44.36 seconds.

At the London 2012 Olympics, Kirani James won the second 400 metres semi-final, achieving a season best of 44.59 seconds.

On 6 August 2012, Kirani James won the 400 metres Olympic gold in a time of 43.94, a national record, earning Grenada its first-ever Olympic medal and becoming the first non-US runner to break the 44-second mark.

World record holder Michael Johnson said, following the race, that Kirani James stood a chance of beating his record if he was able to deal with the remaining flaws in his technique.

Kirani James described his win as "a huge step for our country in terms of stepping up to the plate in track and field, just going out there and putting us on the map".

Also upon his arrival the Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell announced Mr Kirani James would be bequeathed government bonds totaling up to EC500,000, a commemorative stamp be crafted in his honor, a new stadium be named for him, and that he would be appointed a tourism ambassador.

At the 2015 World Championships, Kirani James won a bronze medal in the first World Championship 400 metres race where three men broke 44 seconds.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Kirani James earned a bronze medal in the Men's 400m finals, finishing 3rd behind Colombia's Anthony Zambrano and Steven Gardiner of The Bahamas.

Kirani James was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to Sport.