Wallace Spearmon, Jr. Bio
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Spearmon won 200m medals at his first two trips to the World Outdoor Championships (2005, 2007) and will try to accomplish that same feat this summer in Berlin after finishing third at the 2009 USA Outdoor Championships in Eugene. During the 2008 Olympic Games 200m final in Beijing, Spearmon came roaring back from a slow start to finish third in 19.95 seconds, but was later disqualified for a lane violation, running on the inside line. Spearmon proved his versatility in 2007 by ending the season ranked in the top ten in the world by Track & Field News for the first time in the 100 meters (#10) and posting a personal best in that event of 9.96 seconds in Shanghai. Spearmon was superb in the 200 meters again in 2007, with his runner-up finish at the USA Outdoor Championships and by winning the bronze medal at the World Outdoor Championships in Osaka. Spearmon had 200m wins at the Nike Prefontaine Classic, adidas Track Classic and Reebok Grand Prix in New York, where he posted his fastest time of the season of 19.82 seconds. In 2006 he won the USA Outdoor 200m title and bettered 19.90 seconds on five occasions, moving to #3 on the all-time list with his personal best of 19.65 in Daegu. Spearmon improved his then personal best to 19.89 seconds in 2005 with his win at London, which was the fastest time in the world that season.
He capped off his tremendous 2005 campaign with his silver medal winning performance at the 2005 World Outdoor Championships, joining gold medalist Justin Gatlin, third-placer John Capel and fourth-placer Tyson Gay in a four-way USA sweep of the event. Spearmon sprinted away from an outstanding field on June 25, 2005 to successfully defend his NCAA 200m men's title in a then world-leading time of 19.91 seconds. Following his performance Spearmon announced that he would forego the remainder of his collegiate eligibility to pursue a professional running career…At the 2005 NCAA Indoor Champs, he fulfilled his potential with two American Records in the 200. He first ran 20.21 in the semifinals then improved to 20.10 in the final. Both broke the existing AR of 20.26 set by Shawn Crawford and John Capel in 2000. As a freshman, Spearmon became the first Razorback in history to win the NCAA Outdoor 200m title. He was a three-sport standout at Fayetteville HS, where he played basketball and wide receiver in football for two years. He earned all-state honors in the 100, 200, 400-meter dashes, the long (best of 7.14m/23-5) and triple (best of 13.94m/45-9) jumps, high jump (best of 1.98m/6-6) and 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams. He also competed in the decathlon and 300-meter hurdles. Spearmon’s father, Wallace Sr., was a two-time All-American for coach McDonnell at Arkansas and was a part of the first national championship team in 1984 as a sprinter. He was a 200m bronze medalist at the 1986 Goodwill Games and 1987 Pan American Games. He competed for Team USA at the 1987 World Outdoor Championships in Rome, Italy, and now coaches his son.
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