Maurice Greene, a renowned American former track and field sprinter, is widely recognized for his exceptional speed and numerous achievements in the sport. As an Olympic gold medallist, he dominated the 100m and 200m races during his peak years from 1997 to 2004. Greene’s impressive career includes setting the 100m world record in 1999 with a time of 9.79 seconds. Throughout his journey, he secured four Olympic medals, including two gold, one silver, and one bronze. Additionally, Greene became a five-time World Champion, excelling in various events such as the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. Notably, he holds the distinction of being the only athlete to simultaneously hold the world records in both the 100m and 60m events. Following his retirement in 2008, Greene continued to contribute to the sport as an IAAF ambassador and track coach at the University of California at Los Angeles. Beyond athletics, he ventured into television, appearing in popular shows like ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘Blind Date’.
Quick Facts
- Age: 49 Years
- Family: father – Jackie Greene, mother – Ernest Greene, siblings – Ernest Greene Jr., Kelly Greene, Michael Greene, children – Ryan Alexandria
- Athletes
- Black Athletes
- Height: 5’9″ (175 cm)
- U.S. State: Kansas
- African-American From Kansas
Childhood & Early Life
Ernest Greene was born on July 23, 1974, in Kansas City, Kansas, United States, to Jackie Greene and Ernest Greene. He has three siblings named Kelly Greene, Michael Greene, and Ernest Greene Jr. He attended F.L. Schlagle High School in Kansas City, where he played American football and participated in track and field events. His talent in track and field earned him a Track scholarship to the University of Kansas.
Career
In 1995, Greene participated in his first significant international tournament, the IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Gothenburg, Sweden. He reached the quarter finals in the 100m event. The following season, he did not make it to the American team for the Summer Olympics of 1996 in Atlanta. He then went to Los Angeles to train under former UCLA coach John Walton Smith and joined the elite track and field training group Hudson Smith International (HIS). He quickly became the most notable athlete in the group.
In 1997, Greene won the 100m title at the World Championships held in Athens, Greece, marking the first gold medal of his career. He continued his success in 1998 by winning gold medals in the 100m and 4x100m relay at the Goodwill Games in New York City. The year 1999 was a year of accomplishments for Greene. He won a gold medal in the 60m sprint at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Maebashi, Japan, and then triumphed in the 100m and 200m races at the World Championships in Seville, Spain. He also won gold in the men’s 4x100m relay at the World Championships.
In 1999, Greene set a new world record in the 100m event with a time of 9.79 seconds. He also won two gold medals at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, in the 100m and 4x100m relay. However, he was unable to compete in the 200m event due to an injury. In 2001, he won another gold medal in the 100m sprint at the World Championships in Edmonton, Canada. He also won a bronze medal in the 100m and a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Throughout his career, Greene ran 53 races of 100m in sub-10 seconds, a record that was later surpassed by Asafa Powell. He appeared on the NBC reality/game show “Identity” in 2006 and retired from track and field on February 4, 2008. After retiring, Greene appeared on several TV shows, including “Dancing with the Stars” and “Blind Date”. He currently hosts a monthly show called “Greene Light” on Eurosport.
Personal Life & Legacy
Not much is known about Greene’s family life, but he has a daughter named Ryan Alexandria. He is currently dating American actress, model, radio, and reality television personality Claudia Jordan. Greene has a tattoo on his body that reads “GOAT,” which stands for his claim to be the “Greatest of All Time.”