Michael Johnson

"Hero: a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities." A hero is and individuals choice to pick who they look up-to and honor for their individual courage and the connection to that person. We all have a hero, you may refuse to have a hero and you may be your own hero but my Hero is Michael Johnson Also Known as "The Man with the Golden Shoes" a man with courage and love for a sport who I look up-to.

To begin with, Michael Johnson was born in Dallas, Texas on the 13th of September, 1967. He attended Skyline High School. He had a dream or I believe he was destined to one day be the person he is known today. Prior to all his publicity Michael Johnson won a number of medals at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships. He was known for his many achievements but his achievements didn't come easy. He had to find his way through a maze as a mouse does to find the cheese. Beyond all the criticism for his style of running, Johnson won the World Championship 200 meters in Tokyo. Johnson Defined speed. He set many records but none of those changed his personality, He is still known as a very humble person.

One Month before the 1992 Summer Olympics Michael Johnson was hit by food poisoning which put his whole career in jeopardy. Even through his sickness Johnson successfully qualified in the Quarterfinal Heat 1, with a second place finish, with Marcus Adam coming in 1st and Neil DE Silva 3rd. He even took part in the finals but he was unable to reach the finish line because of the condition he was in. He still took part in the 4X400 men's Relay team and won a gold medal for his country and set a world record. One year later he took place in World Championships at Stuttgart, yet after his worse and joyful moment from last year he won the gold medal on his individual event the 400m and yet again on the 4x400 men's relays team and his time of 42.94 still remains as the fastest 400m ever run. Yet after Johnson won many more medals and also took part in the 2000 summer Olympics but he couldn't participate because of his injury during the 200m run and his opponent Maurice Green who also set a world record was injured and couldn't take part.

Michael Johnson is now retired but his name will never retire. It will always be in a true fan's heart as a legend. Later called world’s fastest man, Johnson took pride for what he did for the sport and as a hero, I look up to him. He once said "My opponents think I'm cocky because I never pay attention to them but the reason I don't pay attention to them is because what they do has nothing to do with me winning." As an athlete I take a lot of inspiration from what he says and I hope one day to be like him. A true hero is not always a winner, a hero is someone that could lose but still win.