Jonathan Johnson (born March 5, 1982) is an American

middle-distance runner Middle-distance running events are track races longer than sprints, ranging from 500 metres up to . The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle-distanc ...

who specialized in the

800 metres The 800 metres, or 800 meters (American and British English spelling differences#-re.2C -er, US spelling), is a common track running event. It is the shortest commonly run middle-distance running event. The 800 metres is run over two laps of a ...

. He is an " Abilene native". He made his collegiate breakthrough during his first year running for the

Texas Tech Red Raiders The Texas Tech Red Raiders and Lady Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University, located in Lubbock, Texas, United States. The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders, while the school's other women's teams us ...

, in 2002. Indoors, he finished second in the Big 12 Conference Championship and sixth in the 2002 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships; and outdoors he won the Big 12 Conference Championship in Columbia and finished fourth at the 2002 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2003 he barely ran indoors, but outdoors he won both the Big 12 Conference Championships and the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships, before winning the silver medal at the 2003 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships and the bronze medal at the 2003 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2004 he won back-to-back-to-back titles at the Big 12 Conference Championships, the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships and the 2004 United States Olympic trials. This qualified him for the

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad (), and officially branded as Athens 2004 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 13 to 29 August 2004 in Athens, Greece. The Games saw 10,625 athletes ...

, and his Olympic trial time of 1:44.77 minutes was a personal best. Travelling to Europe, he competed at the Weltklasse meet almost three weeks ahead of the Games, placing lowly. In the Olympic

, he finished second in his initial heat, but was knocked out in the semi-final. He was the first-ever Olympian for Texas Tech. His 2005 season was a step down as he finished fifth at the Big 12 Indoor Championship and sixth at the 2005 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. Although he won the Big 12 Conference Championship outdoors, in

Manhattan, Kansas Manhattan is a city in and the county seat of Riley County, Kansas, United States, although the city extends into Pottawatomie County, Kansas, Pottawatomie County. It is located in northeastern Kansas at the junction of the Kansas River and Big ...

while recording 1:44.86 minutes to come close to his personal best, he proceeded to place sixth at the 2005 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships and failed to reach the final at the 2005 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In Europe, he competed at the

London Grand Prix The London Athletics Meet, formerly known as the London Grand Prix and subsequently as the Anniversary Games and London Diamond League, is an annual athletics event held in London, England. Previously one of the five IAAF Super Grand Prix even ...

, DN-Galan,

Bislett Games The Bislett Games is an annual track and field meeting at the Bislett Stadium in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the Diamond League. History The first international athletics meeting at Bislett ...

and Meeting de Liege. His collegiate career ended in 2005 2006 saw him compete more in Europe, as well as

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long spit (landform), sand spit which connects the town of Por ...

, but he did not progress past the heats at the 2006 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He bounced back to finish fourth at the 2007 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, continuing to compete in Europe as well as

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

. The most notable outing was the Night of Athletics meet in

Heusden-Zolder Heusden-Zolder (; ) is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality located in the Belgium, Belgian Limburg (Belgium), province of Limburg near Hasselt. On 1 January 2006 Heusden-Zolder had a total population of 30,769. The total area is 53.23 ...

, where Johnson achieved his lifetime best of 1:44.69 minutes. By that time, he had relocated to

Orlando, Florida Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...

to train with Team Reebook. 2008 saw Johnson go to Jamaica, Brazil and Europe as well as finishing eighth at the 2008 United States Olympic trials. He failed to reach the final at either the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships or the 2010 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Jonathan 1982 births Living people People from Abilene, Texas American male middle-distance runners Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics Olympic track and field athletes for the United States African-American track and field athletes NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners Texas Tech Red Raiders men's track and field athletes 21st-century American sportsmen

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