Andre Morris
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 26, 1972 |
| Height | 179 cm (5 ft 10 in) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | Sprint |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 200 m – 20.48 (1999) 400 m – 45.15 (1995) |
|
Medal record
|
|
Andre Morris (born October 26, 1972) is an American former sprint runner. He was part of American 4 × 400 m relay teams that won gold medals at the 1995 Summer Universiade and 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships, setting a world indoor record in 1999.
Morris was one of five children born to Frankie Morris. He has one sister and three brothers. His wife's name is Kim, and he has six children.
Morris attended Russellville High School in Russellville, Kentucky. At 5 ft 10 1⁄2 in (1.79 m), he was told he was too small to play football, but he began earning playing time as a sophomore following an injury to another player. He was named a Blue Chip All-American in football three times. Playing tailback, he was the scoring leader on Russellville's 1990 team that won the Class A state championship. He also competed on the track and field team, winning state titles in the 400 m and the 4 × 400 m relay.
Morris graduated high school in 1991. Despite being recruited by traditional football powerhouses Michigan and Penn State, he followed a high school teammate to Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, Kansas. In his second week at the school, he suffered an ankle injury. Soon after, his friend left Hutchinson, and Morris never played in a game for the school. He continued running track and was named a Junior College All-American, earning him a scholarship to the University of Iowa.
Attracted by the fact that the school's head track coach and one assistant coach were both African-Americans like himself, Morris enrolled at Iowa in the spring 1994 semester. Although he considered trying out for the football team, he decided to stick with track and twice won the 200 m at the Big Ten outdoor championships. He also won the 400 m once and was twice a member of the championship 4 × 400 m relay team. One year, he won the 400 m, but was disqualified. At the 1995 World University Games, Morris and his teammates broke the Games record in the 4 × 400 m relay with a time of 3:00.40.
...
Wikipedia