Career
Born in Gaffney, South Carolina, Montgomery was initially a basketball and football player, before trying out for track.
Montgomery studied at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, and transferred to Norfolk State University in 1994. Located in the Hampton Roads area of the Virginia port city of Norfolk, Norfolk State was known for its strong track program. While in school, he competed in several junior track events, and did well in the sprint and relay events.
Montgomery did not qualify for the 1996 Summer Olympics 100 meters, although he did compete in Atlanta in the heats of the 4 x 100 metres relay team that eventually finished second behind Canada. He qualified for his first major international tournament in 1997, and won the bronze medal at those World Championships, finishing third behind Maurice Greene. Two years later, he came in sixth in the individual final, but did win a gold medal with the US relay team.
Montgomery did not qualify for the individual 100 m at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, though he again ran as an alternate in the heats of the relay event; in the final, the USA won the gold medal.
Montgomery broke Greene's 100 m world record by 0.01 seconds in September 2002. With a tailwind of 2.0 m/s (the maximum allowed), Montgomery ran 9.78. This record was later discredited because of doping.
Read more about this topic: Tim Montgomery
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