Little-Known Black History Fact: Kevin Young

Date: Friday, December 18, 2009, 5:04 am
By: Erica Taylor, The Tom Joyner Morning Show

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Former track star Kevin Young is the subject of today's "Little-Known Black History Fact."

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated.

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You’ve heard of record breaking track runner Edwin Moses, but there’s another athlete who made history in track and field at the 1992 summer Olympics, running even faster than Moses. His name is Kevin Young, a.k.a. The Spider. In 1992, Young ran for the U.S. in the Barcelona, Spain summer games at the 400-meter hurdles event. His time was 46.78 seconds, breaking Moses’ record by two-tenths of a second, at 19 miles an hour.

While training for his event, Young placed small pieces of paper with the numbers 46.89 in each running spike. He also planned to run 12 strides between each hurdle, where Moses had run 13. This was the original goal he set for himself. And of course, 152 strides later, he set a new record. 

Young had big dreams as he grew up in his gritty Watts neighborhood. He was taught by his mother to “find his heroes, and become a shining example for those coming up behind him.” Remaining quiet about his victory, Young takes pride in knowing that he became a hero himself.

After his big win in Seoul, Young later became the first track athlete ever to win an ESPY Award from ESPN.


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