Fred Kerley
Kerley at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Fredrick Lee Kerley |
| Born | May 7, 1995 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Home town | Taylor, Texas, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Country | United States |
| Sport | Track and field |
| Event | Sprints |
| College team |
|
| Turned pro | June 2017 |
| Coached by | Quincy Watts |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Highest world ranking | 1st (100 m, weeks 58) |
| Personal bests | |
Medal record | |
Fredrick Lee Kerley (/ˈkɜːrli/ KUR-lee; born May 7, 1995) is an American track and field sprinter. He was the Olympic silver medalist over 100 m at the 2020 Olympics and bronze medalist at the 2024 Olympics in the same event. Kerley has earned an additional six medals at the World Championships, most notably 100 m gold at the 2022 edition. He has also medalled in the 400 m, 4 × 100 m relay, and 4 × 400 m relay and won eleven Diamond League races, including two Diamond League finals - the 400 m in 2018 and the 100 m in 2021.
His personal best time of 43.64 seconds makes him the tenth fastest man in history over 400 meters. During the pandemic, Kerley chose to focus on the 100 m during the Olympic cycle to improve his basic speed for future attempts at a sub-43 400 m. The decision to move down paid off as he won the silver medal in the 100 m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a 9.84 performance. His personal best time of 9.76 seconds makes him the sixth fastest man in history over the straightaway sprint, behind Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell and Justin Gatlin and joint with Christian Coleman and Trayvon Bromell.
Kerley is one of only three men along with Michael Norman and Wayde van Niekerk to go sub-10 seconds in 100 m, sub-20 seconds in 200 m and sub-44 seconds in 400 m.