KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Maurice Greene casts a long shadow in Kansas City’s track-and-field history, but Tim Harden’s career as an international sprint champion stands on its own merit.
He ranks among the fastest humans in history.
Harden — a Kansas City, Missouri, native and 1992 graduate of Northeast High School — won a silver medal on the men’s U.S. 400-meter relay at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
He ran the second leg for the relay, which lost the gold to 100-meter Olympic champion Donovan Bailey and Canada.
It was Harden’s only Olympic medal, but he also won the gold medal in the 60 meters at the 2001 World Championships and a silver at the 60 meters at the 1999 World Championships.
During the latter race, Harden set a personal record of 6.43 seconds, which remains the seventh-fastest time in recorded history. His personal record in the 100 meters was 9.92 seconds.
Harden also was a three-time NCAA champion with the University of Kentucky, winning the indoor 55 meters in 1995 and 1996, and winning the outdoor 100 meters in 1995.
Additionally, he was the U.S. champion in the 100 meters in 1998 in a wind-aided time of 9.88 seconds.
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The Kansas City region has a deep, rich history with respect to the Olympic Games. As the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games approach with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for July 23, we will profile an athlete with ties to Kansas City, Missouri or Kansas each day.
41 Action News and KSHB.com is your home of the Tokyo Olympics. Follow our coverage atkshb.com/sports/olympics and check outour complete list of 100 Kansas City-area Olympians as it is revealed.