By Yavuz YAVUZ
When it comes to a class of talented athletes, Grenada has several in its contingent to be proud of. Javelin thrower Anderson Peters, a two-time world champion in 2019 and 2022 is among them. So is Lindon Victor, the world bronze-medallist from last year. But among this group of sportspeople, Kirani James holds an honour that distinguishes him from the rest. He is Grenada’s sole Olympic medallist, having won a gold, a silver and a bronze medal in men’s 400 metres in the past three Olympic Games, respectively.
Now, the 31-year-old prepares to take the biggest stage one more time in Paris and add another Olympic medal to his collection.
Born in Grenadian capital Gouyave, James arrived at the senior scene with a focus turned on him after being the World Junior titlist in men’s 400m in 2010. Having developed a collegiate career in Alabama, USA, he was among the two Grenadian men’s 400m finalists at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, where he finished first to be the youngest ever world medallist in the event at 18 years, 363 days.
After making this big splash at the major scene, Kirani James went for the Olympic title in London a year later as part of the 10-strong Grenadian team – their biggest Olympic delegation ever. In the final he ran 43.94, a national record, to seal his country’s first Olympic podium place at the top, while Dominican Republic’s Luguelin Santos and Lalonde Gordon of Trinidad and Tobago completed the Caribbean triumvirate.
In 2014, Kirani James ran his personal best time at 43.74 seconds in Athletissima and came to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio as the world bronze medallist from Beijing a year earlier (in a race where all medallists broke 44 seconds). In Rio, it was once again all about James, South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk and the experienced sprinter LaShawn Meritt of the United States.
In the final, van Niekerk stunned the globe with a massive world record of 43.03 seconds, while Kirani James came in second with 43.76. Merritt also broke 44 seconds once more and finished third at 43.85. This was James’s second Olympic medal.
The aftermath of Rio 2016 was a tad modest for James, as he was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. Still, he managed to add a third medal to his Olympic collection in Tokyo where he finished third with a time of 44.19 seconds. With that, he denied Michael Cherry and Michael Norman, U.S. favourites, a podium place. In 2022, he was edged by Norman at the World Championships in Eugene and won silver.
Last year, he was disqualified from the men’s 400m final at the World Championships in Budapest but bounced back by winning his second consecutive Diamond League title. This season, he finished second in Bislett Games, trailing behind Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith with a mark of 44.58. Ten days later in New York, he ran his season best at 44.55 seconds.
Now, Kirani James is preparing to make his fourth Olympic journey in a row. In Paris, the biggest challenge in men’s 400m will be laid by Quincy Hall, who is the sole runner to dip under 44 seconds this year with 43.80 in Monaco stage of the Diamond League. There is also Christopher Morales-Williams of Canada who will turn 20 during the Games, as well as European contenders Matthew Hudson-Smith of Britain, world silver medallist, and Belgium’s reigning continental champion Alexander Doom.
James will try to crack into the medal position among this field of athletes. He already made history for Grenada over and over again and this time, he will attempt to extend his medal streak to four Olympic Games in a row.
