Kerron Clement (born 31 October 1985 in Port of
Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) is an American sprinter
who holds the indoor world record for the 400m
sprint.
Clement's family moved to the United States in 1998,
where he became a successful high school athlete at
La Porte, Texas winning both 110 and 400 metres
hurdles at the USATF Youth Athletics Championships.
Clement became a US citizen in June 2004. In July
2004 he won the gold medal in the 400 metres hurdles
in an IAAF World Junior Championships record time of
48.51 seconds in Grosseto Italy. Clement also ran a
leg for the US 4x400m relay team and set a world
junior record of 3:01.09. He also won the National
Collegiate Athletic Association championships in the
400mH.
On March 12, 2005, representing the University of
Florida, he broke the indoor world record for the
400m sprint at the NCAA indoor championships in
Fayetteville, Arkansas with a time of 44.57 seconds.
His split at 200m was 21.08 seconds. The record was
held for ten years previously by Michael Johnson at
44.63 seconds. Afterwards Clement anchored Florida’s
4x400 indoor meter relay to a collegiate record of
3:03.51.
Clement set a personal best and 2005 world leading
performance in the 400m hurdles with a 47.24
seconds; winning the 2005 US outdoor track and field
title at Carson California. This was the fastest
time posted for the 400m hurdles in 7 years. Clement
faded during the world outdoor championships in
Helsinki Finland and did not win a medal, finishing
fourth.
Clement earned a global gold medal in the 400m
hurdles at the 2007 World Championship in Osaka. His
time of 47.61 seconds was a seasons best.
