Duane Solomon

Education

University of Southern California.

Career

He ran for his home country in the IAAF World Championships in 2007 and as well as in the Olympic Games. He also took the gold medal at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Under 23 Championships in 2006. He was named the "2002-2003 Gatorade Boys Athlete of the Year." Solomon ran for the University of Southern California, coached by legend László Tábori.

He set his previous Personal Record of 1:45.69 while finishing 3rd at the 2007 United States of America Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

He narrowly missed improving that time running 1:45.71, while finishing 3rd at the 2008 National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships. A few weeks later he ran a 1:45.78, while finishing 6th at the United States Olympic Trials (track and field).

Following, Solomon came under the coaching tutelage of American record holder Johnny Gray. In, he made his third international team by finishing second in the United States of America Indoor Track and Field Championships.

On June 25,, Solomon qualified for the Summer Olympics by finishing third at the United States Olympic Trials.

Solomon followed Charles Jock in a first lap under 50 seconds. As Jock faded, Solomon charged into the lead, opening up almost 10 meters on the field Notable kicker Nicholas Symmonds and veteran Khadevis Robinson (normally a front runner) chased down Solomon, but he held on for third place.01 behind Robinson.

In addition, his time of 1:44.65 surpassed the Olympic A standard, earning him a spot on the United States Olympic team for the London games.

In the lead up to the Olympics, Solomon improved his personal best by over a second to 1:43.44 at the Herculis meet in Monaco. While he finished third in the race, he became the fifth fastest in the world to that point in, beating favorites like Symmonds and Abubaker Kaki.

In the Olympics, he finished fourth behind David Rudisha"s world record. In doing so, he again improved his personal best to 1:42.82, which ranks him #22 on the all-time world list.

Duane qualified to the final of the 14th IAAF World Championships, where he finished 6th in 1:44.42 at Moscow, Russia.

Prior to the National Championships, Solomon announced he would take the race out at world record pace to 600m. Coach Gray refers to that as the "Twilight Zone" but others have personalized it to call it the "Gray Zone." Just as when Gray ran, it can have spectacular or devastating results. This time it failed, a depleted Solomon gave up after being passed by the first three.

He walked home in 3:08.74 after almost passing out.

Achievements

• In high school Solomon was the 2003 CIF California State Champion in the 800 m with a time of 1:49.79, while running for Cabrillo High School (Lompoc, California) under the training of high school coach Peter Anderson. Going into the race, Solomon had not achieved the A Standard necessary to go to the Olympics. In January, Duane Solomon set the American 600 m indoor record with his 1:15.70 win at the Glasgow International Match. Solomon won the United States of America Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 1:43.27 to qualify for the Moscow World Championships. Solomon won the United States of America Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 1:44.30.