Dennis Johnson

Dennis Osric Johnson OD (6 May 1939 – 22 April 2021) was a Jamaican sprinter who equalled the world record, 9.3 seconds, for the 100-yard dash in 1961. Johnson later became a coach and advisor, and the architect of the Jamaican athletics programme.

Track career Born in Jamaica in 1939, Johnson traveled to the United States for his college education. He studied at San Jose State College (now San Jose State University), where he was coached by the legendary sprints coach Bud Winter and was a member of the San Jose State Spartans track team.

In 1959, he won a bronze medal at the 1959 Pan American Games in the 4 × 100 m relay as a member of a combined West Indies Federation team.

In 1961, within a six-week period, he equalled the then world record for the 100 yards three times at 9.3 s: 11 March at San Jose in the San Jose State Relays meet; 15 April at San Jose in the Armed Forces Meeting; 5 May at Sunnyvale in the San Jose State All-comers meet.

(He also equalled the same time on 1 April at Stanford in a university meet but the lack of a wind gauge meant the time could not be ratified as a world record.

In 1962, he was one of the favourites for the 100 and 220 yards titles at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games but he ended up finishing fifth in the 110 yards and withdrew from the 220 yards event because of a groin injury.

In 1964, at the Tokyo Olympics he finished 4th in the 4 × 100 m relay as a member of the Jamaican team.

Johnson's dream on leaving San Jose State University was to take what he'd learnt there and develop, for the first time, a US-style college athletic program in Jamaica. Johnson's inspiration was the legendary San Jose sprints coach, Bud Winter - "'Bud' Winter was a master coach. I decided to come back home and bring his methodology to training sprinters in Jamaica", Johnson has stated.

In 1971, Johnson started a sports program at what was then a two-year vocational college, the College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST), that later, in 1995, became University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech), a four-year college. Amongst Johnson's first training group was a then 20-year-old Anthony Davis, who was later to follow Johnson as sports director at UTech.

Commonly known by the initials DJ, Johnson or DJ is world-renowned as a coach and many of his pupils have gone onto coach other coaches themselves.

In 2010, he was able to start a Sports Science degree programme at UTech.

Awards In 2001, Johnson was inducted into the San Jose State Spartans Hall of Fame. In 2001, Johnson was awarded the Order of Distinction (OD) by the government of Jamaica. In 2012, UTech renamed its athletes’ residence, previously known as the Track House, in Johnson's honour. In 2014, Johnson won the Pioneer Award from Team Jamaica Buble (Team Jamaica Bickle is a support programme for Jamaican athletes and staff competing at the Penn Relays) for his "contribution to Jamaica’s progression in Track and Field and his invaluable support in the development of the sport off the track". In addition, Johnson was honoured by three branches of the United States government, receiving. United States House of Representatives Proclamation from the office of US Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke; a New York State Assembly Citation from the office of Assemblyman N Nick Perry; and a New York City Council Citation from the office of Council Member Jumaane D Williams.

International competitions 1Representing the British West Indies

Rankings Johnson was ranked 2nd in the world in the 100 m sprint in 1961 according to the votes of the experts of Track and Field News.

+ 100 metersYearWorld rank1961 2nd