BERSHAWN JACKSON
Event: 400m hurdles
Height: 5-8
Weight: 158
PR:  47.30 (2005)
Born: May 8, 1983, in Miami, Fla.
Current Residence: Raleigh, N.C.
High School: Miami Central (Miami, Fla.) ‘02
College: St. Augustine College ‘06
Coach: George Williams
Agent: Peter Stubbs
Club: Nike 

Career Highlights: 2005 World Outdoor champion; 2008 Olympic Games bronze medalist; 2008 Olympic Trials champion;2003 USA Outdoor champion; 2005 USA Indoor 400m champion; 2002 U.S. junior champion; 2002 World Junior bronze medalist; 2002 World Junior 4x400 champion

Following his heartbreaking 4th-place finish at the 2004 Olympic Trials, Jackson made sure he’d qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games by finishing first in the men’s 400m hurdles June 29 at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.  Jackson’s 2007 season was highlighted by wins at the Kansas Relays, Osaka GP, and at the Athens GP. In ending the 2007 season ranked #5 in the world, Jackson has been ranked in world’s the top ten in the men’s 400m hurdles by Track & Field News each year since 2003.  The dominant force in the men’s 400m hurdles throughout the 2005 season, Jackson was motivated by his failure to make the 2004 Olympic team. His determination paid off.  Jackson used his tremendous finishing speed in capturing the gold medal at the World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki in a personal best time of 47.30 seconds. Jackson's victory was the first for an American in this event at a World Outdoor Championships since Derrick Adkins mined gold at Gothenburg in 1995 (47.98). With fellow American James Carter finishing second, it marked the first time Americans had finished 1-2 in the men’s 400m hurdles since Rome in 1987 when National Track & Field Hall of Famer Edwin Moses won the gold and Danny Harris brought home the silver medal. Jackson and Carter’s career best performances in Helsinki are even more impressive considering that the race was held during a torrential downpour in Helsinki. Their times were the second and third fastest in the world during the 2005 season. Jackson’s 2005 season got off to a tremendous start with his performance at the USA Indoor Championships, where he won the 400m national title in 46.05 seconds. Jackson’s only loss during the 2005 outdoor season came when he was the runner-up at the USA Outdoor Championships. His 12 worldwide wins in 2005 made him an easy choice for the coveted 400m hurdles world #1 ranking that year from Track & Field News. The newest phenom over the intermediate hurdles, Jackson has improved his personal best by more than 2 seconds since 2002. For the second season in a row, Jackson posted the second fastest time by an American with his monster (then) personal best of 47.86, which bettered his previous PR of 48.23 in winning at Madrid in 2003. The 2002 U.S. junior champion and World Junior bronze medalist, Jackson planned to be part of the University of South Carolina track powerhouse, but he instead competed on the circuit.…In 2004 joined the St. Augustine’s College roster… raised in Miami, he now lives and trains in Raleigh, N.C., where he is coached by 2004 Olympic Team Head Coach George Williams…daughter Shawnte was born May 2, 2005.

2008: Olympic Games bronze medalist (48.06)…Olympic Trials champion (48.17)...1st at Bislett Games Oslo (48.15)...1st at DKB-ISTAF Berlin (48.73)…1st at adidas Track Classic (48.94)…1st at Kansas Relays (48.32)
2007: 5th in 400m at USA Outdoor Championships (45.55)…45.06 in 400m semifinal at USA Outdoors… 3rd in semi's at World Outdoors (48.95)...1st in 600m at Millrose Games (1:11.48)…8th in 400m at Prefontaine Classic (46.38)…1st at Osaka GP (48.13)…1st at Athens (48.15)…ranked #5 in world, #3 in U.S. by T&FN…best of 48.13.
2006: USA Outdoor runner-up (47.48)…1st at Nike Prefontaine Classic (48.22)…1st at Rome (47.86)…1st at Athens (48.00)…1st at Lausanne (47.77)…ranked #2 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN…best of 47.48.
2005: World Outdoor champion (47.30PR)…2nd at USA Outdoor Champs (47.80)…USA Indoor 400m champ (46.05)…1st at Nike Prefontaine Classic (47.91)…1st in 400mH at adidas Track Classic (47.62)…ranked #1 in world by T&FN…best of 47.30PR.
2004: 4th at Olympic Trials (48.11)…1st at Texas Relays 400mH (48.74)…1st in Monaco (47.86PR)…2nd at Zurich (48.08)…2nd at Nike Prefontaine Classic (48.79)…ranked #3 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN…best of 47.86PR.
2003: USA Outdoor champion (49.01)…disqualified in opening round at World Outdoors…1st at Madrid (48.23) and Atlanta (48.51)…best of 48.23…ranked #10 in the world (#3 U.S.) by T&FN.
2002: Bronze at World Juniors 400H (50.00)…1st at World Juniors 4x400m…1st at USA Juniors (50.33) …3rd at Golden West Invitational 110H…4th at National Scholastic 100H…1st at Golden West Invitational 400H…1st at National Scholastic 400H…bests of 13.90 (hs), 35.39 (hs) and 50.00.
2001: 1st at Junior Olympics (50.86) … 1st at Golden West Invitational 400H…4th at Golden West Invitational 110H…bests of 14.04 (hs), 13.97w (hs), 50.86 and 35.79 (hs).
2000: Bests of 52.17 400H and 36.45 (hs).

07/09/08