2012 Hall of Fame Inductee
During her time at Florida State University, Kim Batten needed to make a choice of which event she would focus on as a professional. She chose the grueling 400-meter hurdles. It proved to be a wise choice as she set a world record while becoming the 1995 World Outdoor Championships. Her time of 52.61 remains one of the fastest times ever run. A two-time Olympian and the 1996 Olympic silver medalist, Batten won six USATF Outdoor titles between 1991 and 1998. She burst on the scene in 1991 when she upset Sandra Farmer-Patrick to win the USATF Outdoor title while just 22 years old. Batten is also a member of the Florida State University Hall of Fame where she was a nine-time All-American and earned the 1996 ESPY award as Women’s Track and Field Performer of the Year.
Batten currently owns Body By Batten Sports Performance and Fitness and is a hurdles coach at Georgia State University. The 1991 Florida State graduate was previously a financial advisor at AXA Advisors. Before that Batten coached at Florida State from 1991-2000, first as a volunteer assistant coach and then as an assistant coach. Records Held
World Record: 400 m hurdles - 52.61 (August 11, 1995 - August 8, 2003)
American Record: 400 m hurdles - 52.61 (August 11, 1995 - September 1, 2011)
Championships
1992 Olympic Games: 400 m hurdles - 53.08 (2nd)
1991 World Outdoor Championships: 400 m hurdles - 53.98 (5th)
1993 World Indoor Championships: 400 m - 52.70 (6th)
1993 World Outdoor Championships: 400 m hurdles - 53.84 (4th)
1995 World Athletics Final: 400 m hurdles - 53.49 (1st)
1995 World Outdoor Championships: 400 m hurdles - 52.61 (1st)
1997 World Athletics Final: 400 m hurdles - 53.45 (1st)
1997 World Outdoor Championships: 400 m hurdles - 53.52 (3rd)
1997 World Outdoor Championships: 400 m relay - 3:21.02 (2nd)
1998 World Cup: 400 m hurdles - 53.17 (3rd)
1996 USA Outdoor Championships: 400 m hurdles - 53.81 (1st)
1997 USA Outdoor Championships: 400 m hurdles - 52.97 (1st)
1998 USA Outdoor Championships: 400 m hurdles - 53.61 (1st)