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Kim Batten

2012 Hall of Fame Inductee

Basic Information

  • Gender: Female
  • Born: 3/29/1969
  • Status: Hall of Fame

Residences

  • Hometown: McRae, Georgia
  • High School: East High School, Rochester, New York
  • College: Florida State University

Athlete Info

  • Event: Outdoor Track & Field
  • Agent: N/A

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  • Athlete Profile

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)

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