Michael Mathieu

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Michael Mathieu

| image = Michael Mathieu 2016.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Mathieu in 2016

| full_name = Michael Walter Mathieu

| nationality = Bahamian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1984|6|17}}

| birth_place = Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas

| height = 1.78 m

| weight =

| sport = Running

| event = Sprint

| club =

| coach =

| pb =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalSilver|2008 Beijing|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m

relay]]}}

}}

Michael Walter Mathieu (born 24 June 1984) is a retired Bahamian sprinter hailing from Freeport, Grand Bahama who specialized in the 200 metres and 400 metres. He was part of the Bahamian silver medal-winning team in the men's 4 × 400 metres relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, running second leg and recording a 44.0 split, and the gold medal-winning team at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He was also a part of second place relay team at the 2007 World Championships. He won the bronze medal in the 4 × 400 metres relay in the 2016 Summer Olympics.{{cite Sports-Reference |title=Michael Mathieu |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ma/michael-mathieu-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203144537/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ma/michael-mathieu-1.html |archive-date=3 December 2016}}

Individually, he has won medals at the Central American and Caribbean Championships, taking the 400 m silver medal in 2008 and the 200 m gold in 2011. His personal bests are 20.16 seconds for the 200 m and 45.06 for the 400 m (the former being the Bahamian record mark).

Career

Mathieu attended St George's High School in the Bahamas, graduating in 2001 as their "Most Outstanding Athlete". He gained a sports scholarship to attend Southwestern Christian College in Texas, United States.[http://www.texastech.com/sports/c-track/mtt/mathieu_michael00.html Michael Mathieu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113003801/http://www.texastech.com/sports/c-track/mtt/mathieu_michael00.html |date=13 November 2011 }}. Texas Tech. Retrieved on 17 May 2012. As a junior athlete, he won two relay medals in the under-20 section of the 2002 CAC Junior Championships.{{Cite web |last=Central American and Caribbean Athletic Confederation |title=15th Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships 5/7/02 to 7/7/02 - National Stadium, Barbados - Results - Boys Under 20 |url=http://www.cfpitiming.com/cac_junior_under_20_boys_2002.htm |publisher=C.F.P.I. Timing and Data Inc. |access-date=9 May 2012}} The following year he took the 400 m bronze medal at the 2003 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships.{{Cite web |title=2003 Pan American Junior Championships in Athletics |url=http://www.usatf.org/events/2003/PanAmericanJuniorChampionships/ |publisher=USA Track & Field |access-date=5 August 2011}} Moving up the age categories, he won a 400 m relay bronze medal at the 2006 NACAC Under-23 Championships in Athletics.

In 2004 he began studying economics at Texas Tech University and started competing for the Texas Tech Red Raiders under coach Wes Kittley. In the 2005 indoor track and field season he was runner-up at the Big 12 Conference meet in the 400 m and 4 × 400 m relay. He earned All-American honours by reaching the NCAA indoor relay final, then achieved the same feat in the outdoor season. The 2006 indoor season was his last at Texas Tech: he set a 200 m personal best of 21.34 seconds and again reached the NCAA relay final.

He reached the senior international level at the 2007 World Championships and became a fixture in the Bahamian national team from then onwards. He ran in the heats, both individually and in the relay, at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships,[http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=0/athcode=184577/index.html Mathieu Michael]. IAAF. Retrieved on 17 May 2012. then won two silver medals in the events at the 2008 Central American and Caribbean Championships.[http://www.athlecac.org/estadisticas/resultsMeet.asp?Meet=5338 Results service Campeonato CAC de Atletismo 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725023150/http://www.athlecac.org/estadisticas/resultsMeet.asp?Meet=5338 |date=25 July 2011 }}. AthleCAC. Retrieved on 9 March 2010. At the 2008 Summer Olympics he reached the semi-finals of the 400 m and took the relay silver medal with a time of 2:58.03 minutes.

At the 2009 CAC Championships he came sixth in the 400 m final. He was selected for the national team at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, but disqualifications meant he was out of the first round of both events. He performed better at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, reaching the semi-finals, but the team failed to finish the relay. Outdoors, he was a silver medalist in the relay at the 2010 CAC Games and fourth in the relay at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

In 2011, a switch to focus on the 200 m event saw him have a career breakthrough. He ran a personal best of 20.38 seconds to win at the national championships then claimed the gold medal in the event at the 2011 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics. He also won the relay, running with Avard Moncur and Ramon Miller.Robinson, Javier Clavelo (18 July 2011). [http://daegu2011.iaaf.org/NewsListDetail.aspx?id=60913 Jamaica tops medal table in Mayaguez - CAC Champs, final day] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801084618/http://daegu2011.iaaf.org/NewsListDetail.aspx?id=60913 |date=1 August 2012 }}. IAAF. Retrieved on 13 August 2011. He represented Bahamas in the 200 m at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, but failed to finish in his semi-final due to injury. He came close to medal at the 2011 Pan American Games, where he was fourth behind Brazil's Bruno de Barros.{{cite web |title=Men's 200m Final |url=http://info.guadalajara2011.org.mx/ENG/AT/ATR173A_ATM00200250000001ENG.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111031081831/http://info.guadalajara2011.org.mx/ENG/AT/ATR173A_ATM00200250000001ENG.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 October 2011 |publisher=Guadalajara 2011 |access-date=31 October 2011}}

He opened his 2012 season in strong form. Competing on the Brazilian Athletics Tour, he ran a Bahamian record of 20.16 seconds for the 200 m and set a personal best in the 400 m with a run 45.06 seconds. He also equalled his 100 metres best with a time of 10.30 seconds.Longley, Sheldon (16 May 2012). [http://www.thenassauguardian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30973&Itemid=50 Great Series of Runs for Mathieu]. Nassau Guardian. Retrieved on 17 May 2012. He also won gold at the 2012 London Olympics with the Bahamas 4 × 400 m team beating medal favorites USA with a national record.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, he won a silver medal as part of the men's 4 × 400 m team.{{Cite web |title=Glasgow 2014 - Men's 4 x 400m Relay Final |url=http://g2014results.thecgf.com/PEVU/PEVU_ATM404101.html |website=g2014results.thecgf.com |access-date=2015-08-17 |archive-date=15 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815134511/http://g2014results.thecgf.com/PEVU/PEVU_ATM404101.html |url-status=dead }}

At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Mathieu and the Bahamian team would win the bronze medal in the 4 × 400 m relay. Another former Texas Tech athlete, Gil Roberts, was a member of the gold medal-winning USA team.{{cite web |title=U.S. men reclaim the gold in 4x400 relay |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/08/20/mens-4x400-relay-rio-olympics-lashawn-merritt/89062808/ |website=USA Today |access-date=21 August 2016}}{{cite news |title='Golden Knights' Honoured In Grand Bahama During Pre-Celebration Event |url=http://www.tribune242.com/news/2018/apr/23/golden-knights-honoured-in-grand-bahama-during/ |access-date=7 February 2022 |publisher=The Tribune 242}}{{cite news |title='Golden Knights' Honoured |url=http://www.tribune242.com/news/2018/apr/25/golden-knights-honoured/ |access-date=7 February 2022 |publisher=The Tribune 242}}

Retirement

Mathieu retired after the 2021 Outdoor season with his last race being run on June 5, 2021 at the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) New Life Invitational Track and Field Meet in Miramar, Florida.. He ran on a leg of the Bahamian 4x400 Metres Relay in a time of 3:03.51. The team was attempting to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.{{cite news |title=Bahamas Relay Teams Hit The Track |url=http://www.tribune242.com/news/2021/jun/07/bahamas-relay-teams-hit-track/ |access-date=29 March 2022 |publisher=The Tribune 242}}

Mathieu now lives in Orlando, Florida with his wife and two sons. He coaches youth basketball for the Jr. Magic Warriors, along with owning a speed training camp company to help build speed for different sports.{{cite news |title='Golden Knight' calls it a day |url=https://thenassauguardian.com/golden-knight-calls-it-a-day/ |access-date=29 March 2022 |publisher=Nassau Guardian}}

References

External links

{{World Athletics||name=Michael Mathieu }}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20080908223042/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/8/8000888.shtml Athlete bio at 2008 Olympics website]
{{Olympedia}}
{{Olympics.com}}
{{CGF profile}}
{{2010 Commonwealth Games profile|565097}}

Category:1984 births

Category:Living people

Category:Bahamian male sprinters

Category:21st-century Bahamian sportsmen

Category:Olympic athletes for the Bahamas

Category:Olympic gold medalists for the Bahamas

Category:Olympic silver medalists for the Bahamas

Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the Bahamas

Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field)

Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field)

Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field)

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics