Steven Gardiner
{{short description|Bahamian sprinter}}
{{for|the English bishop|Stephen Gardiner}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Steven Gardiner
| image = Steven Gardiner Doha 2019.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Gardiner at the 2019 World Championships
| nationality = Bahamian
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|9|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Central Abaco, Abaco Islands, Bahamas
| height = {{convert|1.96|m|ftin|abbr=on}}{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/steven-gardiner_1907958 |title=GARDINER Steven |work=Paris 2024 Olympics |access-date=4 August 2024 }}
| weight = {{convert|94|kg|lb|0}}{{cite web |url= https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/132635 |title=Steven Gardiner |website=Olympedia.org |publisher=OlyMADmen |accessdate=29 March 2023}}
| country = Bahamas
| sport = Track and field
| event = Sprints
| coach = Gary Evans
| highestranking = 1 (weeks 36)
| pb = {{Unbulleted list
|200 m: 19.75 {{AthAbbr|NR|Bahamian}} (2018)
|300 m: 31.52 {{AthAbbr|NR|Bahamian}} (2022)
|300 m (Indoor): 31.56 {{AthAbbr|WB}} (2022)
|400 m: 43.48 {{AthAbbr|NR|Bahamian}} (2019)}}
| show-medals =
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Sport|Men's athletics}}
{{Medal|Country|{{BAH}}}}
{{Medal|Olympic}}
{{Medal|Gold|2020 Tokyo|400 m}}
{{Medal|Bronze|2016 Rio de Janeiro|4 × 400 m relay}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold|2019 Doha|400 m}}
{{Medal|Silver|2017 London|400 m}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Relays}}
{{Medal|Gold|2017 Nassau|4 × 400 m relay mixed}}
{{Medal|Silver|2015 Nassau|4 × 400 m relay}}
{{MedalCompetition|CARIFTA Games (Junior)}}
{{MedalSilver |2014 Fort-de-France | 4 × 100 m relay}}
{{MedalBronze |2014 Fort-de-France | 4 × 400 m relay}}
}}
Steven Gardiner (born 12 September 1995) is a Bahamian track and field sprinter competing in the 400 metres and 200 metres. He is the 2020 Olympic and 2019 world champion in the 400 m, and also won the silver medal at the 2017 World Championships in that event. His winning time of 43.48 s from the 2019 World Championships is the Bahamian record and makes him the eighth{{nbh}}fastest man in the history of the event.{{cite web |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/sprints/400-metres/outdoor/men/senior |title=Toplists - All time Top lists - Senior Outdoor - 400 Metres Men |publisher=World Athletics |access-date=26 February 2021 |archive-date=13 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113091509/https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/sprints/400-metres/outdoor/men/senior |url-status=live }} Gardiner also owns the Bahamian records in the outdoor 300 m and 200 m, with times of 31.83 s and 19.75 s respectively, and the world best in the indoor 300 m at 31.56 s.
Early life
Gardiner was born in Murphy Town, Central Abaco, in the Bahamas.Stubbs, Brent (20 April 2015). [http://www.tribune242.com/news/2015/apr/20/steven-gardiner-clocks-personal-best-400m-qualify-/ Steven Gardiner Clocks Personal Best In 400m To Qualify For Iaaf Worlds] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702105251/http://www.tribune242.com/news/2015/apr/20/steven-gardiner-clocks-personal-best-400m-qualify-/ |date=2 July 2015 }}. Tribune 242. Retrieved on 14 June 2015. During his teenage years Gardiner was a competitive volleyball player, but also ran track and field. Gardiner wanted to transition to track and field in the shorter sprints, but his high school coach said he was too tall, so he became a 400 m runner."Getting to Know Steven Gardiner." Youtube, IAAF Diamond League, 11 May 2018, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b6J5r9BxZ0 Getting to know Steven Gardiner] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509071334/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b6J5r9BxZ0 |date=9 May 2021 }}.
He went to Moores Island All-Age School, where he was a part of the Exterminators Track and Field Club, Coached by Pastor Anthony Williams. Moore's Island is a small island off the coast of mainland Abaco Islands.{{cite news |title=Quarter-Miler Steven Gardiner Was A Misap Member |url=http://www.tribune242.com/news/2015/may/07/quarter-miler-steven-gardiner-was-misap-member/ |access-date=7 February 2022 |publisher=The Tribune 242}}{{cite news |title=Coach Williams Celebrates 16 Years of Pastoral Ministry in Moore's Island |url=http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/publish/sports/Coach_Williams_Celebrates_16_Years_of_Pastoral_Ministry_in_Moore_s_Island30456.shtml |access-date=7 February 2022 |publisher=Bahamas Weekly}}
Career
Gardiner competed in the sport in his teenage years and ran in the 400 m at the national championships in 2013. He entered three events at the 2014 CARIFTA Games: he only managed fourth in the individual 200 m but claimed a silver in the 4 × 100 metres relay and a bronze in the 4 × 400 metres relay.[http://www.tilastopaja.org/db/atf.php?Sex=1&ID=146837 Steven Gardiner] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619154740/http://www.tilastopaja.org/db/atf.php?Sex=1&ID=146837 |date=19 June 2015 }}. Tilastopaja. Retrieved on 14 June 2015. He marked himself as one of the Bahamas' top young athletes with a win at the Bahamian junior championships in June of that year.Moss, Cheroyln (2 July 2014). [http://www.bahamasathletics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1016:stephen-gardiner-from-junior-to-pro&catid=35:carifta&Itemid=48 Steven Gardiner – From Junior to Pro] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702115939/http://www.bahamasathletics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1016:stephen-gardiner-from-junior-to-pro&catid=35:carifta&Itemid=48 |date=2 July 2015 }}. Bahamas Athletics. Retrieved on 14 June 2015. An appearance at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Athletics resulted in a semi-final run in the 200 m and a sixth-place finish in the 4 × 400 m.[http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/bahamas/steven-gardiner-290596#honours Steven Gardiner Honours] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702071408/http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/bahamas/steven-gardiner-290596#honours |date=2 July 2015 }}. IAAF. Retrieved on 14 June 2015.
His first senior medal came at the 2015 IAAF World Relays, held on home turf, where he gave American competitor Jeremy Wariner a close run in the {{nowrap|4 × 400 m}} relay, helping the Bahamas to the silver medal alongside Ramon Miller, Michael Mathieu and Chris Brown.Minshull, Phil (4 May 2015). [http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/world-relays-2015-men-4x400m Men's 4x400m – IAAF/BTC World Relays, Bahamas 2015] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607054052/http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/world-relays-2015-men-4x400m |date=7 June 2015 }}. IAAF. Retrieved on 14 June 2015. He began to focus on the 400 m in the 2015 season, which proved a successful transition. He rapidly improved to become the youngest Bahamian ever, at 19 years old, to run the distance in under 45 seconds and moved up to fourth on the Bahamian all-time list with a best of 44.64 seconds. He set the time at the Bislett Games, which brought him victory on his debut on the IAAF Diamond League circuit, finishing ahead of Matthew Hudson-Smith and Pavel Maslák.Stubbs, Brent (12 June 2015). [http://www.tribune242.com/news/2015/jun/12/gardiner-boy-wonder/ Gardiner 'Boy Wonder'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702225507/http://www.tribune242.com/news/2015/jun/12/gardiner-boy-wonder/ |date=2 July 2015 }}. Tribune 242. Retrieved on 14 June 2015.Rowbottom, Mike (11 June 2015). [http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/oslo-diamond-league-2015-zhang-dorozhon Zhang upsets the high jump favourites in Oslo – IAAF Diamond League] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150614162915/http://www.iaaf.org/news/report/oslo-diamond-league-2015-zhang-dorozhon |date=14 June 2015 }}. IAAF. Retrieved on 14 June 2015.
In 2019, he won the 400 m at the 2019 World Athletics Championships, finishing ahead of American favorite Fred Kerley in a national record of 43.48 s, which also made him the sixth fastest man in history after the race.{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-athletics-world-gardiner-idUSKBN1WJ2BZ |title=Gardiner powers away to win dramatic 400 meters |author=Homewood, Brian |website=Reuters |date=4 October 2019 |access-date=26 February 2021 |archive-date=6 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006113942/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-athletics-world-gardiner-idUSKBN1WJ2BZ |url-status=live }}
He won the 400 m at the 2020 Olympic Games in a time of 43.85. This was the joint fastest time in the world for the 2021 season.{{cite web |title=Gold for Gardiner as Bahamian makes history in Olympic 400m |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/tokyo-olympic-games-men-400m-report?urlslug=tokyo-olympic-games-men-400m-report&type=report |website=World Athletics |access-date=7 February 2022}}
In January 2022, he ran the fastest indoor 300 m of all time with a time of 31.56.{{cite web |title=Gardiner breaks world indoor 300m best in Columbia |url=https://worldathletics.org/news/report/steven-gardiner-world-indoor-300m-best-columbia |website=World Athletics |access-date=7 February 2022}} He was unable to defend his World Championship 400 m title due to injury.
Statistics
All information from World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.{{cite web |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/bahamas/steven-gardiner-14578505 |title=ATHLETE PROFILE Steven GARDINER |publisher=World Athletics |access-date=26 February 2021 |archive-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308133803/https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/bahamas/steven-gardiner-14578505 |url-status=live }}
=Personal bests=
| class=wikitable
!Event !Time !Venue !Date !Notes | ||||
| 200 m | 19.75 | Coral Gables, Florida, U.S. | 7 April 2018 | (+0.3 m/s wind) {{AthAbbr|NR|Bahamian}} |
| 300 m | 31.56 | Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. | 28 January 2022 | {{AthAbbr|WR|Men's 300 metres}} |
| 400 m | 43.48 | Doha, Qatar | 4 October 2019 | {{AthAbbr|NR|Bahamian}} |
| 4 × 400 m relay | 2:57.72 | Gainesville, Florida, U.S. | 16 April 2022 |
=International competitions=
The two highlighted times are track records. Gardiner also holds the track record for Székesfehérvár in Hungary where he ran 43.74 seconds in July 2023.
| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |
| colspan="6"|Representing the {{BAH}} |
|---|
| rowspan=5|2014
|rowspan=3|CARIFTA Games (U20) |rowspan=3|Fort-de-France, Martinique |4th |200 m |20.87 (+1.3 m/s wind) |
| bgcolor=silver|2nd
| data-sort-value="400 relay"|4 × 100 m relay |40.35 |
| bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
| data-sort-value="1600 relay"|4 × 400 m relay | data-sort-value=191.32|3:11.32 |
| rowspan=2|World Junior Championships
|rowspan=2|Eugene, United States |12th (sf) |20.89 (+1.8 m/s wind) |
| 6th
| data-sort-value="1600 relay"|4 × 400 m relay | data-sort-value=188.08|3:08.08 |
| rowspan=3|2015
|Nassau, Bahamas |bgcolor=silver|2nd | data-sort-value="1600 relay"|4 × 400 m relay | data-sort-value=178.91|2:58.91 |
| rowspan=2|World Championships
|rowspan=2|Beijing, China |16th (sf) |44.98 |
| bgcolor=f5a9a9|{{AthAbbr|DQ}}
| data-sort-value="1600 relay"|4 × 400 m relay | data-sort-value=9999|Lane violation{{cite web |url=https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/4875/AT-4X4-M-h----.RS4.pdf |title=男子4 x 400接力赛 / 4 x 400 Metres Relay Men - Round 1 |publisher=IAAF |date=29 August 2015 |access-date=26 February 2021 |archive-date=23 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023074232/http://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/4875/AT-4X4-M-h----.RS4.pdf |url-status=live }} |
| rowspan=2|2016
|rowspan=2|Olympic Games |rowspan=2|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |11th (sf) |44.72 |
| bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
| data-sort-value="1600 relay"|4 × 400 m relay | data-sort-value=178.49|2:58.49 |
| rowspan=3|2017
|rowspan=2|World Relays |rowspan=2|Nassau, Bahamas |9th (sf) | data-sort-value="1600 relay"|4 × 400 m relay | data-sort-value=185.37|3:05.37 |
| bgcolor=gold|1st
| data-sort-value="1600 relay mixed"|4 × 400 m relay mixed | data-sort-value=194.42|3:14.42 |
| World Championships
|London, United Kingdom |bgcolor=silver|2nd |44.41 |
| 2019
|Doha, Qatar |bgcolor=gold|1st |bgcolor=gold|43.48 {{AthAbbr|NR|Bahamian}} |
| 2021
|bgcolor=gold|1st |bgcolor=gold|43.85 |
| 2023
|3rd (h) |44.651 |
1Did not finish in the semifinals
=400 m circuit wins=
=Track records=
As of 10 September 2024, Gardiner holds the following track records for 200 metres and 400 metres.
==[[200 metres]]==
| class="wikitable" style= "text-align: center" | |||
| Location
!Time !Windspeed !Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Coral Gables, FL | 19.75 NR | +0.3 | 07/04/2018 |
==[[400 metres]]==
| class="wikitable" style= "text-align: center" | ||
| Location
!Time !Date | ||
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | 44.45 | 20/04/2024 |
| Devonshire Parish, Bermuda | 44.42 | 21/05/2023 |
| Doha | 43.48 NR | 04/10/2019 |
| Nassau | 44.27 | 27/06/2015 |
| Paris | 44.21 | 18/06/2022 |
| Shanghai | 43.99 | 12/05/2018 |
| St. George's, Bermuda | 44.26 | 08/04/2017 |
| Székesfehérvár | 43.74 | 18/07/2023 |
| Tokyo | 43.85 | 05/08/2021 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{World Athletics}}
- {{Olympedia}}
- {{Olympics.com profile}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cRBJV0RcSo Gold for Gardiner in the 400m | World Athletics Championships 2019 | Doha Moments] by IAAF Athletics via YouTube
{{s-start}}
{{s-sports|oly}}
{{succession box
| before = Joanna Evans
Donald Thomas
| title = Flag bearer for {{BAH}}
| years = Paris 2024
with
Devynne Charlton
| after = Incumbent
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 400 m Men}}
{{Footer World Champions 400 m Men}}{{Footer WBYP 400m Men}}{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gardiner, Steven}}
Category:People from Central Abaco
Category:People from Abaco Islands
Category:Bahamian male sprinters
Category:21st-century Bahamian sportsmen
Category:Olympic athletes for the Bahamas
Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the Bahamas
Category:Olympic gold medalists for the Bahamas
Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for the Bahamas
Category:World Athletics Championships winners
Category:World Athletics Championships medalists
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics