Kibwe Johnson
Event: Hammer Throw
Height: 6-2
Weight: 238
PR: HT - 80.31m/266-9 (2011); DT - 65.11m/213-7 (2005)
Born: 07/17/1981
Current Residence: Kamloops, B.C., Canada
Hometown: Suwanee, Ga.
High School: North Gwinnett H.S. (Suwanee, Ga) '98
College: Georgia '01, Ashland '08
Coach: Anatoly Bondarchuck
Agent: Valentina Fedjuschina
Sponsor: Nike
Club: New York Athletic Club (NYAC)
USA Championships
Two-time USA Outdoor champion - 2011 (80.31m/266-9); 2012 (74.97m/245-11)
2008 USA Indoor champion (25.12m/82-5)
2007 USA Outdoor runner-up (75.12m/246-5)
2006 USA Indoor runner-up (23.72m/77-10)
International Championships
2011 Pan Am Games gold medalist (89.63m/261-3)
2007 Pan-Am Games runner-up (73.23m/240-3)
Awards and Honors
Pan Am Games record holder (89.63m/261-3)
About Kibwe
Kibwe Johnson has established himself as one of the nation's top hammer throwers after recording one of the top two throws in the country in six of the last seven years and has won two consecutive USA Outdoor titles and two consecutive spots on world championship and Olympic teams. His winning toss of 80.31m/266-9 at the 2011 USA Outdoor Championships was the best mark by an American hammer thrower since 2000. Former Soviet Olympic champion Anatoliy Bondarchuk coaches Kibwe and his wife, Crystal Smith-Johnson, who is also a thrower. His college career started at the University of Georgia where he began as a discus thrower. During his time in Athens, he began to shift his focus from discus to the hammer throw. He left Georgia to continue his academic and track careers at Ashland University. Johnson and his wife have one daughter, who was born in April of 2012.
Results
2013: 5th at USA Outdoors (71.17/233-6); 1st at Mt. SAC Relays (76.28/250-3)
2012: 9th in Olympic Games final (74.95m/245-10); USA Outdoor champion (74.97m/245-11); 1st at Edmonton Donovan Bailey Invitational (74.75m/245-3); 7th at Kawasaki Grand Prix (71.91m/235-11); Third at DecaNation (72.61m/238-2)
2011: 8th in group A of World Outdoors (75.06m/246-03); USA Outdoor champion (80.31m/266-9); Pan Am Games gold medalist (89.63m/261-3); 1st at Jesse Owens Track Classic (75.74m/248-6); 6th at Rieti (75.86m/248-10)
2010: Runner-up at USA Outdoors (76.31m/250-4); 1st at Ashland Summer Series (77.07m/252-10); 2nd at Mt. SAC (75.70m/248-4); 2nd at Tucson Elite (74.74m/245-2)
2008: Olympic Trials finalist (no mark); USA Indoor champion (25.12m/82-5).
2007: USA Outdoor runner-up (75.12m/246-5); no mark at World Outdoor Champs; Pan Am Games runner-up (73.23m/240-3); 1st in DT at Mt. SAC Relays (60.57m/198-9); 1st at Lake Erie Association Championships (75.95m/249-2).
2006: USA Indoor WT runner-up (23.72m/77-10); 4th at AT&T USA Outdoors (75.32m/247-1); 1st at Findlay (24.54m/80-6.25i); 2nd at Columbus (75.32m/247-1).
2005: 3rd in WT at USA Indoor Championships (22.27m/73-0.75); no mark at USA Outdoor Championships; 1st at Tempe (72.70m/238-6); 1st at Claremont (73.42m/240-10); 2nd at Mt SAC Relays (72.24m/237-0); 1st at Hillsdale (78.25m/256-8); 1st at NY Reebok GP (74.01m/242-9); 1st in DT at Berea (65.11m/213-7PR); 1st in WT at Marietta (23.99m/78-8.5i); 1st at Findlay (23.62m/77-6i); 1st at Findlay (23.43m/76-10.5i); 1st at Kent (23.11m/75-10i); 1st at Oiler Open (25.54m/80-6).
2004: 8th in DT and 19th in HT at Olympic Trials (58.57m/192-2, 65.39m/214-6); 1st in DT at Akron (61.00m/200-1); 5th in HT at Columbus (67.99m/223-0).
2003: 16th in HT at USA Outdoor Championships (62.35m/204-07); 7th in DT at Salinas (59.34m/194-8); 1st in HT at Northridge (69.11m/226-9).
USA/World Rankings and Personal Bests
2012: Outdoor bests - 77.17m/253-2 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 34 in the world, ranked No. 1 in the USA by T&FN)
2011: Outdoor bests – 80.31m/266-9 (No. 1 in the USA by T&FN, No. 5 in the world)
2010: Outdoor bests – 77.07m/252-10 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 22 in the world, ranked No. 1 in the USA by T&FN)
2008: Outdoor bests – 75.53m/247-9 (No. 3 in the USA)
2007: Outdoor bests – 75.95m/249-2 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 39 in the world)
2006: Outdoor bests – 75.32m/247-1 (No. 2 in the USA, No. 44 in the world)
2005: Outdoor bests – 78.25m/256-8 (No. 1 in the USA, No. 26 in the world)
2004: Outdoor bests – 67.99m/223-0; discus throw, 61.00m/200-1 (No. 15 in the USA)
2003: Outdoor bests – 69.11m/226-9; discus throw, 59.38m/194-8
2002: Outdoor bests – 64.26m/210-10; discus throw, 56.38m/185-0
2001: Did not compete.
2000: Outdoor bests – 56.41m/185-1