Dwight Phillips

Career Highlights: 2004 Olympic gold medalist; 3-time World Outdoor champion (’03, ’05, ‘09); 2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist; 2003 World Indoor champion; Five-time USA Outdoor champion (’03, ’04, ’07. ‘09, '10); 3-time USA Outdoor runner-up (’00, ’05, ’06); 2001 U.S. Indoor champion

Phillips enjoyed another strong season in 2010 in posting his fifth career USA Outdoor title and the farthest jump by an American during the outdoor season of 8.46m/27-9.25, which was the second-best jump in the world that year. Phillips leaped back on the world stage in posting the longest jump in the world since National Track & Field Hall of Famer Mike Powell set the world record in 1991 at the 2009 Nike Prefonatine Classic. He easily won the event when he sailed to 8.74 meters/28 feet 8.25 inches, which ties him with Larry Myricks and Erick Walder for the eighth-best outdoor mark in history, and the trio are also tied as the #5 performers all time. Phillips won the men's world long jump title for the third time at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics at the 1936 Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. Phillips won the event with his second attempt leap of 8.54 meters/28 feet .75 inch. Phillips joined National Track & Field Hall of Famer Jesse Owens as winners of the men's long jump competitions at the two major international championship competitions ever held at the Berlin Olympic Stadium. Phillips received his gold medal from Jesse Owens' granddaughter Marlene Dortch. German 1936 Olympic long jump silver medalist Luz Long's granddaughter Julia-Vanessa Long awarded the silver medal to runner-up Godfrey Khotso Mokoena of South Africa (8.47m/27-9.50). Phillips' three world titles (2003, 2005, 2009) tie Ivan Pedroso (1997, 1999, 2001) of Cuba for the most LJ wins ever at this event. Phillips won his third USA Outdoor men’s long jump title in June, 2007 before capturing the bonze medal at the World Outdoor Championships in Osaka, Japan, and ending the season ranked #1 in the U.S. for the fifth consecutive year. Phillips ended the suspense early on at the 2005 World Outdoor Championships in the men’s long jump final when he landed in the sand at 8.60m/28-2.75 on his first attempt to successfully defend his world title won in Paris in 2003. His performance not only equalled his career best, it also was the best jump in the world in 2005. Phillips, who ended the 2005 campaign in ownership of the top four jumps in the world that season, ended the year ranked #1 in the world by Track & Field News for the third consecutive year, joining an exclusive club that includes only Ivan Pedroso, Carl Lewis, Arnie Robinson, Ralph Boston and George Brown. He had an emphatic victory at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Phillips won the competition with a leap of 8.59m/28-2.25, just shy of his personal best of 8.60m/28-2.75 set at Linz earlier in the 2004 season. It was the first U.S. Olympic men’s long jump gold medal since Carl Lewis won at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. With Phillips’ triumph in Athens, U.S. men’s long jumpers have now won that event 22 times out of the 26 occasions the event has been contested in modern Olympic competition... In 2003 Phillips exploded on the world scene by winning the World Indoor and Outdoor Championships, establishing himself as the world’s leading long jumper. Phillips started out as a triple jumper at the University of Kentucky, but after transferring to Arizona State in 2000, he has specialized more in the long jump. A native of Tucker, Ga., Phillips placed second in the long jump at both the 1999 and 2000 NCAA Indoor Championships. After fouling on his first qualifying attempt at the Olympics in Sydney, he jumped 25-11 advancing to the final on his third and last attempt of 26-8.25. He placed 8th overall at the Games…regarded as a medal possibility at the 2001 World Outdoor Championships, Phillips was unable to take his final three attempts in the final at Worlds due to a pulled right hamstring. He bounced back with a stellar 2002 that earned him a #3 world ranking behind fellow Americans Savante’ Stringfellow and Miguel Pate...As a high schooler, Phillips was a 1996 All-American and all-state selection. Set school records in triple jump (15.31m/50-3), 200m (20.90w) and 400m (47.50)...member of 4x400m relay team that set a national age-group record (3:06)... But who knew that at age 14 both his legs were broken in a motorcycle accident and it took two years for him to recover well enough to walk properly. “My brother’s friend hit me while I was in the street playing football with my friends,” Phillips said. “I didn’t know where he was coming from and I moved in the wrong direction,” to try to get out of the way.  His legs were left twisted, requiring eight months of rehabilitation and using a walker after the casts were removed. Communications major while at ASU...married Valerie in October ‘04...son Dwight Jr., born Dec. 29, 2005.

2010: USA Outdoor champion (8.37m/27-05.5)…2nd at Pre Classic (8.41m/27-7.25)…1st at Baie Mahault (8.32m/27-3.75)… 2nd in Shanghai (8.18m/ 26-10)… 1st in Rabat (8.26m/27-1.25)…1st at Monaco (8.46m/27-9.25U.S. Leader)...ranked #1 in the world by T&FN...best of 8.46m/27-9.25.
2009:USA Outdoor champion (8.57m/28-1.50w)... 1st at Nike Prefontaine Classic (8.74m/28-8.25PR, World Leader) ... 2nd at Hengelo (8.54m/28-0.25)…ranked #1 in world by T&FN...best of 8.74m/28.8.25.
2008: 4th at Olympic Trials (8.20m/26-11.00)…2nd at Ponce (8.25m/27-0.75)…ranked #4 in U.S. by T&FN…best of 8.25m/27-0.75.
2007:  3rd at World Outdoors (8.30m/27-2.75)...USA Outdoor champion (8.36m/27-5.25w)...2nd at Nike Prefontaine Classic (8.35m/27-4.75)...1st at Rethimno (8.31m/27-3.25)...1st at Zaragoza (8.37m/27-5.5w)...ranked #3 in world, #1 U.S. by T&FN...best of 8.31m/27-5.25w.
2006:  USA Outdoor runner-up (8.08m/26-6.25)...2nd at Nike Prefontaine Classic (8.20m/26-11)...Paris (8.16m)...4th at Rome (8.32m/27-3.75)...2nd at Athens  (8.30m)...ranked #5 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 8.32m/27-3.75.
2005:  World Outdoor champion (8.60m/28-2.75PR)...2nd at USA Outdoors (8.28m /27-2)...1st at Linz (8.57m/28-1.5)...1st at World Athletics Final (8.46m/27-9.25)...1st in 60m at Madrid (6.47)...ran 6.53 in heats in Madrid...ranked #1 in world by T&FN...best of 8.60m/28-2.75PR.
2004: Olympic gold medalist (8.59m/28-2.25)…1st at Olympic Trials (8.28m/27-02.00)…won Linz with big PR of 8.60m/28-2.75 on his first and only jump of the competition…1st May 22 in Mexico City (8.44m/27-8.25)...1st at Modesto (8.43m/27-8)...1st at Madrid (8.36m/27-5.25)…1st in Birmingham (8.35m/27-4.75)…ranked #1 in the world by T&FN...best of 8.60m/28-2.75.
2003: World Indoor Championships gold medalist (8.29m/27-2.5)…World Outdoor gold medalist (8.32m/27-3.75)…USA Outdoor champion (8.24m/27-0.5)...USA Indoor runner-up (8.21m/26-11.25)…1st at World Athletics Final (8.28m/27-2)…1st at Trikala (8.44m/27-8.25PR)…best of 4.44m/27-8.25PR.
2002: Runner-up at USA Indoors (7.99m/26-2.75)…3rd at USA Outdoors (8.25m/27-3/4w)…set new PR with a win at Linz (8.38m/27-6)… 2nd at Osaka (8.31m/27-3.75w)…1st at Helsinki (8.27m/27-1.75)…ranked #3 in the world (#3 U.S) by T&FN…best of 8.38m/27-6PR.
2001: USA Indoor champ (8.12m/26-7.75)…3rd at USA Outdoors (8.23m/27-0w)…8th at World Outdoors (7.92m/26-0)…3rd at Tyson Invitational…ranked #4 in U.S in LJ by T&FN…best of 8.13m/26-8.25 in Lausanne.
2000: 8th at Olympics (8.06m/26-5.5)...2nd at Olympic Trials in LJ (8.14m/26-8.5)...2nd at NCAA Outdoors...jumped 8.30m/27-2.75w at adidas Oregon Classic...ranked #1 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 8.21m/26-11.25PR at Olympic Trials.
1999: 7th in Pan American Games long jump...4th at NCAA Outdoor in both long jump and triple jump...6th at USA Outdoor long jump...ranked #7 in U.S. in long jump by T&FN...bests of 26-10 and 53-10.25.
1998: Best of 51-3.75i.
1997: Best of 50-5.75.

1/17/11