Kingdom, Roger
Track and Field
b. Aug. 26, 1962, Unadilla, GA
Kingdom won scholarships in football and track to the University of Pittsburgh in 1981. He won the NCAA outdoor 110-meter high hurdles championship in 1983 and the indoor 55-meter hurdles in 1984.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder won his first international championship at the 1983 Pan-American Games, in the 110-meter event. After placing third in the 1984 Olympic trials, Kingdom upset the favorite, Rod Foster, to win the gold medal in a very close finish. Kingdom thought he'd finished second until he looked up at the giant video screen to see the slow-motion replay, and he then began jumping up and down in joy.
After winning the national outdoor title in 1985, Kingdom was troubled by injuries, but he went undefeated in 1988, winning the national championship, the Olympic trials, and his second gold medal in an Olympic record 12.98 seconds.
On August 16, 1989, Kingdom ran a world record 12.92 seconds. He also won the national and World Cup championships in the 110-meter and the world indoor title in the 60-meter high hurdles. He retired from competition after winning the 110-meter event at the national outdoor meet and at the Goodwill Games.