Ajeé Wilson
American middle-distance runner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ajeé Wilson (/ˈɑːdʒeɪ/ AH-jay; born May 8, 1994) is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 meters.[1] She is the 2022 World indoor champion at the 800 meter distance, after earning silver medals in 2016 and 2018. Wilson won bronze medals at both the 2017 and 2019 World Athletics Championships. She is the second-fastest American of all time in the event with a time of 1m 55.61s, and she holds North American indoor record.
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Wilson at the 2018 USA Outdoor Championships | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | May 8, 1994 Neptune, New Jersey U.S. |
| Home town | Neptune, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | Temple University |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
| Weight | 135 lb (61 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track and field |
Event | 800 metres |
| Club | Juventus Track Club |
| Achievements and titles | |
| World finals |
|
| Personal bests | |
Medal record | |
Wilson won titles in the 800 m at both the 2011 World Youth Championships and 2012 World Junior Championships. Her winning time of 2:00.91 at the latter is the fourth-fastest time run by a high schooler behind Mary Cain, Kim Gallagher, and Natalie Dumas.[2][3]
Personal life
Wilson attended Academy of Allied Health & Science in Neptune Township, New Jersey, until 2012.[4] She originally committed to attend Florida State University,[5] before deciding to turn professional. She graduated from Temple University in 2016,[6] but trains with her coach Derek Thompson and the Juventus Track Club of Philadelphia.[7]
Career
2013
In 2012, she committed to run for the Florida State Seminoles under Karen Harvey, but days before the fall semester, she decided to focus on a pro career and return to her coach Derek Thompson at Temple University. The decision paid off at the IAAF Moscow 2013 World Championships where she ran the quickest junior 800 m of 1:58.21 – a North American and USA junior record – to place fifth.[8]
2014
Wilson won her Second U.S. Senior Indoor 800-meter title at the 2014 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2:00.43.[9] Wilson won her first U.S. Senior Outdoor 800-meter title at the 2014 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, California, in 1:58.70.[10] On July 18, Wilson ran a world leading mark of 1:57.67[11] to win the Diamond League Herculis Monaco.
2015
Wilson won the Armory Invitational in 2:01.7 on January 31 in New York City.
At the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon Wilson placed 3rd in the 800 m in 2:00.05 despite losing a shoe in the last 200 meters. She qualified to represent the U.S. for the 800 m in the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing, China but did not compete due to injury.
2017
Wilson won the New York Road Runners Armory Invitational in New York City 600 m in 1:24.28, the fourth-fastest time in history and the second-fastest by an American behind only Alysia Montaño‘s U.S. national record of 1:23.59 set on this same Armory oval in 2013.
At the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, Wilson placed 1st in the 800 meters in 1:57.78, to represent the U.S. for the 800 m in the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London.[12]
On July 21, 2017, Wilson ran 1:55.61 at the Diamond League event in Monaco to break the U.S. record by nearly 1 second. This time ranks Wilson at number 20 on the IAAF all-time list.[13]
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2018
Wilson won silver medal in World Indoor Championships at 800 m.
Wilson was part of the Team USA squad setting a world indoor record in the 4 × 800 m relay on February 3 at the 2018 Millrose Games in 8:05.89 – a squad that featured Chrishuna Williams (2:05.10), Raevyn Rogers (2:00.45), Charlene Lipsey (2:01.98), Ajeé Wilson (1:58.37).[14][15]
Wilson won 800 m gold at 2018 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2:01.60,[16] and USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 1:58.18.
Wilson won 800 m gold at 2018 NACAC Championships in Toronto, Canada, in a championship record and stadium record 1:57.52.[17]
2019
Wilson won in 1:58.60 at 2019 Millrose Games to set the U.S. Indoor Track and Field 800 m record & NACAC 800 m record.
On July 28, at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Wilson placed 1st in the 800 meters in 1:57.72, to represent the U.S. for the 800 m in the 2019 World Championships in Athletics in Doha, Qatar.[18]
Achievements
Major competition record
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | World Junior Championships | Moncton, Canada | 5th | 800 m | 2:04.18 |
| 2011 | World Youth Championships | Lille, France | 1st | 800 m | 2:02.64 |
| 2012 | World Junior Championships | Barcelona, Spain | 1st | 800 m | 2:00.91 |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 5th | 800 m | 1:58.21 |
| 2014 | World Indoor Championship | Sopot, Poland | 10th (h) | 800 m i | 2:02.90 |
| World Relay Championships | Nassau, Bahamas | 1st | 4 × 800 m relay | 8:01.58 | |
| 2015 | World Relay Championships | Nassau, Bahamas | 1st | Distance medley relay | 10:36.50 (WR) |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championship | Portland, United States | 2nd | 800 m i | 2:00.27 |
| Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 12th (sf) | 800 m | 1:59.75 | |
| 2017 | Monaco Herculis | Fontvieille, Monaco | 3rd | 800 m | 1:55.61 (PB) |
| World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 3rd | 800 m | 1:56.65 | |
| 2018 | World Indoor Championship | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 2nd | 800 m i | 1:58.99 |
| Prefontaine Classic | Eugene, United States | 2nd | 800 m | 1:56.86 | |
| NACAC Championships | Toronto, Canada | 1st | 800 m | 1:57.52 (CR) | |
| Weltklasse Zürich | Zurich, Switzerland | 2nd | 800 m | 1:57.86 | |
| 2019 | Prefontaine Classic | Palo Alto, United Kingdom | 2nd | 800 m | 1:58.36 |
| World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 3rd | 800 m | 1:58.84 | |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 16th (sf) | 800 m | 2:00.79 |
| Prefontaine Classic | Eugene, United States | 7th | 800 m | 2:00.21 | |
| 2022 | World Indoor Championships | Belgrade, Serbia | 1st | 800 m i | 1:59.09 SB |
| World Championships | Eugene, United States | 8th | 800 m | 2:00.19 | |
| NACAC Championships | Freeport, Bahamas | 1st | 800 m | 1:58.47 |
Circuit wins
Diamond League champion 800 metres: 2019[19]
- 2014 (2) (800 m): London Grand Prix in Glasgow, Monaco Herculis
- 2015 (1) (800 m): New York Grand Prix
- 2019 (4) (800 m): Stockholm Bauhaus-galan, Monaco Herculis, Birmingham Grand Prix, Brussels Memorial Van Damme
- 2022 (1) (800 m): Kamila Skolimowska Memorial
- World Continental Tour Gold level
- 2022 (1) (800 m): USATF Bermuda Games
National Championships
Personal bests
| Event | Time | Location | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor | 400 m | 59.55 | Toms River, United States | December 28, 2011 |
| 500 m | 1:09.63 | Staten Island, United States | January 14, 2017 | |
| 600 m | 1:23.84 | Albuquerque, United States | March 5, 2017 | |
| 800 m | 1:58.29 AR | New York City, United States | February 8, 2020 | |
| 1000 m | 2:34.71 | New York City, United States | February 24, 2019 | |
| Mile | 4:36.84 | Staten Island, United States | January 13, 2018 | |
| 4 × 800 m | 8:05.89 WR | New York City, United States | February 3, 2018 | |
| Outdoor | 400 m | 53.63 | Chester, United States | April 19, 2014 |
| 600 m | 1:22.39 ABP | Berlin, Germany | August 27, 2017 | |
| 800 m | 1:55.61 | Fontvieille, Monaco | July 21, 2017 | |
| 1000 m | 2:44.05 | Brussels, Belgium | September 6, 2013 | |
| 1500 m | 4:05.18 | Swarthmore, United States | May 14, 2018 | |
| Mile | 4:33.57 | South Huntington, United States | August 31, 2016 | |
| 4 × 800 m | 8:01.58 | Nassau, Bahamas | May 25, 2014 | |
| DMR | 10:36.50 WR | Nassau, Bahamas | May 2, 2015 |
