One of the most distinctive sprinters in the history of track and field with his powerful, upright stride pattern, Michael is widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. Four times an Olympic champion and eight times a world champion, he piled up a career total of 12 Olympic and World Championship gold medals by the time he retired from competition after the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. He is the only person to hold both the 200 meters and 400 meters world records and is the only male athlete to defend successfully the Olympic 400 meters crown.