Michael Norman, the 25-year-old sprinter, and 2019 world 400m champion, is turning his focus to the 100m. Norman had always been identified as a potential 100m runner since his high school days, with coaches Quincy Watts and Caryl Smith Gilbert of USC and nine-time Olympic champion Carl Lewis of Houston, suggesting that he had the natural ability to make the switch.
Norman plans to race the 100m at July’s USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships, hoping to earn one of the three spots for the August World Championships in Budapest.
Norman believes that he has achieved everything he wanted in the 400m and is now ready to try something new.
“I can comfortably say that I’ve achieved what I wanted to achieve in the 400m, and I can start challenging myself and trying something new in attempting to medal and break records in the 100m,” was quoted by NBC Sports saying.
Norman’s ultimate goal is to compete in the Paris Olympics in 2024, and he views the 2023 season as a stepping stone to achieving this.
Norman clocked 9.86 seconds in the 100m in 2020, which was the fastest time in the world for the year. He returned to the 400m in 2021, where he placed fifth in Tokyo, but his focus is now on the 100m. Norman hopes to compete against other reigning world champions at the upcoming world championships, which include Fred Kerley (100m), Noah Lyles (200m), and himself (400m). The US nationals will be the first hurdle for Norman, where he will compete with top sprinters such as Christian Coleman and Trayvon Bromell for a place on the national team.
Michael Norman is taking a risk by shifting his focus to the 100m, but he feels it’s time to try something new. He could be a top contender for the Paris Olympics if he succeeds.
