The world's fastest man

In June 1999, at a Grand Prix meet in Athens, Greece, Maurice Greene set a new standard in sprinting, clocking 9.79 seconds in the 100 meters. The world-record time improved on Canadian Donovan Bailey's old mark of 9.84 -- set at the 1996 Olympics -- by .05 seconds. It's the widest margin by which the world record has been broken since electronic timing was introduced during the 1960s. Later in 1999, at the World Championships in Seville, Greene accomplished another unprecedented feat. After defending his title in the 100 meters with a blazing 9.80, he added the 200-meter title in 19.90, becoming the first man to win both events at the worlds. Greene captured a third gold medal in Seville, running the anchor leg of the victorious U.S. 4x100-meter relay team.

Rapid improvement

Greene has made remarkable progress as a sprinter. Prior to 1995, his best time in the 100 was a wind-aided 10.20. Greene's breakout race came at the Texas Relays in 1995, when he ran a wind-aided 9.88 to defeat Carl Lewis. But a year later, nursing a groin injury, Greene did not make the 100-meter final at the 1996 Olympic Trials. At the 2000 Olympic Trials, Greene captured a spot in the Sydney Games by winning the 100-meter dash in 10.01 seconds, .06 ahead of runner-up Curtis Johnson (10.07). But his proclaimed goal of a 100-200 double in Sydney was dashed when he sustained a left hamstring injury during the 200-meter final. Greene's rival, defending Olympic champion Michael Johnson, also pulled up lame in that race, wiping out a possible showdown between the pair in Sydney.

A winning move

Greene's failure to qualify for the 1996 Games did have a positive result. He says that following the trials, he drove to Atlanta and wept while watching the 100-meter final. Newly motivated, he decided to make another road trip, this time from his home in Kansas City to Los Angeles, to unite with coach John Smith. In L.A., Greene trains alongside 1996 Olympic 100- and 200-meter bronze medalist Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago, who has become one of his biggest rivals and closest friends, and American sprint veteran Jon Drummond.

Breakout year

With the help of Smith, who analyzes every step of his 100-meter races, Greene stormed into international prominence in 1997 by clocking a 9.90 to earn his first national title. He then ran a blistering 9.86 later that year in Athens, Greece, to win gold at the Track and Field World Championships. The victory made Greene the first American man to win a major 100-meter title since Carl Lewis at the 1991 worlds.

The complete sprinter

Although he won the 1999 world title in the 200, Greene still is relatively new to the event. At the 1999 nationals, he ran a wind-aided 19.93 to earn his first 200-meter national title. He followed that success with a win at an August meet in Monte Carlo, where he ran a 19.92 to defeat former 200-meter world champion Frank Fredericks of Namibia.

Greater expectations

For years, breaking the 10-second barrier has been the standard for 100-meter greatness. Greene has helped change that: prior to the World Championships in Seville, Spain, he already had broken 9.90 three times in 1999, including his world-record run. "The perfect race? No, I can't say that," Greene said after that performance. "I'm only 24. I haven't hit my peak yet. I can't settle for 9.79."