Ben Johnson free essay sample

Ben met his coach Charlie Francis at the Scarborough Optimists track and field club. Charlie was also a Canadian 100 metre sprint champion himself and a member of the Canadian 1972 Summer Olympics Team. Charlie was also Canada’s national sprint coach for nine years. Ben Johnson had his first international success in the 1982 Commonwealth games winning two silver medals. He came second in both the 100 metre sprint and the 400 metre team relay. In the 1984 Summer Olympics, he reached the 100 metre finals grabbing himself a bronze medal. In 1985, after eight consecutive losses, Ben finally beat Carl Lewis. After his victorious win, Ben was unstoppable, winning many more important races. On September 24, 1988, Ben Johnson beat Carl Lewis in the 100m final at the Olympics, lowering his own world record to 9. 79 seconds. Johnson would later remark that he would have been even faster had he not raised his hand in the air just before he finished the race. We will write a custom essay sample on Ben Johnson or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, Johnsons urine samples were found to contain stanozolol and was disqualified three days later. He later admitted having used steroids when he ran his 1987 world record. Ben and his coach Francis complained that they used doping in order to remain on an equal playing field with the other top athletes on drugs they had to compete against. Later, five of the finalists of the 100-meter race tested positive for banned drugs or were implicated in a drug scandal at some point in their careers. Later on, Charlie freely admits that his athletes were taking anabolic steroids, as he claims all top athletes at the time were taking drugs. The numerous athletes using performance enhancing drugs at the time understood how long before a race they should stop using the drugs. In 1991, after Ben’s suspension ended, he attempted to regain his fame and his responsibilities. He failed to achieve his dream of redeeming himself, knowing that taking anabolic steroids was the wrong thing to do. He ruined his ethics, trust in family, friends and fans as well as his responsibilities. He then retired in 1993, unable to find a race that he was accepted in. After all of the commotion, he became a wonderful coach for his son’s football team.