- Randy Barnes
Eric Randolph ("Randy") Barnes (born
June 16 ,1966 ) is an Americanshot put ter who holds outdoor and indoor distance records. He won silver at the 1988 Olympics and gold at the 1996 Olympics.Barnes was born in
Charleston, West Virginia , grew up in nearby St. Albans, and began throwing the shot put in high school. In 1985, he threw an impressive 66 ' 9.5" (20.36 m) with the prep shot of 12 lb (5.44 kg). After graduating from St. Albans High School in 1985, he attendedTexas A&M University where he broke school records (set byRandy Matson ) with a put of 21.88 m (71 ft 9.5 in) with the 7.26 kg (16 lb) full size shot.He went to the 1988 Seoul Olympics where he threw 22.39 m (73 ft 5.5 in) and earned a silver medal at only 22. He came second to
Ulf Timmermann ofEast Germany , who threw 22.47 m. OnJanuary 20 ,1989 , he set a new indoor world record at the Sunkist Invitational in Los Angeles with a put of 22.66 m (74 ft 4.25 in), which was better than his outdoor personal best at the time.On
May 20 ,1990 , he brokeUlf Timmermann 's outdoor record with a put of 23.12 m. Barnes was banned from competing for 27 months after testing positive for theanabolic steroid methyltestosterone at a competition inMalmö ,Sweden onAugust 7 that same year. He sued to have the suspension overturned, but lost. Due to the suspension, he was unable to compete in the 1992 Olympics.At the 1996 Olympic games, Barnes won the gold medal that eluded him 8 years earlier with a come from behind 21.62 m throw on his final attempt. In 1998, he tested positive for
androstenedione , an over-the-counter supplement (famously used byMark McGwire ) that is banned in track and field. Although Barnes claimed he didn't know androsten was banned, he was suspended from competition in the Olympic Games for life.As of 2008 , both of Barnes's records still stand. He recently became along driving competitor, competing to hit a golf ball as far as possible; he qualified for the 2005 World Long Drive Championship.ee also
*
List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences External links
* [http://www.randybarnes.com/ Official Barnes Site]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1427 Randy Barnes at Sporting-Heroes]###@@@KEYEND@@@###
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