"I would like to start with a 'Special Thanks' to all of you who have always believed in me; for without you, I would not be where I am right now. I feel very privileged to earn my living as a track and field athlete. The coaching I receive in the 100 and 200 meter events has provided me with the opportunity to push myself to my limits and discover an inner strength which has helped make my goals attainable. Determination and perseverance is the key to my success, while my disappointments in some meets are a source of my motivation. I hope this personal web site will help readers learn more about Justin Gatlin. Once again, 'Welcome and Thank you for stopping by.' I hope you enjoy your journey through my Portfolio Gallery(On Track, Off Track ), Biography, Guestbook, News, and Event Results.

I was born Justin Alexander Gatlin February 10, 1982 in Victory Memorial Hospital Brooklyn, New York to Willie and Jeanette A. Gatlin. I'm the youngest of four children. I was named Justin by my mom because she says that I was Just-in-time, for there will be no more, because I was very active in my mother's womb. I was never still, always moving, she would always tell my dad when he came in from work that she was always tired and very much ready for me to be born because it seemed like I was running track. Never still, my dad, being from the south, would tell her that she had to be careful because she could very well mark me, and I could very well come here running track. "I was Born to Run." My father spent 26 years in the US Army, retired Sergeant First Class. My mom had a successful career in fashion design and advertisement with one of the world's largest publishing companies conda nast. It was agreed since I was the last to be reared; I would get all the attention to find what would be my niche."

"It's always good to have respect...but fear lasts longer"

My early years were a wonderful experience growing up, some of which were spent in Fort Hamilton, NY
in military housing out on Sheepshead Bay, where I began running and jumping fire hydrants, racing my friends on foot while they were on their bicycles as told by mom. This is when my parents enrolled me in gymnastic and karate. Neither captured my interest. My father received reassignment orders to a civil affair unit.

Subsequently, my middle years were spent in Pensacola, Florida where my parents continued trying to find out what it was that I wanted to participate in besides academics. I was very good at drawing, and etching with charcoal. My parents bought me an easel along with tons of art supplies, and a lot of my art work was entered into local shows around town, in which I won first place blue ribbons. I was encouraged by my parents and my high school art teacher to pursue a scholarship in art. I was encouraged to play baseball, but found that to be too slow because I dislike the fact of having to wait for the ball to be hit to the outfield to me. I joined the school swim team, I played basketball, played saxophone, and piano, none of which held my interest. I wanted to play football, but my mom saw other high school freshmen with broken arms, collarbones, and legs and said that wasn't a sport that she wanted me in. Besides, practice was too long and she refused to pick me up. My father saw it differently, he would wait for my practice to end no matter how long it took. I made the team, made the very first interception for the class of 2000. I soon became disenchanted with the head coach because he was not a man of his word. He would put you in for two plays and let the freshmen warm the bench the entire game after practicing hard and long hours. So, I turned in my pads and cleats; the coach said that I would be sorry. I told him no I wouldn't, he would be the sorry one because I came ready to play my heart out for him and the team because I am a true athlete and wanted to show my God-given talent. One day, while crossing campus, I noticed the school's track team warming up on the 110m high hurdles and I told the track coach I can do that. He invited me to join the team. My very first contested event in the 110m high hurdles I won. It got my picture in the local newspaper sport section, and I came home beaming, telling my dad that I had found my niche in life. I recall while in a four year college reach-out program I entered an essay contest titled "Unstoppable Teen" and I won. That was the standard-bar that I set for myself ever since.