Darvis Patton
A durable American sprinter who became a pillar of U.S. relay teams, claiming Olympic gold and world silver through consistency and clutch performances.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American sprinter·Birthday: December 4·Generation X
Biography
Darvis 'Doc' Patton’s career is a masterclass in longevity and reliability in the volatile world of elite sprinting. While he shone individually as a two-time U.S. champion in the 200 meters and a world championship silver medalist in 2003, his most profound impact came in the relay zone. Patton was the steady hand called upon for three consecutive Olympic Games and four World Championships. His precise curve running and dependable baton exchanges made him a fixture on U.S. 4x100m teams. The crowning moment came at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he ran the second leg for the squad that captured gold, a victory later marred by a teammate’s doping scandal. Despite the asterisks that sometimes plague his era of track and field, Patton’s own career stands on a foundation of remarkable consistency, proving that being a dependable team player can be as valuable as being the fastest man on the track.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Darvis was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Darvis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Darvis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an Olympic gold medal in the 4x100m relay at the 2004 Athens Games (running in the preliminary heats).
- Secured the silver medal in the 200m at the 2003 World Championships in Paris.
- Was a two-time U.S. national champion in the 200m (2003 and 2007).
- Competed in three Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008) and four World Championships.
Did You Know?
He earned the nickname 'Doc' because his father was a doctor.
He attended Oklahoma City University on a football scholarship before focusing on track.
He ran a personal best of 19.98 seconds in the 200m in 2003, breaking the 20-second barrier.
“The relay is about trust; you give everything and pass the baton into the void.”
