Leroy Burrell
The speed king who twice broke the world's ultimate sprint record, blazing a trail in the shadow of his friend and rival Carl Lewis.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American track and field athlete·Birthday: February 21·Generation X
Biography
Leroy Burrell's story is one of relentless pursuit in the fastest lane imaginable. Emerging from the powerhouse University of Houston track program, he was thrust into a historic rivalry with his teammate and friend, Carl Lewis. This wasn't just competition; it was a mutual propulsion system that pushed the boundaries of human speed. In 1991, Burrell shattered Lewis's world record in the 100 meters, a mark many thought untouchable. Lewis reclaimed it, but Burrell, undeterred, roared back in 1994 to set a new standard of 9.85 seconds. His running was a model of efficient power—less the floating grace of Lewis, more a piston-driven explosion from the blocks. While individual Olympic gold eluded him, his legacy is that of a record-breaker who defined an era of American sprint dominance, both as a singular talent and as a crucial leg on world-record-setting relay teams that seemed unbeatable.
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.
Leroy was born in 1967, 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 Leroy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Leroy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
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 50
#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 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Set the world record in the 100 meters twice, first in 1991 (9.90s) and again in 1994 (9.85s).
- Won an Olympic gold medal as part of the 4x100 meter relay team at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
- Won two World Championship gold medals in the 4x100 meter relay (1991, 1993).
- Was the 1991 World Champion in the 100 meters.
Did You Know?
He and Carl Lewis traded the 100m world record back and forth four times between 1988 and 1994.
He later returned to his alma mater, the University of Houston, as the head coach of the track and field team.
His son, Cameron Burrell, also became a NCAA champion sprinter at the University of Houston.
He ran the lead-off leg for the U.S. 4x100m relay team that set a world record in 1992 (later vacated due to a teammate's doping violation).
“The record was just a number; the race was against myself.”
