Renaldo Nehemiah
He shattered the unthinkable 13-second barrier in hurdling, then dared to become a professional football player.
Born 1959 (age 67)·American football player and hurdler·Birthday: March 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Renaldo Nehemiah didn't just run hurdles; he redefined the physics of the event. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was untouchable, a sleek force of nature who treated the ten barriers as minor inconveniences. His crowning moment came in 1981 when he clocked 12.93 seconds, becoming the first human to ever run the 110-meter hurdles in under 13 seconds—a barrier once thought as formidable as the four-minute mile. His dominance was so complete that he was ranked world number one for four consecutive years. Then, in a move that stunned the sports world, he walked away at his peak to try out as a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. For three seasons, he brought his explosive speed to the NFL, catching passes from Joe Montana and winning a Super Bowl ring. Though he later returned to track and briefly reclaimed world number one status, his legacy is that of a dual-sport pioneer who possessed the audacity to excel at the highest level in two completely different arenas.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Renaldo was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Renaldo Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Renaldo's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
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
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
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
1980Turned 21
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
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- First man to run the 110-meter hurdles in under 13 seconds, setting a world record of 12.93 in 1981.
- Ranked as the world's number one high hurdler for four consecutive years (1979-1981, 1987).
- Won a Super Bowl XIX championship as a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers in the 1984 season.
- Set multiple world records indoors and outdoors in the hurdles during his career.
Did You Know?
He was nicknamed "Skeets" for his speed, as in "skeeter" or mosquito.
His transition to the NFL was controversial and led to him being declared a professional, which initially barred him from amateur track.
He returned to track after his NFL stint and remarkably regained his world No. 1 ranking in 1987.
He has worked as a sports agent, representing track and field athletes.
“I knew I could play football. I just wanted the opportunity.”
