Michael Granville

Last updated
Michael Granville
Michael Granville (33903844816) (cropped).jpg
Granville in 2017
Personal information
NationalityFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Born (1978-02-14) February 14, 1978 (age 46)
Bell Gardens, California
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight184 lb (83 kg)
Sport
Sport Running
Event 800 metres
College team UCLA Bruins
Achievements and titles
Personal bests*All information from athlete's World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.
Updated on 30 December 2024

Michael Granville (born February 14, 1978) is a retired American 800 meter runner. He is known for being the national high school record holder in this event, with a time of 1:46.45 set in 1996.

Contents

Early life and background

Granville's father was a half miler and observed his son's competitive ability and speed when he played football in 1987. Granville claims to have run 800 meters in a time of 1:56 before entering high school. [1]

Running career

Competing for Bell Gardens High School, Granville set new class records at 800 metres in all four levels of high school; 1:51.03 as a freshman, 1:48.98 as a sophomore, 1:47.96 as a junior, and 1:46.45 as a senior. He also won the Arcadia Invitational four times. [1]

His time of 1:46.45, set in the trial round of the 1996 CIF California State Meet at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California, was a new United States high school record. He went on to win the state meet the following day, but after setting the record he claims he just "dogged it." [2] He had won this race his sophomore season and was upset by Aaron Richburg his junior year. [3] [4]

Granville was trained by his father, on grass at nearby Bell Gardens Middle School, separate from the rest of his team. His father felt training on grass "makes you work harder." [5]

Granville's record qualified him for the United States Olympic Trials. He skipped his high school graduation to compete at the Olympic Trials, where he advanced to the quarter finals behind the previous high school 800 meter record holder George Kersh. [6]

After high school, Granville competed for UCLA where his times did not improve. He won two national championships as a member of the school's 1999 4 x 400 metres relay and distance medley relay teams. [1]

After retirement

Granville coached the Palo Alto High School track and cross country team in Palo Alto, California. He also founded the G:Fit Bootcamp, an outdoor group fitness program. [1]

Granville believes that Cooper Lutkenhaus has the ability to break his 800 m high school record. [7] [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Interview with 800m national record holder, Michael Granville". MileSplit California.
  2. "Michael Granville, 800m High School National Record Holder | US Athlete/Coaches Interviews | Flotrack". Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2011-06-25.
  3. "California State Meet Results - 1915 to present". Hank Lawson. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2012-12-25.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-10-06. Retrieved 2011-06-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Archives". Los Angeles Times . 22 May 1994.
  6. http://www.legacy.usatf.org/usatf/files/69/695a8112-b7a0-4b9d-9dbb-8b4bca22677c.pdf Archived 2019-05-17 at the Wayback Machine [ bare URL PDF ]
  7. "Generational 800-meter talent Cooper Lutkenhaus already ahead of pace set by Olympians". Dallas News. 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  8. Grundy, William. "Michael Granville, Cooper Lutkenhaus Taking 1:45 NR To 1:44". Texas MileSplit. Archived from the original on 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2024-12-29.