- published: 29 Jul 2015
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Harry "Butch" Reynolds (born June 8, 1964) is an American former track and field athlete who competed in the 400 meter dash. He held the world record for the event for 11 years with his personal best time of 43.29 seconds set in 1988. That year he was the silver medalist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics (behind Steve Lewis) and a relay gold medalist. He was banned for drug use for two years by the IAAF, following an unsuccessful legal appeal.
On his competitive return he became the 1993 World Indoor Champion and won two successive 400 meter silver medals at the World Championships in Athletics. He also enjoyed success with the 4×400 meter relay team, winning the world title three times in his career with the United States (1987, 1993 and 1995). His team's time of 2:54.29 minutes at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics is the current world record. Reynolds remains the second fastest of all-time in the 400 m after Michael Johnson.
Reynolds was born in Akron, Ohio. On August 17, 1988, aged 24, he set a 400-meter world record with 43.29 seconds, smashing Lee Evans' nearly 20-year-old world record by 0.57 seconds. This record stood for 11 years, nine days and was broken by Michael Johnson (43.18) in August 1999 — the current world record. Reynolds remains the second fastest of all-time over the distance, and Olympic champions Jeremy Wariner, Quincy Watts, LaShawn Merritt and Kirani James as well as world champion Wayde van Niekerk are the only others to have come within a half a second of his best mark.