Bruny Surin's donation to Athletics for a Better World (© c)
Former World Indoor champion, and World and Olympic 4x100m Relay gold medallist Bruny Surin of Canada has donated his 9.84sec 1999 World Championships 100m silver medal winning bodysuit to the IAAF humanitarian project Athletics for a Better World.
The 38-year-old co-holder of the Canadian 100m national record started his career as a Long and Triple jumper. Following a nagging calf injury he switched to the 100m which proved an excellent decision. He made the final at the 1991 and 1993 IAAF World Championships, as well as the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, but many greater feats were to follow.
Surin won his first major international honour at the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Toronto where in front of the supporting home crowd he took gold with the excellent time of 6.50. He had run 6.45 earlier in the year in Lievin, France, which still makes him the fifth all-time best performer at 60m.
Two years later he successfully defended his World Indoor title in Barcelona with a 6.46 performance.
Outdoors at the 1995 IAAF World Championships in Gothenburg Surin took the 100m silver behind compatriot Donovan Bailey, with whom he teamed up to grab a superb win at the 4x100m sprint relay. He matched that relay feat at the Atlanta Olympics the following year.
Surin also ran the third leg for the Canadian 4x100m team that successfully defended their World crown at the 1997 IAAF World Championships in Athens. He also finished 7th in the individual 100m.
At the 1999 IAAF World Championships in Seville, Surin ran his fastest 100m race ever as he finished a close second in the final. His time of 9.84 equalled Donovan Bailey’s national record and still ranks Surin as the fifth all-time best 100m performer.
Since his retirement Surin has established the Bruny Surin Foundation which aims to support the development of youngsters through sport and accentuating the promotion of sport in schools, awakening the interest and understanding of the youngsters in this practice.
Surin’s donation will be auctioned at the end of the year and all profits donated to the United Nations Associations: FAO, UNICEF and WFP.
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