Matthew Centrowitz

The affable track & field athlete Matthew Centrowitz Jr. is an Olympic champion, a World Indoor Champion, a 2 x World Championships medalist, and a multiple USATF Champion. He specialises in the 1500m, and became a prominent figure in US running when he took bronze at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics. He took silver at the same event in 2013, and at the 2016 World Indoor Championships won his first major international event in the 1500m. He took gold in the 1500m at the 2016 Rio Olympics, becoming the first US runner to win the event since 1908. He is the son of two-time Olympian Matt Centrowitz, and brother to elite runner, Lauren Centrowitz.

Born and raised in Maryland, he became a track star while at High School where his negative split 8:41.55 win in the 2-mile race at the Nike Outdoor Nationals is still considered one of the best races in prep history. His time of 4:08.38 for the mile at the Penn Relays the same year established a meet record, and he also went on to set the Maryland State record over 1600m in 4:04.09. He won a gold medal at the Pan American Junior Championships in the 1500m, too. He competed successfully, breaking records, at the University of Oregon, and turned professional in 2011. He became a Nike-sponsored athlete, and joined the Nike Oregon Project, where he was coached by Alberto Salazar. He has had a continuously successful running career, and in 2019 he moved to the Bowerman Track Club under the coaching of Jerry Schumacher.

Centrowitz occasionally connects with his dedicated fanbase via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, posting pictures and videos of his life both on and off the track.