Derrick
Peterson

Olympian 2004

Athlete Bio#

Height

5'11"

Age

Hometown

Columbia

Education

Lovejoy HS (Ga.) '96 Missouri '00

Career Highlights

3rd at 2004 Olympic Trials; 2002 U.S. Indoor champ; 2001 USA Outdoor runner-up; 1999 NCAA Outdoor Champion; 2000 NCAA Outdoor runner-up; 1999 World University Games bronze medalist

A former All-American and NCAA champion, Peterson made his first Olympic team in 2004, placing third in Sacramento, with a new personal best time of 1:45.08. Peterson competed at the World Outdoor Championships at Edmonton in 2001, and won his first U.S. title at the 2002 USA Indoor Championshipshe won the bronze medal at the 1999 World University Games and is the American collegiate record holder in the indoor 800m (1:45.88). He was an eight-time Big 12 champion in the 800m, six-time All-American and holds the Missouri school record in both the indoor (1:45.88) and outdoor (1:45.18) 800m. He is a student assistant coach with the Tigersmajored in hotel and restaurant management at Missouri...was hit by a car during a training run in the summer of 1995 only several weeks after being in a car accident while drivinghe walked away from both incidentsa two-time Georgia state champ and former Georgia State High School Athlete of the Year.

2006: 7th in semis at USA Outdoors (1:49.55)...12th at adidas Classic (1:49.67)...8th at Reebok Grand Prix (1:50.97)...6th at Naimette-Xhovemont (1:46.69)...best of 1:46.69.
2005: 4th in 800m at USA Outdoor Champs (1:47.30)...DNF at USA Indoors (tripped)...runner-up at Lignano (1:46.09)...ranked #6 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:46.09.
2004: 3rd at Olympic Trials 800m (1:45.08PR)4th in opening round 800m heat at Olympic Games (1:47.60) 5th in 800m at Tyson Foods Invitational (1:47.31)3rd at Drake Relays (1:49.55)best of 1:45.08PR.
2003: 6th in semifinal at USA Outdoors (1:48.83)1st at Brunswick (1:45.69)1st in B race at Heusden (1:46.13)best of 1:45.69.
2002: USA Indoor 800m champ (1:46.60)...3rd at USA Outdoors (1:48.14)1st at Boston (2:19.82i)6th at Linz (1:48.22)1st at Stanford (1:47.18)ranked #3 in the U.S. by T&FNbest of 1:47.18.
2001: Runner-up at USA Outdoors (1:47.40) 5th in opening round heat at World Outdoor Champs (1:48.56)6th at USA Indoors (1:51.14)2nd at adidas Oregon Track Classic (1:46.44)1st at Peregrine Systems U.S. Open (1:46.03)4th at Millrose Games (1:50.87)3rd at Tyson Invitational (1:48.26)ranked #2 in U.S. by T&FNbest of 1:45.49 in Zurich.
2000: Runner-up, NCAA Outdoors (1:45.18) 5th, Olympic Trials semis (1:48.10)Won Big 12 Championship best of 1:45.18.
1999: Won NCAA Outdoors (1:46.97) Won Big 12 Championships 4th, prelims at USA Outdoors Bronze medalist, World University Games best of 1:46.75, 1:45.88i.
1998: 4th, NCAA Outdoors Won Big 12 Championships6th, semis at USA Outdoorsbest of 1:47.14.
1997: 7th in prelims at NCAA Outdoors and USA Outdoors Won Big 12 Championshipsbest of 1:48.10.