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Maurice Greene has cleared the air over the genesis of his spat with fellow American sprint icon Michael Johnson back during their racing days.
American sprinting icon Maurice Greene has shed light on his infamous fallout with track legend Michael Johnson during their careers' peak in the early 2000s.
Speaking on The Powells YouTube channel hosted by fellow sprinting great Asafa Powell, Greene detailed the events that led to their strained relationship and clarified his stance on the rivalry.
Origin of the rift
Tensions between the two sprint stars began brewing in 1999 when Johnson, sidelined by injury, missed the U.S. trials for the World Athletics Championships in Seville.
Thanks to an IAAF rule granting automatic entry to defending champions, Johnson retained his spot despite not competing. Meanwhile, Greene capitalized on Johnson’s absence in the 200m, clinching the title in Seville and cementing his dominance.
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The situation escalated a year later when Greene responded to a reporter’s question about a hypothetical showdown with Johnson before the USATF trials for the Olympics in Sydney in 200.
“Me and Michael were cool, and then a reporter asked me, ‘Do you think you could beat Michael?’ I said, ‘Yeah, of course I could beat him!’” Greene shared.
Greene's confidence was unsurprising, given his competitive nature, but it allegedly irked Johnson, leading to the end of their camaraderie.
“Michael would not talk to me no more. Was I supposed to say, ‘No, he’s better than me?’ That would never come out of my mouth. I’m sorry, but I was not that kind of person.”
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The fallout, Greene explained, was both unexpected and unfortunate, considering the friendly relationship they once shared.
Reflecting on the fallout, Greene expressed no lingering resentment and defended his confidence during their rivalry.
“I wouldn’t block anybody. If they said they could beat me, then let’s go,” Greene concluded.
Rivarly on the Track in 2000
The rivalry reached its peak with fans eagerly anticipating a showdown in the 200m. However, at the Prefontaine Classic, the two opted for separate events—Greene running the 200m and Johnson sticking to the 400m. This decision sparked rumors that they were avoiding a direct face-off.
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Greene denied the claims, attributing their choices to strategic planning ahead of the Sydney Olympics.
“I don’t believe we’re trying to miss each other or anything like that. He’s on his schedule for the most important thing, and I’m on my schedule for the most important thing,” Johnson told World Athletics in 2000.
Johnson’s then take on the rivalry
Johnson, who was 33 at the time, appeared unbothered by the hype, dismissing the rivalry as overstated.
“Unless somebody’s out there running 19.3 or even 19.4, 19.5 … then I don’t get excited about challenges from other competitors anymore,” Johnson said in 2000.
While he acknowledged Greene’s talent, Johnson emphasized his focus on personal goals rather than external competition.
“If I get myself all excited about Maurice — who hasn’t run that fast this year in the 200 first of all — but let’s say he was running that fast. What if he got hurt? Then where’s my motivation?”
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