Dennis Johnson is a former Jamaican sprinter who equalled the world record, 9.3 seconds, for the 100-yard dash in 1961. Johnson later became a coach and advisor, and the architect of the Jamaican athletics programme.
After leaving college, Johnson went into a career in sports development and was to become renowned as the architect of Jamaica's subsequent track and field success. Johnson's dream on leaving San Jose State University was to take what he'd learnt there and develop, for the first time, a US-style college athletic program in Jamaica. Johnson's inspiration was the legendary San Jose sprints coach, Bud Winter - "'Bud' Winter was a master coach. I decided to come back home and bring his methodology to training sprinters in Jamaica", Johnson has stated. In 1971, Johnson started a sports program at was then a two-year vocational college, the College of Arts, Science and Technology, that later, in 1995, became University of Technology, Jamaica, a four-year college. Amongst Johnson's first training group was a then 20-year-old Anthony Davis, who was later to follow Johnson as sports director at UTech. Johnson has also stated how he was also inspired to emulate the great Jamaican sprinter, Herb McKenley, who had coached Johnson in high school and passed on what he had learned from his time in the United States - "I just wanted to be like him." To help foster the coaching of adult athletes, Johnson and UTech entered a partnership with Stephen Francis and the MVP Track and Field club in Kingston. Johnson has served at Utech in many capacities: as Chairman of the Sport Advisory Council; as Adjunct Associate Professor of Sport Science; the first Director of Sports; and has headed Special Projects for Intercollegiate Sports. In addition, he was the founder of the Jamaican Inter-Collegiate sports competition. Commonly known by the initials DJ, Johnson or DJ is world-renowned as a coach and many of his pupils have gone onto coach other coaches themselves. In 2010, he was able to start a Sports Science degree programme at UTech.
Awards
In 2001, Johnson was inducted into the San Jose State Spartans Hall of Fame.
In 2001, Johnson was awarded the Order of Distinction by the government of Jamaica.
In 2009, Johnson was awarded UTech's Chancellor’s Medal.
In 2012, UTech renamed its athletes’ residence, previously known as the Track House, in Johnson's honour.
In 2014, Johnson won the Pioneer Award from Team Jamaica Buble for his "contribution to Jamaica’s progression in Track and Field and his invaluable support in the development of the sport off the track". In addition, Johnson was honoured by three branches of the United States government, receiving.
Rankings
Johnson was ranked 2nd in the world in the 100 m sprint in 1961 according to the votes of the experts of Track and Field News.
