Darden had a very successful track career for his high school, Norristown High, Pennsylvania; for his university, Arizona State; and for his track club, Philadelphia Pioneers. At high school, Darden won multiple state championships and achieved national fame by recording national indoor records at 300 and 500 yards. At Arizona State University, Darden was a key member of the track team, competing in the sprints and sprint relay, and helped the team to their first NCAA Championship in 1977. Also in 1977, Darden was a member of two Arizona State record-breaking relay teams. The first tied the 4x220 yards world best with a time of 1:21.7 in Austin, Texas on April 1 at the Texas Relays. The second broke the world record for the 4×200 metres with a time of 1:21.4 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 30 at the Penn Relays. In 1979, Darden having finished second at the USA championships qualified for the Pan American Games. Willie Smith, as American No. 1, was expected to be the main rival to the legendary Cuban athlete Alberto Juantorena. In the end a foot injury and a problem with a shoe put paid to his chances, and it was an inspired piece of running by Darden that meant it was he who was to beat Juantorena into second. Darden finished third in 400 m at the 1979 Athletics World Cup and anchored the United States 4 × 400 m relay team to victory. Darden received some criticism for his run in the individual event but ran a superb relay leg to redeem his reputation. At the 1981 Athletics World Cup, Darden again anchored the United States 4 × 400 mrelay team to victory, in a time that was then the third fastest ever. Darden never ran in an Olympics. As a high-school student he reached the quarter finals at the United States Olympic Trials in 1976. In 1980 though he finished fifth and so qualified for the 4 × 400 m relay squad but the United States boycotted the 1980 Olympics. Darden set his personal best in the 400 metres on June 21, 1981 in Sacramento.
Darden was ranked among the best in the US and the world in the 400 m sprint from 1977 to 1982, according to the votes of the experts of Track and Field News.
Year
World rank
US rank
1977
-
6th
1978
-
-
1979
3rd
1st
1980
-
6th
1981
4th
3rd
1982
-
5th
USA Championships
Darden was a very successful competitor at 400 m in the USA National Track and Field Championships between 1977 and 1984.:
Year
400m
1977
2nd
1978
-
1979
2nd
1980
2nd
1981
2nd
1982
5th
1983
6th
1984
6th
Accolades and awards
In 2007, Darden was inducted into the Penn Relays 'Wall of Fame'. Darden had already been inducted into the Penn Relays "Relays’ Wall of Fame" in 1994 as a member of the winning 1977 Arizona State University 4 × 400 m relay team. In 1989, Darden, along with the rest of the members of the 1977 sprint relay teams, was inducted into the Arizona State University Hall of Fame. In 1990, Darden was inducted into the Norristown Area School District Hall of Champions.
