Aries Merritt Biography
Aries Merritt is an American track and field athlete. His victory at the NCAA Championships in 13.21 s was the second-fastest ever in the United States.
Prior to this, he specializes in the 110-meter hurdles, and currently holds the world record in that event with a time of 12.80 s set on September 7, 2012.
Furthermore, he broke Willie Gault’s Tennessee Volunteers hurdles record. Nevertheless, Aries won the gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Aries Merritt Age
The American track and field athlete was born on July 24, 1985, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Therefore, Aries is 34 years of age as of 2019.
Aries Merritt Height
He stands at an approximate height of 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m).
Aries Merritt Net Worth
He sits at an approximate net worth of $100,000 – $1M as of 2019. His primary source of income is his career as a track and field athlete.
Aries Merritt Family
Merritt was born to parents Owen Merritt and Brenda Stukes. His older brother, Antwan Merritt, was killed when he jumped out of a dorm room window at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina while trying to escape a fight.
Citing this, five men were charged with involuntary manslaughter in Antwan’s death and each was acquitted by a jury. Two spent 10 days in prison in the wake of being sentenced for basic ambush.
The investigators contended that Antwan hopped out of the window when the five men landed to continue a battle that began the ball court. Merritt didn’t think equity for his sibling was served.
By and by, Antwan’s passing roused Merritt to turn into a sprinter and he frequently contacts his fingers to his lips and focuses on the sky before a race. It’s a tribute to his sibling. In addition, he would urge Merritt to get into games by giving him $10 at whatever point he hit a grand slam.
“It resembles you’re never again running for one man. You’re running for two,” Merritt told the New York Times on December 2011. Antwan would have liked to be a designer.
Merritt additionally has a sister, Antionesha. She has two children, Kwame and Antwan, who is named after Merritt’s late sibling,
However, Merritt together with his siblings had a difficult upbringing. This was as a result of their parents’ divorced when they were young. They lived with their mother in Portsmouth, Virginia, while Antwan lived with their father.
Prior to this, he became the first world record breaker in Diamond League history, though he would later be joined in that particular hall of fame by the likes of Genzebe Dibaba, Kendra Harrison, and others.
Aries Merritt World Record
2012 was a unique year for USATF dash obstacles star Aries Merritt. Having shone his way to the gold decoration at the London Olympics prior in the mid-year, he arranged at the Diamond League Final in Brussels with only one thing at the forefront of his thoughts: the world record.
Around then, no one had ever broken a world record at an IAAF Diamond League meeting, however, Merritt couldn’t have cared less. After his endeavors in London, Brussels was hanging tight anxiously for what vowed to be a memorable race.
However, Merritt moved by the rankling structure he was getting a charge out of that year, flooded away from the remainder of the field, coasting over the obstacles with incomparable certainty and arriving at the line in what appeared to be an astoundingly speedy time.
Referring to this, he had broken the world record as well as wrecked it, timing 12.80 and shaving seven-hundredths of a moment of Dayron Robles past imprint.
As though a world record and an Olympic gold award weren’t sufficient, the triumph likewise observed Merritt secure the Diamond Trophy.
Preceding this, he turned into the main world record breaker in Diamond League history, however, he would later be participated in that specific lobby of popularity by any semblance of Genzebe Dibaba, Kendra Harrison, and others.
Aries Merritt Hurdles
Aries Merritt Kidney
Merritt’s kidneys began failing in 2013 to the point that they were functioning at only 10 percent. Last September, he underwent a kidney transplant. Despite that, he is still competing, still hurdling and is still among the best in the world.
When Merritt received the news that his kidneys were functioning at just 10 percent due to a genetic disorder, he feared that he never would run again.
He received his kidney transplant into the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr. Les Thomas, who treated him, is so impressed by him that he traveled to Eugene to see him compete.
Merritt calls his sister LaToya Hubbard every day. And why wouldn’t he? She’ the one who donated her kidney to save him. “She gave me the gift of life,” he says.’
After his transplant, Merritt wanted to begin training as soon as possible. His doctors, however, told him he had to wait eight weeks. He was able to get going in seven hence needed to wait several more weeks when his new kidney needed a second surgery in October.
Aries Merritt 100m
Merritt shattered the existing world record in the men’s 110-meter hurdles by .07 seconds at the Brussels Diamond League meet Friday. Citing this, it secured the season Diamond League series win for the reigning gold medalist.
Prior to this, he dominated a loaded field in a time of 12.80 to better Cuba’s Dayron Robles previous world record of 12.87 runs in 2008.
Nevertheless, it was the biggest drop in the world record since Renaldo Nehemiah dropped .28 seconds off the mark from 13.21 to 12.93 in 1981.
However, the performance came in the midst of a brilliant season for Merritt that has included the Olympic gold medal and a World Indoor 60m title. Furthermore, he owns the top seven times in the world this year and has run under 13 seconds a total of eight times.
Aries Merritt Illness
For nearly two years, Merritt ran with a secret.
After he finished 6th in 2013 World Championships in Athletics– Men’s 110 meters hurdles competition, he felt very ill.
Citing this, he was diagnosed with collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare congenital kidney disease, aggravated by a parvovirus that had attacked his kidneys and bone marrow.
Prior to this, it was discovered that one of his kidneys were functioning at just 10 percent due to a genetic disorder. Citing this, he feared that he never would run again and wasn’t sure that he’d wake up after kidney transplant surgery.