Kirk Baptiste (June 20, 1962 – March 24, 2022) was an American track and field athlete, who mainly competed in the 200 metres. He was born in
Beaumont, Texas. He competed for the United States at the
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the sec ...
held in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, where he won the silver medal in the 200 metres with a time of 19.96 seconds. This was the first time anyone had broken 20 seconds and come second in the race. He decided to forgo his final season of eligibility at the
University of Houston
The University of Houston (UH) is a public research university in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1927, UH is a member of the University of Houston System and the university in Texas with over 47,000 students. Its campus, which is primarily in s ...
after his successful junior year. Baptiste was diagnosed with
HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...
in the 1990s, spending a decade abusing drugs to escape. In 2006 he began treatment at "A Caring Safe Place" in Houston.
[http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/2006_4056734/a-caring-safe-place-facility-offers-a-second-chanc.html ]
References
External links
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1962 births
2022 deaths
American male sprinters
Olympic silver medalists for the United States in track and field
Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Sportspeople from Beaumont, Texas
Track and field athletes from Texas
People with HIV/AIDS
Houston Cougars men's track and field athletes
Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners
World Athletics Indoor Championships winners
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