Kim Collins

3.1. Debut and Early Career

Collins made his debut at a major championship at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg, Sweden, where he competed in the 4 × 100 metres relay, finishing 6th in his heat. The following year, he participated in his first Olympic Games in Atlanta, qualifying for the second round of the 100 metres. He rapidly improved his performance, and at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, he made history by becoming the first athlete from Saint Kitts and Nevis to qualify for an Olympic final, ultimately placing 7th in the 100 metres. The subsequent year, at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics in Edmonton, Collins secured Saint Kitts and Nevis's first-ever World Championship medal by earning a bronze in the 200 metres, tying his personal best of 20.20 seconds.

3.2. Olympic Games Participation

Kim Collins represented Saint Kitts and Nevis at five consecutive Summer Olympics, a testament to his enduring career:

• 1996 Atlanta Olympics**: Made his Olympic debut, reaching the second round of the 100 metres.
• 2000 Sydney Olympics**: Became the first athlete from his nation to reach an Olympic final, finishing 7th in the 100 metres with a time of 10.17 seconds. He also advanced to the semifinals of the 200 metres, placing 5th. He served as the flagbearer for his country at the opening ceremony.
• 2004 Athens Olympics**: Carried the flag for Saint Kitts and Nevis once more at the opening ceremony. He again made the 100 metres final, finishing 6th with a time of 10.00 seconds.
• 2008 Beijing Olympics**: Competed in the 100 metres, reaching the semifinals (5th place), and the 200 metres final, where he finished 6th with a time of 20.59 seconds.
• 2012 London Olympics**: Served as flagbearer for the opening ceremony. However, he was controversially expelled from the team and did not compete (see Major Incidents and Controversies).
• 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics**: At 40 years old, he was the oldest sprinter at the Games. He qualified for the 100 metres, finishing 17th in the semifinals with a time of 10.12 seconds, and competed in the 4 × 100 metres relay.

3.3. World Championships Performances

Collins participated in ten editions of the World Athletics Championships, earning five medals:

• 1995 Gothenburg**: Competed in the 4 × 100 metres relay.
• 1997 Athens**: Debuted individually in the 200 metres, being eliminated in the first round.
• 1999 Seville**: Competed in both the 100 and 200 metres, being eliminated in the first rounds.
• 2001 Edmonton**: Won his first World Championship medal, a bronze in the 200 metres, with a time of 20.20 seconds. He also finished 5th in the 100 metres.
• 2003 Saint-Denis (Paris)**: Achieved the biggest triumph of his career by winning the gold medal in the 100 metres. In a tight race where the top four finished within 0.02 seconds, Collins claimed victory with a time of 10.07 seconds, becoming the first world champion from Saint Kitts and Nevis. This final was notably open after defending Olympic and World Champion Maurice Greene was eliminated in the semi-finals.
• 2005 Helsinki**: Secured a bronze medal in the 100 metres, clocking 10.05 seconds, behind Justin Gatlin and Michael Frater, making it his third consecutive World Championship medal.
• 2007 Osaka**: Reached the semifinals of the 100 metres.
• 2009 Berlin**: Reached the quarterfinals of both the 100 metres and 200 metres. Following this championship, he announced his retirement.
• 2011 Daegu**: After a brief retirement, he returned to win two bronze medals: one in the 100 metres (10.09 seconds) and another as part of the 4 × 100 metres relay team, which set a national record of 38.47 seconds in the heats and finished in 38.49 seconds in the final. This made him the oldest medalist and finalist in the men's 100m at the World Championships at 35 years and 145 days.
• 2015 Beijing**: Competed in the 100 metres, becoming the oldest participant in the men's 100m at the World Championships at 39 years and 139 days.

3.4. Commonwealth Games

At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, United Kingdom, Kim Collins won his first major title by securing the gold medal in the 100 metres with a time of 9.98 seconds. This victory was later complicated by a doping incident (see Major Incidents and Controversies).

3.5. Pan American Games

Collins also distinguished himself at the Pan American Games. At the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, he set a new Pan American Games record in an early 100 metres heat with a time of 10.00 seconds. He went on to win the silver medal in the final, marking Saint Kitts and Nevis's first-ever medal at the Pan American Games. In 2007, he finished 5th in the 100 metres and 8th in the 4 × 100 metres relay.

3.6. World Athletics Indoor Championships

Kim Collins has a strong record in indoor sprinting, particularly in the 60 metres:

• 2003 Birmingham**: Earned a silver medal in the 60 metres with a time of 6.53 seconds.
• 2008 Valencia**: Won another silver medal in the 60 metres, clocking 6.54 seconds.
• 2016 Portland**: Competed in the 60 metres final, finishing 8th with a time of 6.56 seconds. At this event, he became the oldest finalist in the men's 60m at the World Indoor Championships (39 years and 348 days).
• 2018 Birmingham**: Made his last World Championship appearance, competing in the 60 metres, though he did not advance to the final. At this event, he became the oldest participant in the men's 60m at the World Indoor Championships (41 years and 332 days).

3.7. Other Competitions and Circuit Wins

Collins regularly competed and achieved victories in numerous other significant athletic meets and circuits throughout his career.

• 60 metres**:
  • Russian Winter Meeting: 2011, 2013, 2015
  • PSD Bank Meeting: 2011, 2015, 2016
  • ISTAF Indoor: 2014, 2015, 2016
  • Copernicus Cup: 2015
  • Pedro's Cup: 2015
  • Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix: 2015
  • Malmö Games: 2015
• 100 metres**:
  • Vardinogianneia: 2001
  • Athletissima: 2001
  • Bélem Grand Premio Brasil de Atletismo: 2002
  • Żywiec Cup: 2002, 2003
  • Prefontaine Classic: 2002, 2003, 2015 (9.99 seconds at 39 years and 55 days)
  • DN Galan: 2002
  • Adidas Track Classic: 2003
  • London Grand Prix: 2003
  • British Grand Prix: 2004, 2005, 2016
  • Brothers Znamensky Memorial: 2008
  • Meeting Lille Métropole: 2008
  • Kawasaki Super Meet: 2011
  • FBK Games: 2011
  • Janusz Kusociński Memorial: 2011
  • Meeting International de Sotteville-lès-Rouen: 2012
  • Great CityGames Manchester: 2013, 2016
  • Meeting Grand Prix IAAF de Dakar: 2013
  • Ostrava Golden Spike: 2013
  • Gyulai István Memorial: 2013, 2014
  • Meeting International Mohammed VI d'Athlétisme de Rabat: 2014
  • Berlin ISTAF: 2015, 2016
• 200 metres**:
  • Vardinogianneia: 2001
• 4 × 100 metres relay**:
  • DN Galan: 2007

  Additionally, he was a runner-up at the 2002 IAAF Grand Prix Final and finished fifth at both the 2003 IAAF World Athletics Final and 2004 IAAF World Athletics Final, and fourth at the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final. At the 2014 IAAF Continental Cup, he won gold in the 4 × 100 metres relay and bronze in the 4 × 400 metres relay. He also earned a silver medal in the 100 metres and 4 × 100 metres relay at the 1999 Central American and Caribbean Championships, and gold medals in the 100 metres and 200 metres at the 2000 NACAC Under-25 Championships and the 2001 Central American and Caribbean Championships. In 2003, he won gold in the 100 metres at the Central American and Caribbean Championships.

3.8. Retirement and Comeback

In September 2009, Kim Collins announced his retirement from international athletics, concluding a career that had spanned nearly 17 years. However, citing good physical condition, he reversed his decision and returned to competition on January 29, 2011, at the Aviva International Match in Glasgow, at the age of 34. His comeback was highly successful, as he set a new 60 metres personal best and national record of 6.52 seconds in Düsseldorf, a mark he further lowered to 6.50 seconds just days later. He continued to compete at an elite level for several more years, ultimately announcing his final retirement in 2018 after competing at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships.

4.1. Personal Bests

Collins holds impressive personal bests across various sprint distances:

• 50 metres (Indoor): 5.75 seconds (February 10, 2009)
• 55 metres (Indoor): 6.24 seconds (February 24, 2001)
• 60 metres (Indoor): 6.47 seconds (February 17, 2015) - Saint Kitts and Nevis national record, M35 world record.
• 60 metres (Outdoor): 6.48 seconds (July 29, 2014) - Saint Kitts and Nevis national record.
• 100 metres (Outdoor): 9.93 seconds (May 29, 2016) - Saint Kitts and Nevis national record, M40 world record.
• 200 metres (Outdoor): 20.20 seconds (August 9, 2001)
• 400 metres (Outdoor): 46.93 seconds (April 22, 2000)
• 4 × 100 metres relay (Outdoor): 37.97 seconds (September 13, 2014)

4.2. National Records

Kim Collins holds several Saint Kitts and Nevis national records in sprint events. Most notably, his personal bests of 9.93 seconds in the 100 metres and 6.47 seconds in the indoor 60 metres stand as national records for his country. His performance in the 100 metres at 40 years old significantly improved upon his own national record.

4.3. Age-Related World Records

Collins' career is defined by his exceptional longevity and ability to set world records in masters athletics categories:

• M35 (Men over 35) World Record**: His indoor 60 metres personal best of 6.47 seconds, set in 2015, established a world record for the M35 age category.
• M40 (Men over 40) World Record**: In 2016, at 40 years and 54 days old, Collins set a new world record for the M40 category in the 100 metres, achieving a time of 9.93 seconds. This historic run made him the first and only man over 40 years of age to break the 10-second barrier. He had previously broken the M40 record earlier that year with 10.09 seconds. His 60 metres indoor best of 6.52 seconds in 2017 also set an M40 world record.
• Oldest 9-second 100m Runner**: He holds the record for the oldest athlete to run under 10 seconds in the 100 metres, achieved at 40 years and 54 days. He also became the first athlete over 35 to break 9.97 seconds in the 100 metres (9.97 seconds at 37 years and 90 days), surpassing Linford Christie's previous record.
• Oldest Olympic Men's 100m Participant**: At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, he became the oldest male athlete to participate in the Olympic 100 metres at 40 years and 131 days.
• Oldest World Championships Men's 100m Participant**: At the 2015 World Championships in Athletics, he became the oldest male athlete to participate in the World Championships 100 metres at 39 years and 139 days.
• Oldest World Indoor Championships Men's 60m Finalist**: At the 2016 World Indoor Championships, he became the oldest male athlete to reach the final of the 60 metres at 39 years and 348 days.
• Oldest World Indoor Championships Men's 60m Participant**: At the 2018 World Indoor Championships, he extended his own record as the oldest male participant in the World Indoor Championships 60 metres at 41 years and 332 days.

4.4. Track Records

As of September 2024, Kim Collins holds the following track records for the 100 metres and 200 metres:

4.4.2. 200 metres

Location	Time	Windspeed (m/s)	Date
Gold Coast	20.37	+ 2.1	September 10, 2000

4.5. Seasonal Bests

Kim Collins' seasonal bests illustrate his long and consistent career:

4.6. Major Titles and Awards

Collins accumulated several prestigious titles and honors throughout his career. He was a two-time NCAA Division I Indoor Champion in 2001, winning both the 60 metres and 200 metres. He also contributed to a NCAA Division I Outdoor Championship title in the 4 × 100 metres relay in 2001.

In recognition of his historic 100m World Championship gold in Paris in 2003, the government of Saint Kitts and Nevis declared August 25 as "Kim Collins Day". He was also featured on a set of two stamps issued by Saint Kitts in 2002.

5.1. 2002 Commonwealth Games Doping Case

After winning the 100 metres gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Kim Collins tested positive for the beta-agonist Salbutamol during a doping test. However, it was determined that the banned substance was part of his prescribed asthma medication, which he had been taking for several years. The issue arose because he had neglected to declare his medication to the medical commission. Following an investigation, Collins was ultimately allowed to keep his gold medal and received only a warning, avoiding a ban.

5.2. 2012 London Olympics Expulsion

Kim Collins was controversially expelled from the Saint Kitts and Nevis team at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London on August 4, 2012. The official reason given was that he had missed training sessions. Collins, however, publicly stated that he was being punished for spending time with his wife, who had come to visit him in London. This dispute with the Saint Kitts and Nevis administrators led to his removal from the team, preventing him from competing in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay events for which he was scheduled. Following this incident, he did not return to international competition until 2015.

6.1. Longevity and Age-Related Achievements

Collins is celebrated for his extraordinary career longevity, maintaining an elite performance level well into his late 30s and 40s, a rarity in professional sprinting. His ability to compete at the highest level for over two decades, culminating in breaking the 10-second barrier at age 40, redefined perceptions of age in athletics. He set numerous age-group world records, showcasing that dedication and proper training can extend an athlete's prime far beyond conventional expectations. His career challenged the notion that sprinters peak only in their 20s, inspiring many athletes to pursue longer careers.

6.2. National Significance

Within Saint Kitts and Nevis, Kim Collins holds immense national significance. His 2003 World Championship gold medal made him the country's first and only individual world champion, a monumental achievement that brought immense pride to the nation. As a testament to his impact, the government of Saint Kitts and Nevis officially declared August 25 as "Kim Collins Day" in honor of his historic victory. He has also been featured on national stamps, further cementing his iconic status. He is widely regarded as an inspirational figure for aspiring athletes and a symbol of national achievement.

6.3. Impact on Athletics

Beyond his home country, Collins has had a broader influence on the sport of athletics. His remarkable age-defying performances have inspired a generation of athletes and coaches to reconsider training methodologies and career pathways, demonstrating that peak performance can be sustained longer than previously thought. He showcased the importance of discipline, resilience, and passion for the sport, leaving a legacy as one of the most durable and remarkable sprinters in history.