Bershawn 'Batman' Jackson to Make a Return to the Kansas Relays

April 12, 2011

LAWRENCE, Kan. – After a one-year hiatus, Bershawn `Batman’ Jackson will make a return to the 2011 Kansas Relays. A Relays regular, Jackson is a five-time winner in the 400-meter hurdles who currently holds the Kansas Relays record and won four-straight titles from 2005-2008.

The 2008 Olympian is coming off of a banner year, in which he won his third-straight U.S. Championship. His championship time of 47.32 was the fastest time recorded in 2010 and brought his U.S. title total up to four.

In 2005, Jackson became the first American in 10 years to win a 400-meter title in the World Championships when he captured gold in Helsinki with a then-personal best time of 47.30. Three years later Jackson made his first Olympic Games after winning the 2008 Olympic Trials and went on to win a bronze medal in Beijing. Jackson has been an extremely consistent performer throughout his career, having earned a top-10 ranking every year since 2003.

The Miami native won his first Kansas Relays title in 2003, and went on to win four-straight starting in 2005, capping off that streak with a record-setting time of 48.32 in 2008. The performance earned him the Most Outstanding Male Performer award.

A 2006 graduate of St. Augustine College, Jackson currently resides in Raleigh, N.C., where he trains with 2004 U.S. Olympic team head coach George Williams and competes for Nike.

Jackson and the rest of the 400-meter hurdles field will square off at 3:10 p.m., Saturday April 23 at Memorial Stadium.

Tickets for the 84th Kansas Relays can be purchased at Memorial Stadium or online at KUAtheltics.com. Advance orders can also be made by emailing the KU ticket office at kuticketsku.edu or by calling 800-34-HAWKS.