BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY Khadevis Robinson (born 19 July 1976 in Fort Worth, Texas) is an American retired middle distance runner who specialized in the 800 metres. His personal best time is 1:43.68 minutes, achieved in August 2006 in Rieti. A four-time US champion both outdoors and indoors, he has competed at six consecutive editions of the World Championships in Athletics, from 1999 to 2009. Robinson also represented his country at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Running career
Collegiate
Robinson was a multiple NCAA National Champion where he ran for Texas Christian University and earned his undergraduate degree. Robinson earned his Masters degree in Public Administration from California State University, Los Angeles in 2004. He has taught in the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District, as well as having acted as a public speaker and non-profit track coach.[2] He has the nickname "KD" in the athletics community.
Post-collegiate
He broke a 21-year-old Modesto Relays 800 meter record in 2005 with a time of 1:45.35 minutes.[3]
Robinson ran for the Santa Monica Track Club for his post collegiate career, coached by former teammate Johnny Gray. Robinson has adopted Gray's hard front-running style, frequently taking races out hard into the "Gray Zone."
Robinson helped the USA 4×800 m relay team break the 24-year-old world record and 20-year-old American record with a registered time of 7:02.82 minutes at the Memorial Van Damme meet in Brussels on August 25, 2006. Robinson ran the fastest leg of all competing teams in the relay with a time of 1:43.8.[4] He finished fifth at the 2006 World Athletics Final and sixth at the 2006 World Cup.
He won the 800 m at the 2008 USA Indoor Track & Field Championships on February 23, 2008. At the USA Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, Khadevis finished fourth in the 800m race, being passed by Christian Smith performing a dive across the finish line to complete what has been called the "Oregon Sweep"[5] missing, by one spot, a berth in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Frustrated by the 2008 Olympic Trials, Robinson considered retirement, but persevered through the next four years. As a 35 year old, he took one more shot at making the Olympics. On June 25, 2012 he ran in the 2012 United States Olympic Trials final. Unlike his typical races, Robinson stayed off the pace as Charles Jock and Duane Solomon took the race out under 50 seconds for the first lap. Robinson even trailed notable kicker Nicholas Symmonds through the race. But when it was time to move, Solomon broke away from the field with Symmonds and then Robinson chasing. Symmonds passed Solomon on the home stretch. Robinson was the strongest of the rest of the field chasing Solomon, catching him at the line and securing his return to the United States Olympic Team.
Coaching career
Robinson is currently the head coach of women's cross country and an assistant track coach at Louisiana State University. He had previously held those positions at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Ohio State University.
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