Michael Norman Is Back, Splits 44.7 in First Race in 19 Months, Has New Coach

Michael Norman is back.

The 2022 world 400m champion and 2021 Olympic 4x400m gold medalist raced for the first time in more than 19 months at the Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville, Florida.

Norman ran the lead-off leg for Gainesville Elite, splitting an unofficial 44.7 and handing off just behind Christopher Robinson of Pure Athletics. It was his first race since finishing eighth in the Olympic 400m final at the Paris Games in 2024.

Norman has moved to Austin

Unoffical 44.7 for Michael Norman (headband in lane 6) in first race of 2026

After the race, Norman revealed he has relocated to Austin, Texas, where he is now training under University of Texas coach Edrick Floréal after parting ways with longtime coach Quincy Watts.

In a post-race interview with Citius Mag (embedded below), Norman detailed the struggles he has faced over the past two years. He said a pelvis injury in 2024 worsened as he attempted to make and compete at the Paris Olympics.

“That kind of compounded into more things,” Norman said, saying he had 12 different shots in 2024.

He added that after trying multiple treatments without success, he ultimately underwent surgery a little over a year ago and is now finally healthy enough to return to racing.

Despite the long layoff, Norman was encouraged by his season debut.

“I was a little anxious today trying to figure out where I’m going to be,” Norman said. “But I think I ran relatively decent. Coach already told me my corrections.”

2028 is the focus

Michael Norman side by side with Robinson

For 2026, Norman is keeping his expectations simple.

“Finish the year healthy. That’s it,” he said. “I don’t care if I run 45.1 — actually, I’ll be mad if I run 45.1 — but if I finish the season healthy, that’s a win for me. It’s a three-year process. We’re going for gold in 2028.”

Tate Taylor breaks highs school 200m record, Noah Lyles 19.91, Adaejah Hodge 10.77

In other action at Tom Jones, Noah Lyles ran 19.91 in the 200m, but the bigger story was Tate Taylor running 20.05 to break Lyles’ high school record of 20.09. Jordan Anthony ran a wind legal 9.91. The most impressive 100m was Georgia’s Adaejah Hodge running 10.77, the 2nd fastest 100m ever by a collegian, only behind Sha’Carri Richardson. Hodge is the athlete who served a secret 17-month doping ban that ended earlier this year.

Tate Taylor’s 200

*Tom Jones results