View source for Randy Barnes

{{Short description|American shot putter (born 1966)}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Randy Barnes
| nationality = American
| image = 1994-04 Randy Barnes.JPG
| caption = Barnes (front) at the UTEP Sierra Medical invitational meet in 1994
| fullname = Eric Randolph Barnes<ref name=SR/>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|06|16|mf=yes}}<ref name=SR/>
| birth_place = [[Charleston, West Virginia]], U.S.<ref name=SR/>
| height = {{convert|1.95|m|order=flip}}<ref name=SR/>
| weight = 291 lb<ref name=SR/>
| country={{flagu|United States}}
| sport = [[Sport of athletics|Athletics]]
| event = Shot put
| club =
| coach = [[Robert Parker (coach)|Robert Parker]]
| og =
| wc =
| regionals =
| pb = 23.12 m (1990)
| headercolor = lightsteelblue
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport| Men's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]] }}
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
[[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|80px]]
{{MedalGold |[[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Atlanta]] | [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put|Shot put]]}}
{{MedalSilver |[[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]] | [[Athletics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's shot put|Shot put]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalSilver |[[1993 World Championships in Athletics|1993 Stuttgart]]|[[1993 World Championships in Athletics – Men's shot put|Shot put]]}}
{{MedalBronze |[[1995 World Championships in Athletics|1995 Gothenburg]]|[[1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's shot put|Shot put]]}}
}}
'''Eric Randolph Barnes''' (born June 16, 1966) is an American former [[shot put]]ter who held the outdoor [[List of world records in athletics|world record]] for the event from 1990 to 2021. He won silver at the [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Olympics]] and gold at the [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Olympics]].<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/records/by-category/world-records IAAF World Records]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2015-01-18.</ref> Only three throwers have been within {{convert|40|cm|in}} of his outdoor world record since it was set.<ref>[https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitiondocuments/pdf/6033/AT-SP-M-f----.RS6.pdf?v=1517585223 IAAF All-Time Top List after 2019 World Championships]. IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2019 – All-Time Top List . Retrieved on 2019-10-06.</ref>

==Biography==
Barnes was born in [[Charleston, West Virginia]],<ref name=SR>{{cite Sports-Reference |url= https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ba/randy-barnes-1.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200417174531/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ba/randy-barnes-1.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= April 17, 2020|title=Randy Barnes |access-date=January 18, 2015}}</ref> grew up in nearby [[St. Albans, West Virginia|St. Albans]], and began putting the shot in high school. In 1985, he put an impressive {{convert|20.36|m|ft}} with the prep shot of {{convert|5.4|kg|lb}}. After graduating from [[St. Albans High School]] in 1985, he attended [[Texas A&M University]] where he broke school records (set by [[Randy Matson]]) with a put of {{convert|21.88|m|ft}} with the {{convert|7.26|kg|lb}} full size shot. While at A&M, Randy worked with hall of famer conditioning coach [[Istvan Javorek]] and throws coach [[Robert Parker (coach)|Robert Parker]].

He went to the 1988 [[Seoul, Korea|Seoul]] Olympics where he put {{convert|22.39|m|ft}} and earned a silver medal at only 22. He came second to [[Ulf Timmermann]] of [[East Germany]], who put {{convert|22.47|m|ft}} at the height of [[Doping in East Germany|East German doping dominance]].<ref name=SR /> On January 20, 1989, he set a new indoor world record at the [[Sunkist Invitational]] in [[Los Angeles]] with a put of {{convert|22.66|m|ft}}, which was better than his outdoor personal best at the time.<ref name=IAAF>[http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/randy-barnes-181 Randy Barnes]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2015-01-18.</ref>

On May 20, 1990, he broke [[Ulf Timmermann]]'s outdoor record with a put of {{T&Fcalc|23.12}}.<ref name=IAAF /> Six days later Timmermann almost matched his world record, throwing {{T&Fcalc|23.10}} at the Bruce Jenner Invitational in [[San Jose, California|San Jose]].  Barnes was banned from competing for 27 months after testing positive for the [[anabolic steroid]] [[methyltestosterone]] at a competition in [[Malmö]], Sweden, on August 7 that same year. He sued to have the suspension overturned but lost. Due to the suspension, he was unable to compete in the [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Olympics]].<ref>Hersh, Phil (1991-04-24). [https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/04/24/track-panel-turns-down-barnes-steroid-appeal/  Track Panel Turns Down Barnes` Steroid Appeal]. ''Chicago Tribune''. Retrieved on 2015-01-18.</ref>

At the [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Olympic Games]], Barnes won the gold medal that eluded him 8 years earlier with a come-from-behind {{convert|21.62|m|ft}} put on his final attempt.<ref name=SR /> In 1998, he tested positive for [[androstenedione]], an over-the-counter supplement (famously used by baseball player [[Mark McGwire]]) that is banned in track and field. Although Barnes claimed he did not know androsten was banned, he was suspended from competition for life.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/140659.stm US athletics stars suspended]. [[BBC Sport]]. Retrieved on 2015-01-18.</ref>

Barnes later became a [[long driving]] competitor, competing to hit a golf ball as far as possible; he qualified for the 2005 World Long Drive Championship.<ref>Warters, Bob (2004-08-24). [http://www.golfmagic.com/news/golf-news/golden-olympians-now-a-long-driver/3848.html Golden Olympian's now a long driver]. Golf Magic. Retrieved on 2015-01-18.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030808072535/http://randybarnes.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1427 Randy Barnes at Sporting-Heroes]

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{succession box
| before = {{flagicon|GDR}}  [[Ulf Timmermann]]
| title = [[Men's shot put world record progression|Men's shot put world record holder]]
| years = May 20, 1990 – June 18, 2021
| after = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ryan Crouser]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Shot Put Men}}
{{Footer WBYP Shot Put Men}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in men's shot put}}
{{Footer US NC shot put Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1988 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1996 Summer Olympics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Randy}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Charleston, West Virginia]]
[[Category:People from St. Albans, West Virginia]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from West Virginia]]
[[Category:American men shot putters]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for the United States]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Doping cases in the sport of athletics]]
[[Category:American sportspeople in doping cases]]
[[Category:Texas A&M Aggies men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Athletics indoor record holders]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1994 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Sportspeople banned for life]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]