PARIS, France — Joseph Fahnbulleh, a Minnesota native, has once again proven his speed on the global stage, representing Liberia in the 200 meters at the Paris Olympics. The 22-year-old Hopkins High School graduate finished seventh in the men’s 200 meters final on Thursday, clocking a time of 20.15 seconds, just under half a second behind the winner, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana.
Born on September 11, 2001, Fahnbulleh has a storied track career. At Hopkins, he won two Minnesota state track and field titles in 2018 and 2019 and helped set a state record in the 4x200m relay, a record that still stands. His success continued at the collegiate level with the Florida Gators, where he became the NCAA outdoor champion in the 100 meters in 2022 and a two-time champion in the 200 meters in 2021 and 2022.
Paris marks Fahnbulleh’s second Olympic appearance. He previously competed in the Tokyo Olympics, where he finished fifth in the men’s 200 meters and set a new Liberian national record.
In addition to his individual events, Fahnbulleh also competed in the men’s 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics, running alongside fellow Minnesotans Emmanuel Matadi, a St. Paul Johnson graduate, and Jabez Reeves, a sprinter from Minnesota State-Mankato. Despite their efforts, the Liberian team did not advance to the finals.
