.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Track and Field Announces Additions of Olympians Merritt and Forbes to Coaching Staff
11/16/2022 1:45:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Ken Hunt, the Brown Alden-Rothenberg Men's and Women's Cross Country/Track & Field Coaching Chair has announced the hiring of two former Olympians in Aries Merritt and Damar Forbes to his coaching staff.
Merritt, the current 110-meter hurdles world record holder and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, joins Hunt's staff as an assistant coach for sprints and hurdles. Forbes, a two-time Olympian and five-time Jamaican national champion, joins as an assistant coach for sprints and jumps.
"We have a remarkable staff with the competitive energy this program, University, and alumni deserves and adding Aries Merritt and Damar Forbes highlights our commitment to a competitive vision for our programs," Hunt said. "Merritt's and Forbes' elite coaching philosophy and their versatility across numerous disciplines fits perfectly within our program. Their athletic resumes speak for themselves, yet who they are as human beings and competitive coaches speaks louder."
Merritt spent 15 years as a professional track & field athlete from 2006-2021. He is the current world record holder in the 110m hurdles (12.80 seconds), which he has held since 2012. He won the world indoor title in the hurdles in 2012, the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 110m hurdles, and went on to win the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Collegiately, Merritt was a seven-time All-American at the University of Tennessee and won two NCAA national championships in the hurdles during the indoor and outdoor seasons in 2006.
Click here to read Merritt's full bio.
Forbes comes to College Hill after most recently serving as an assistant coach for sprints/hurdles and jumps at Loyola University New Orleans.
As an athlete, Forbes twice qualified for the Olympics, competing in the long jump for Jamaica in both the 2012 Games in London and 2016 in Rio, where he was a finalist. He was a five-time Jamaican national champion, a two-time finalist at the world championships, and was a silver medalist at the 2011 CAC Games.
He culminated his collegiate career at LSU by capturing the NCAA Outdoor and SEC Outdoor championships in the long jump in 2013. He also won an SEC title and All-America honor that year while running the leadoff leg for the Tigers' 4x100m relay team, helping him to be named the SEC Men's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. He captured six All-America and All-SEC honors during his career.
Click here to read Forbes' full bio
With the addition of Merritt and Forbes, Brown now has four Olympians on staff, joining throws coach Craig Kinsley '11 and volunteer assistant Khamica Bingham.
"With the foundation we are laying, we want prospective student-athletes striving to make an impact as great citizens and professionals without giving up their athletic potential to see that Brown is the ideal destination," Hunt said. "We are demonstrating that just like Brown University's open curriculum, this track & field and cross country program is thinking outside the box and building differently. This will be done with distinction, pride, and in a way that demonstrates a holistic approach to the student-athlete development. Our student-athletes will compete and achieve some of the highest athletic accomplishments while developing into future professional leaders at one of the best academic institutions."
Brown will open up the 2022-23 track and field season by hosting the Alden Invitational on Saturday, December 3.
BROWN UNIVERSITY SPORTS FOUNDATION
The Brown University Sports Foundation (BUSF) is the lifeblood of the athletics program, and exists to enhance the student-athlete experience through philanthropic support from alumni, parents, fans and friends. A gift through the Sports Foundation makes an immediate impact on today's Brown Bears and helps them to be their best in the classroom, in competition and most importantly in the community. To learn more about supporting the Bears, please click here.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Brown Athletics, please follow @BrownU_Bears on Twitter, @BrownU_Bears on Instagram, like BrownUBears on Facebook and subscribe to the BrownAthletics YouTube channel.
Merritt, the current 110-meter hurdles world record holder and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, joins Hunt's staff as an assistant coach for sprints and hurdles. Forbes, a two-time Olympian and five-time Jamaican national champion, joins as an assistant coach for sprints and jumps.
"We have a remarkable staff with the competitive energy this program, University, and alumni deserves and adding Aries Merritt and Damar Forbes highlights our commitment to a competitive vision for our programs," Hunt said. "Merritt's and Forbes' elite coaching philosophy and their versatility across numerous disciplines fits perfectly within our program. Their athletic resumes speak for themselves, yet who they are as human beings and competitive coaches speaks louder."
Merritt spent 15 years as a professional track & field athlete from 2006-2021. He is the current world record holder in the 110m hurdles (12.80 seconds), which he has held since 2012. He won the world indoor title in the hurdles in 2012, the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 110m hurdles, and went on to win the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Collegiately, Merritt was a seven-time All-American at the University of Tennessee and won two NCAA national championships in the hurdles during the indoor and outdoor seasons in 2006.
Click here to read Merritt's full bio.
Forbes comes to College Hill after most recently serving as an assistant coach for sprints/hurdles and jumps at Loyola University New Orleans.
As an athlete, Forbes twice qualified for the Olympics, competing in the long jump for Jamaica in both the 2012 Games in London and 2016 in Rio, where he was a finalist. He was a five-time Jamaican national champion, a two-time finalist at the world championships, and was a silver medalist at the 2011 CAC Games.
He culminated his collegiate career at LSU by capturing the NCAA Outdoor and SEC Outdoor championships in the long jump in 2013. He also won an SEC title and All-America honor that year while running the leadoff leg for the Tigers' 4x100m relay team, helping him to be named the SEC Men's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year. He captured six All-America and All-SEC honors during his career.
Click here to read Forbes' full bio
With the addition of Merritt and Forbes, Brown now has four Olympians on staff, joining throws coach Craig Kinsley '11 and volunteer assistant Khamica Bingham.
"With the foundation we are laying, we want prospective student-athletes striving to make an impact as great citizens and professionals without giving up their athletic potential to see that Brown is the ideal destination," Hunt said. "We are demonstrating that just like Brown University's open curriculum, this track & field and cross country program is thinking outside the box and building differently. This will be done with distinction, pride, and in a way that demonstrates a holistic approach to the student-athlete development. Our student-athletes will compete and achieve some of the highest athletic accomplishments while developing into future professional leaders at one of the best academic institutions."
Brown will open up the 2022-23 track and field season by hosting the Alden Invitational on Saturday, December 3.
BROWN UNIVERSITY SPORTS FOUNDATION
The Brown University Sports Foundation (BUSF) is the lifeblood of the athletics program, and exists to enhance the student-athlete experience through philanthropic support from alumni, parents, fans and friends. A gift through the Sports Foundation makes an immediate impact on today's Brown Bears and helps them to be their best in the classroom, in competition and most importantly in the community. To learn more about supporting the Bears, please click here.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Brown Athletics, please follow @BrownU_Bears on Twitter, @BrownU_Bears on Instagram, like BrownUBears on Facebook and subscribe to the BrownAthletics YouTube channel.
Oduro wins Indoor Heps
Monday, April 07
Brown Athletics 2024 Happy Holidays Video
Friday, December 20
Brown Track and Field Alden Invitational Recap
Wednesday, December 11
Brown Athletics Recap: 2023-24
Tuesday, June 18
