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Michael Johnson: how the world's fastest man learned to walk again

US sprinter and Olympic champion Michael Johnson broke records as one of the fastest men in the world. But in 2018 an unexpected stroke left him unable to walk.

US athlete and Olympic champion Michael Johnson is one of the greatest sprinters in history. In the 1990s, he tore through the record books with a series of thrilling gold medal wins. Even after he retired from racing, he kept up a rigorous work-out regime, exuding health and fitness. So, for Michael it was frightening and unnerving when he had a stroke in 2018. It left him unable to move by himself and he had no idea if he’d ever recover. Michael Johnson was once the fastest man in the world - would he learn to walk again?

Presenter: Neal Razzell
Producer: Maryam Maruf
Sound design by Joel Cox

Picture: Michael Johnson after winning gold and breaking the 200m world record at the 1996 Olympics
Credit: Getty Images

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44 minutes

Last on

Fri 7 Feb 202004:06GMT

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  • Thu 6 Feb 202012:06GMT
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