JAMES Kirani < Back  
Sport Athletics
CGA Grenada   
Gender Men
Born 01 Sep 1992 in St. George's, GRN
Height1.91 m
Human Interest
Further Personal Information
Residence Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
Higher education Business - University of Alabama: Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
General Interest
Ambitions To compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (worldathletics.org, 11 Dec 2019)
Awards and honours He was named the 2015 Sportsman of the Year by the Grenada Olympic Committee. (nowgrenada.com, 24 Feb 2016)

He was named the 2014 Sportsman of the Year by the Caribbean Sports Journalists' Association [CASJA]. (aipsmedia.com, 18 Nov 2014)

He was named Athlete of the Year in Grenada in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. (oneyoungworld.com, 23 Oct 2014)

He was flag bearer for Grenada at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. (GNS, 24 Jul 2014)

He was named the 2012 Sportsman of the Year by Caribbean Journal. He shared the award with Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. (caribjournal.com, 26 Dec 2012)

He was flag bearer for Grenada at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. (gettyimages.co.uk, 27 Jul 2012)

He was named the 2009 Sportsman of the Year in Grenada. (rolltide.com, 03 Feb 2010)
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport? He took up athletics at age 12.
Further Personal Information
Occupation Athlete
General Interest
Nicknames The Jaguar (kiranijames.com, 29 Apr 2016)
Other information ILLNESS
In 2017 he was diagnosed with Grave's Disease, an autoimmune condition that attacks the thyroid. The illness forced him to end his season early and it took him 14 months to race again. "My coach spoke to [US athlete] Gail Devers for assurance. Just knowing that she had it, probably worse than me, and came back is something that has given me confidence." (worldathletics.org, 11 Dec 2019)
Famous relatives His older brother Gary has represented Grenada in basketball. (IAAF, 10 Feb 2014)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? "My whole family played basketball, a sport that my father and brother play very seriously. I grew up playing basketball and a bit of football, but then I figured out that track and field was the best choice for me."
Name of coach Harvey Glance [personal], USA
Further Personal Information
Languages English
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto "My philosophy is just to compete to the best of my abilities and run fast." (theguardian.com, 23 Aug 2014)
Milestones In 2012 he became the first person representing Grenada to win a medal in any sport at the Olympic Games when he claimed gold in the 400m in London. Four years later at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, his silver medal in the same event made him the first person representing Grenada to win more than one Olympic medal. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Dec 2020)

In 2014 he became the first person representing Grenada to win a gold medal in any sport at the Commonwealth Games when he was victorious in the 400m in Glasgow, Scotland. (IAAF, 18 Aug 2015; grenadasports.gd, 22 Dec 2014; SportsDeskOnline, 30 Jul 2014)