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Michael Johnson

Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson joins Kirsty Young to choose his Desert Island Discs.

Kirsty Young's castaway is the athlete Michael Johnson.

He is the only person ever to hold world records in the 200 and 400 metres at the same time and, by the time he hung up his legendary gold trainers, his haul of medals included five Olympic golds.

His upright running style earned him the nickname 'the duck'. He says: "They called me a really fast duck! I was ranked number one in the world - I'm so far ahead of the other people, why am I the one that's wrong?"

Producer: Leanne Buckle.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 21 Oct 2011 09:00
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Eminem

    Lose Yourself

    Composer: Bass, Mathers, Resto

    • Curtain Hall: the Hits.
    • Polydor.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • McFadden & Whitehead

      Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now

      Composer: Cohen, McFadden, Whitehead

      • Soul Years 1979.
      • Knight Records.

  • Al Green

    Tired of Being Alone

    Composer: Green

    • Al Green: Greatest Hits.
    • HI.

  • Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes

    Up Where We Belong

    Composer: Nitzsche/Jennings/Saint Marie

    • Just The Two Of Us.
    • Epic.

  • Aretha Franklin

    Ain’t Nothin’ Like the Real Thing

    Composer: Ashford/Simpson

    • Aretha Franklin: Greatest Hits CD1.
    • GLOBAL.

  • 2Pac

    Me Against the World

    Composer: Tupac Shakur

    • Death Row Greatest Hits CD1.

  • Ray Charles

    Let’s Get Stoned

    Composer: Simpson/Ashford/Armstead

    • Ray Charles: The Classic Years CD2.
    • EUK.

  • Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jaques Morelenbaum & Everton Norton

    Endless Flight

    Composer: Ryuichiro Sakamoto

    • Babel soundtrack.
    • Concord.

  • Book Choice

    • The biggest possible Encyclopedia

  • Luxury Choice

    • McLaren SLR car with petrol

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Michael Johnson

Broadcasts

  • Sun 16 Oct 2011 11:15
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 4
  • Fri 21 Oct 2011 09:00
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 4

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