David Payne

USAMen

David Payne is an American hurdler born on July 24, 1982, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Standing 183 cm and weighing 79 kg, he specialized in the 110 and 400 metre hurdles while competing for the University of Cincinnati, where he won multiple Conference USA titles and was named C-USA Outdoor Athlete of the Year.

Payne achieved his breakthrough at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, winning bronze with a personal best of 13.02 seconds. His medal was remarkable because he was called up as an alternate for injured American record holder Dominique Arnold and arrived in Japan less than 24 hours before racing. He also won silver at the 2007 Pan American Games behind Dayron Robles.

A two-time NCAA All-American who set school records at both hurdle distances, Payne resides in Northern Kentucky and trains in Cincinnati. His World Championship bronze medal, earned under extraordinary circumstances, remains the highlight of his international career.