# Miriam Barnes

Miriam Barnes (born 14 November 1983) is an American former hurdler and sprinter specializing in the 400 metres and the 2008 World Athletics Indoor Championships bronze medalist in the 4 × 400 m relay. Before she turned professional with Nike, Inc., Barnes was an All American for the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters track and field team in the relay. Barnes was in 3rd position and nearly became an Olympian at the 2008 United States Olympic trials, but she fell over the final hurdle and was disqualified.

## Career

As a prep at Harrisburg High School, Barnes finished 4th in the 400 m and 5th in the 300 m hurdles at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state championships. She committed to Barton Community College, where she placed 4th in the 400 m at the 2005 NJCAA national championships.
Running for the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters track and field team, Barnes took up the 400 metres hurdles. She had an unusual style, able to take off from either her left or right leg during races while other hurdlers favored one leg. In her first year of 400 m hurdling, she qualified for the 2006 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships in that event and the 4 × 400 m, failing to advance to the finals in both disciplines. She equaled her semi-finals placing in the 400 m hurdles at the 2007 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, but at that meet she finished 3rd in the 4 × 400 m to earn her first All American status. Barnes continued her season after NCAAs, qualifying for the semi-finals of the 2007 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Barnes achieved her greatest international success during the 2008 indoor season, beginning with finishing 4th at the 2008 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the 400 m. As a member of the U.S. team at the 2008 World Indoor Championships 4 × 400 m, Barnes ran the 2nd leg alongside Angel Perkins, Shareese Woods, and Moushaumi Robinson, contributing to a bronze medal finish behind Russia and Belarus.
Outdoors, Barnes did not run at the NCAA Championships but was competitive in her first Olympic bid at the 2008 Olympic trials. Entered in the 400 m hurdles, Barnes won her heat and finished 2nd in her semi-final. With only 3 Olympic spots available, Barnes was in 3rd position coming into the last hurdle at the trials final and was expected to make the Olympic team before she fell trying to clear the hurdle, disqualifying her from the race.
Barnes ran at her last national championships in 2009, failing to advance to the finals in both the indoor 400 m and outdoor 400 m hurdles. She completed her last international season in 2010.

## Personal life

Barnes was born on 14 November 1983 and she attended Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She graduated in 2001 and then enrolled at Barton County Community College. She gave birth to a son, Devin, and took a one-year break before enrolling at Louisiana Tech University in 2005.
Barnes was sponsored by Nike, Inc. and was coached by Shawn Jackson while in college. She lived in Ruston, Louisiana while training for the 2008 Olympic trials.

## Statistics
### Personal best progression

400m progression :
| # | Mark | Pl. | Competition | Venue | Date |
| 1 | 55.41 | | KJCCC | Coffeyville, KS | 29 Apr 2005 |
| 2 | 54.82A | 4th | National Junior College Athletic Association Championships | Levelland, TX | 17 May 2005 |
| 3 | 54.13 | (Heat 2) | WAC | Fresno, CA | 10 May 2007 |
| 4 | 53.16 sh | (Heat 7) | Tyson | Fayetteville, AR | 14 Feb 2008 |
| 5 | 53.12 sh | (Round 1) | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Boston, MA | 23 Feb 2008 |
| 6 | 53.06 | (Round 2) | Tiger Inv | Baton Rouge, LA | 11 Apr 2008 |
| 7 | 52.61 | 5th | Athletissima | Lausanne, Switzerland | 1 Sep 2008 |
400m Hurdles progression :
| # | Mark | Pl. | Competition | Venue | Date |
| 1 | 1:00.95 | | Mississippi State Bulldog Invitational | Starkville, MS | 31 Mar 2006 |
| 2 | 1:00.55 | | Louisiana Tech Jim Mize Tech Twilight | Ruston, LA | 10 Apr 2006 |
| 3 | 59.80 | | Alumni Gold | Baton Rouge, LA | 21 Apr 2006 |
| 4 | 57.06 | | Western Athletic Conference Championships | Honolulu, HI | 12 May 2006 |
| 5 | 56.97 | 5th | Mideast | Columbia, MO | 25 May 2007 |
| 6 | 56.57 | | Ole Miss Inv | Oxford, MS | 2 May 2008 |
| 7 | 56.23 | (Heat 4) | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, OR | 26 Jun 2008 |
| 8 | 55.35 | (Semifinal 1) | USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, OR | 27 Jun 2008 |