Yemi Mary John

British Track and Field Star

Yemi Mary John is a rising British track and field athlete who has established herself as one of the world’s premier 400-meter runners. Currently 22 years old, she represents Great Britain & Northern Ireland in international competition and competes collegiately for the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans. She has a Nigerian father (Christopher Olanrewaju John) and an Italian mother (Gabriella Faciotti) and lives in London.

Track and Field Accomplishments

World Championship Success

2022 World U20 Championships (Cali, Colombia)

John captured gold in the 400 meters, lowering her personal best throughout the rounds to win the final in 51.50 seconds—the second fastest time ever recorded by a British under-20 athlete, after Linsey MacDonald’s 51.16 from 1980. She also won bronze in the 4x400m relay at the event. This breakthrough performance announced her arrival on the world stage and established her as one of Britain’s brightest young talents.

2023 World Athletics Championships (Budapest, Hungary)

In her first senior World Championships, John ran the anchor leg in the mixed 4×400-meter relay and took advantage of a late, dramatic fall by the Netherlands’ Femke Bol to win world silver, her first senior representative medal. The British quartet of Lewis Davey, Laviai Nielsen, Rio Mitcham and Yemi Mary John set a new national record of 3:11.06. A week later, she ran in the heats of the women’s 4×400 metres relay, winning a bronze medal.

2025 World Athletics Championships (Tokyo, Japan)

John was selected as part of the British team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where she competed in the women’s 4×400 metres relay.

Olympic Achievement

2024 Summer Olympics (Paris)

After winning the 400 metres bronze medal at the 2024 British Athletics Championships, John was subsequently named in the Great Britain team for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Running in the heats only, she won an Olympic bronze medal as part of the successful Great Britain women’s 4×400 metres relay squad. This achievement came in her maiden Olympic appearance, cementing her status as a key member of Britain’s relay program.

European Championships Excellence

2021 European U20 Championships (Tallinn, Estonia)

John ran a new personal best to finish runner-up in the 400 metres at the 2021 European Under-20 Championships in Tallinn. This silver medal came just two and a half months after her first-ever 400m race, showcasing her natural talent and rapid progression in the event.

2023 European Athletics U23 Championships (Espoo, Finland)

John won a gold medal in the 400m at the event, with compatriot Keely Hodgkinson finishing in third. She set a personal best of 51.04 seconds, beating Olympic 800m silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson in the process.

Additional International Competition

John was a member of the British 4x400m relay team that finished fifth at the 2022 World Indoor Championships held in Belgrade. At the British Athletics Championships in July 2023 in Manchester, England, she reached the final of the women’s 400m and finished in 3rd place.

Personal Bests

John’s personal bests include 50.50 seconds in the 400 meters (July 19, 2025) and 51.74 seconds in the indoor 400m short track. Her relay performances include 3:10.22 in the 4x400m mixed relay (September 13, 2025) and 3:23.33 in the women’s 4x400m relay.

She currently ranks #41 in the world in the women’s 400m and holds multiple honors: 1X World Championships silver medallist, 1X Olympic Games bronze medallist, 1X World Championships bronze medallist, and 1X in top 8 at World Championships.

NCAA Career

John is currently in her third season as a sprinter on the USC track and field team. She ranks ninth on USC’s all-time outdoor 400m list, fifth on its indoor 400m list and is the school freshman record-holder in the event. During the indoor season, she placed ninth in the 400m at the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 9 to earn second-team All-America honors with a USC freshman record time of 51.90.

Education and Academic Journey

John is a 2021 graduate of Trinity Catholic High School in London, England. She initially spent a year attending the University of Nottingham, but they did not have a track team, so she did not compete. She was set to join the University of Michigan as a freshman in 2023, but signed for the University of Southern California.

John is currently studying Economics at USC, balancing her demanding academic schedule with the rigors of elite-level athletics and international competition. Her ability to excel both in the classroom and on the track demonstrates her dedication and time management skills.

Career Aspirations and Goals

John’s athletic ambitions extend beyond medals. She stated: “Being an Olympic year, my natural answer to short-term goals must be qualifying for the Olympics. It’s been one of my main goals for forever so having an Olympic medal round my neck would be a big aim of mine. I’d also just love to be able to collect more titles and records, just becoming the best athlete and version of myself that I can possibly become.”

Looking ahead, she added: “Olympics year, Paris has to be my first and biggest target. Obviously performing in the NCAA’s season as well will be key to making sure I appear on the senior scene on an individual basis as well as in the relays. I just need to keep on doing what I have been doing and ramp it up. It’s been working pretty well so far….so just doing that, times 10. I don’t like to put a lid on my goals by giving one specific number or title but I’m definitely wanting more medals, more golds, more Olympics, more records even.”

Personal Interests and Values

Community Service and Volunteering

John is passionate about her vocational life off the track and is a committed volunteer. She has worked at a homeless shelter during holidays, demonstrating her commitment to giving back to her community. She stated: “Vocational life is quite important to me, I worked over the holidays in a homeless shelter which meant a lot to me. Just helping other people and spreading positivity, trying to put a light in darkness.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

John takes inspiration from Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s Pocket Rocket Foundation and hopes to one day build a similar legacy of her own. She is passionate about inspiring more young girls and women to embrace their dreams of becoming professional athletes, stating: “Inside my sport, I want to get more young girls and young people involved because I think a lot of young girls shy away from the idea of being an athlete.”

Her ambitions extend beyond personal achievement to making a lasting impact on the sport and creating pathways for future generations of female athletes.

Athletic Journey

John dabbled in many sports from gymnastics to MMA growing up but arrived at athletics later in her teenage years, first competing in 2019. She reflected on her journey: “Track for me was an escape at first and then it transitioned from running away from something to chasing a goal, so that was my transition. It took me away from any other distractions whether I was struggling in school or other circles, it allowed me to narrow it down and try and focus on what I was doing at the time which was track.”

John has credited her early coaching support: “My first coach was a volunteer coach and when I said I wanted to take it more seriously he dedicated a lot of time to coaching me.” She is currently coached by Alan James and represents Woodford Green Essex Ladies athletic club.

Recognition and Awards

In December 2023, John was named as the winner of SportsAid’s prestigious One-to-Watch Award for 2023, supported by Royal Bank of Canada. This annual award recognizes Britain’s brightest young sporting prospects and has previously been won by Olympic champions Tom Daley and Alex Yee, and Paralympic gold medallist Hollie Arnold.

She was presented with the Award by 400 metres legend Christine Ohuruogu MBE, who praised her achievements both on and off the track. John was also nominated for SportsAid’s One-to-Watch award in 2022, making her a two-time top 10 finalist.

Support and Development

John has received vital support from SportsAid in the early stages of her career: “This last year in particular, I wasn’t sponsored or funded otherwise, so SportsAid definitely helped me cover expenses including travel, which is a big thing for me. I went from Nottingham to Loughborough every training session last year which was quite a long journey so it definitely helped me cover expenses in that sense.”

She emphasized her holistic approach to development: “I just want to keep making my mark in the senior team and establishing myself in the NCAAs, and just become not only the best I can be on track but just the best person I can become, and taking as much from the sport as I possibly can to just develop both as an athlete and as a person.”

Looking Ahead

With Olympic and World Championship medals already to her name at just 22 years old, Yemi Mary John represents the bright future of British athletics. Her combination of natural talent, competitive success, academic achievement, and commitment to community service makes her not just an exceptional athlete, but an inspiring role model for young people around the world. As she continues to develop under the guidance of USC’s track program while representing Great Britain internationally, the athletics world eagerly anticipates her next chapter of achievement.

Go Yemi!