Sanjay Ayre

Sanjay Claude Ayre (born 19 June 1980 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a world-class Jamaican sprinter specializing in the 400 meters.

Puma North America Signed Ayre to an undisclosed record 3-year contract in June 2003. Together with Brandon Simpson, Lansford Spence and Davian Clarke he won a bronze medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics. Sanjay Ayre won a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games along with Haughton, Blackwood, Mcfarlene, and Mcdonald. This bronze was later upgraded to a silver medal in 2008. A successful college athlete, Ayre was a 14-time All-American while attending Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama and was also named the "NCAA Indoor Freshman of the Year" in 2000. He earned a gold medal at the 2004 World Indoor Championships in the 4 × 400 meters relay event. Ayre also competed in the 400 meter event and was a finalist in the 4 × 400 meters relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Sanjay Ayre graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology.

Ayre attended Calabar High School in St. Andrew, Jamaica where he was an all around athlete, as well as DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, New York, and participated in multiple sports. In addition to his track & field accomplishments, he was recognized for his outstanding athletic ability in soccer and swimming. Under the coaching of Edward Hector, he was voted the "1999 High School Athlete of the Year" after winning the 400 meter title at the Indoor and Outdoor National Scholastic meets. At the age of 18, Ayre made his senior debut representing Jamaica in the 4 × 400 meters relay at the 1999 World Indoor Championships in Maebashi, Japan. This team went on to break the Jamaican National Record. Sanjay Ayre also won gold medals at the 1999 Junior Pan American Games and remains as the only Jamaican junior athlete to win the 400 meter title.

While enrolled at Auburn University, he quickly established himself as a collegiate sprint talent under the guidance of Ralph Spry, who also coached Auburn alumnus and 400 meter World Champion Avard Moncur. As a freshman, Ayre won the 2000 SEC 400 meter Indoor title and achieved five All-American honors. Somewhat hampered by injuries throughout his sophomore year, Ayre regained form late summer 2001, and competed for the Jamaican World Championship team in the 400 meter and 4 × 400 meters relay events. As a junior, he continued his stellar collegiate career receiving multiple All-American honors and went on to compete in the 400 meter and 4 × 400 meters relay events at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. In his final season as a collegiate athlete, Ayre finished as the NCAA 400 meter Indoor Runner-up and received additional All-American honors during his 2003 outdoor campaign.

After an outstanding collegiate career, Sanjay turned professional and remained at Auburn to be coached by Ralph Spry until 2005. Following a successful 2005 season, Ayre moved on to be coached by world-renowned 400 meter coach, Clyde Hart.

Ayre commenced his professional career while still considered a collegiate athlete. However, his first appearance as a professional athlete was at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, DR where he earned a gold medal in the 4 × 400 meters relay. In 2004, Ayre competed at the World Indoor Games where he earned another gold medal in the 4 × 400 meters relay. For Sanjay Ayre, success continued throughout 2005 as he maintained a top-ten world ranking at 400 meters. After a disappointing 2006 season, Ayre rallied back to win a gold medal at the Central American & Caribbean Games in the 4 × 400 meters relay.

In 2007 he filled the summer with dominating 400 meter performances culminating with the 2007 Jamaican National Championships where on 24 June 2007 he would win the 400 meter title in 45.07 s and go on to compete in the 4 × 400 meters relay at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan and ultimately finish his season with another top-ten world-ranking.

In 2008, Ayre was a member of the Jamaican Olympic team that recorded dominating performances in the sprint events at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. While there, Ayre competed in the 400 meter and 4 × 400 meters relay events. Sanjay Ayre along with teammates Michael Blackwood, Ricardo Chambers, and Lansford Spence finished a disappointing eighth place after being favored to win a medal.