Christina Clemons is still competing at the highest level of track and field in 2026, while her husband, Kyle Clemons, has built a career of his own. The former Kansas 400-meter runner won Olympic gold with the U.S. 4x400m relay team at the 2016 Rio Games. Christina, meanwhile, is a World Indoor Championships silver medalist and a 2020 Olympian. In 2026, she continued racing indoors, including a third-place finish at the Millrose Games in 7.97 seconds. Their story goes beyond being a famous track couple. Both have had to rebuild their careers in different ways.
The journey of Kyle Clemons during the early years
Kyle Clemons is a former American 400-meter runner and an Olympic gold medalist. He was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and grew up in Rowlett, Texas. At the University of Kansas, he set the school records in both the indoor and outdoor 400 meters and won two Big 12 titles.His biggest international moment came in 2016. Clemons ran in the U.S. 4x400m relay at the Rio Olympics, helping the team win gold. The University of Kansas also lists him among its Olympic medalists. Before that, he won the 2014 USA Indoor 400m title and took bronze in the individual 400m at the 2014 World Indoor Championships.Kyle also moved into business after his running career. He and Christina opened Gold Medal BBQ Co. in Lawrence, Kansas. The couple started with a food truck before opening a restaurant. Kyle handled the smoked meats while Christina prepared the sides. The Lawrence Times reported that Kyle saw the local community as a major reason the business stayed open during its early years.Kyle has also spoken about wanting a career in chiropractic care. According to EssentiallySports, he began thinking about his next career after the 2016 Olympics and later enrolled at Parker University to study chiropractic care.
Christina Clemons and Kyle Clemons’ relationship
Christina Clemons and Kyle Clemons married in 2018. Their relationship grew while both were dealing with demanding track careers. Christina had already gone through a major setback after rupturing her Achilles tendon in 2013. She later returned to competition and eventually made the U.S. Olympic team for Tokyo.Kyle has also been closely involved in Christina’s training. In a 2021 interview with Runner’s World, he described her approach to competition by saying, “Every time she hits the track, she just gets after it.” He also spoke about her personal style and confidence away from competition.Christina’s career has remained active. World Athletics lists her as a 36-year-old U.S. hurdler and a World Indoor Championships silver medalist. In 2026, she ran 7.94 seconds at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and later clocked 7.82 at the Tiger Paw Invitational. She also won the USC Invite 60m hurdles in 7.98 seconds.That makes Kyle and Christina an unusual sports partnership. Both know what elite competition demands, but their paths have not stayed limited to the track. Kyle has moved into business and chiropractic studies, while Christina continues to compete against some of the best hurdlers in the world.
