Olympic sprinter arrested for battery ahead of track event

U.S. Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley was arrested for misdemeanor battery Thursday after allegedly striking a woman with a closed fist at a hotel ahead of this weekend’s Grand Slam Track event in Miami.

Kerley, the reigning Olympic bronze medalist in the men’s 100-meter dash, was booked into Broward County jail after allegedly encountering the woman, who told police she is Kerley’s ex-girlfriend, at the hotel. According to a police report obtained Friday by USA TODAY Sports, Kerley grew aggressive and stated that he was ‘going to (expletive) everyone up in here.’

‘(The woman) then advised that Kerley struck her one time in the facial area, causing her nose to bleed,’ the police report states.

USA TODAY Sports does not identify the victims of alleged acts of domestic violence without their permission.

Grand Slam Track confirmed in a statement that Kerley, who was scheduled to compete in the 100-meter dash on Saturday and the 200-meter dash on Sunday, would no longer compete at this weekend’s event and declined further comment.

Richard L. Cooper, an attorney for Kerley, told USA TODAY Sports in an email that he is ‘confident that the case lacks merit and will be dismissed in short order.’

‘Fred looks forward to going back to what he does best: Winning races and inspiring millions of young athletes,’ Cooper said.

Thursday’s arrest came about four months after Kerley was arrested for battery upon a law enforcement officer after a confrontation with police, during which the 29-year-old was wrestled to the ground, struck repeatedly and then subdued with a stun gun. Kerley was then also charged with domestic battery in an unrelated case from 2024. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

Kerley is one of the most well-known sprinters in the U.S. after winning Olympic medals in the 100-meter dash at each of the past two editions of the Summer Games. Originally a 400-meter runner, Kerley switched to the 100 ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where he won a surprising silver. He then won the 100-meter world title in 2022, followed by Olympic bronze in the event at the Paris Games last summer.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @tomschad.bsky.social.