Further Information 

Competition Stats

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:
400 metres: 1999 - 3rd (U20), 2001 - 5th, 2002 - 1st, 2003 - 1st, 2004 - 1st, 2006 - 2nd

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Commonwealth Games: 2002 - 400m 8th (46.00), 4 x 400m - 5th (3.02.22, split 44.8), 2006 - 400m 5th semi (45.86), 4 x 400m 1st (3.00.93, split 44.93)
East Asian Games: 2001 - 400m 3rd (45.54)
World University Games: 2001 - 400m 2nd (45.63), 4 x 400m 4th
World Cup: 2002 - 6th (45.74), 4 x 400m 6th (3.03.65, split 44.97), 2006 - 400m 8th (46.41), 4 x 400m 8th (3.05.54, split 45.50)
World championships: 2003 - 400m 6th semi (45.35), 4 x 400m 3rd heat (3.02.89, split 44.3)
Olympic Games: 2004 - 400m 4th heat (45.89), 4 x 400m 2nd (3:00.60, split 44.61), 2008 – 4 x 400m 6th (3:00.02, split 44.41)

ANNUAL PROGRESSION:
400 metres
1997 48.33
1998 47.83
1999 47.76
2000 47.06
2001 45.54
2002 45.41
2003 45.29
2004 45.16
2005 45.71
2006 45.06
2007 46.82
2008 45.78

Interesting Facts

Family job prospects brought 16-year-old Clinton and his family to Australia from South Africa. They arrived on January 1, 1997 and Clinton became an Australian citizen on June 5, 2000.

While in South Africa Hill was selected to trial for the Crystal Palace soccer team in England. He enjoys golf, movies and surfing and speaks Afrikaans.

Sporting Career

Clinton has made steady progress since arriving from South Africa but his major breakthrough came when he placed third at the 2001 East Asian Games in the strong time of 45.54. He proved this result was no fluke with a silver medal in the 400m at the World University Games in the same year. He then dashed back to Brisbane to run the 400m and 4x400m relay at the Goodwill Games.

Clinton became national champion for the first time in April 2002 in a very tight finish, then set a new PB of 45.41 in the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, placing eighth in the final before finishing a creditable sixth in the World Cup.

The 2003 domestic season began well with a PB of 45.39 in windy conditions in Perth, which was further reduced to 45.30 in Canberra in March. After defending his national title in April he prepared well in Europe with another PB (45.29) in Italy in early July.

At the 2003 world championships Clinton clocked 45.35 in his semi but did not proceed to the final. A wonderful 44.3 in his 4x400m relay leg was his fourth sub-45 relay split but not enough for the team to make the final.

The 2004 Olympic year saw Clinton overcome an early domestic season hamstring injury to clock a series of consistent races and good clashes with Casey Vincent. An equal PB in June was bettered in July, when he lowered his best to 45.16.

In Athens, progress from the heat to the semis was hampered by root canal surgery a few days prior yet he missed by just .01 seconds. But the 4x400m relay progressed to a surprise finals berth in seventh position, assisted by Clinton’s 44.9 leg.

In the final, in an even bigger surprise, the team amazingly claimed the silver medal in the second fastest time in Australian history - 3:00.60. It was Australia’s second men's relay medal at the Olympics and its first in 48 years. Clinton ran 44.61, his sixth sub-45 split to anchor the team to silver, with the team being dubbed ‘the Silver Bullets’.

Post Athens Clinton switched to his original Australian coach, Paul Laurendet, and started training for the 400m hurdles but after an achilles injury sustained in January, did not compete for the rest of the season. He was selected for the 2005 world championships but withdrew in June due to injury.

A return to competition in December brought a run of 45.76 in Melbourne before he won the NSW title and set a PB of 45.06 in Canberra. He was beaten by John Steffensen at the nationals, running 45.54.

Clinton just missed making the Melbourne Commonwealth Games final with fifth in his semi but consolation again came in the relay team, which he anchored to a seemingly effortless and world-class gold. A good European tour ensued, equalling his PB of 45.06 in Gateshead. However, injuries again intervened and he managed only eighth at the Athens World Cup before a long enforced layoff caused him to miss the whole Australian season in 2006-07.

Clinton was given until the death-knock to declare his availability for the world championships in Osaka and undertook some competition in Europe to prove his fitness. Unfortunately, the team missed his relay experience.

Returning from an injury forced layoff over 2006/2007, Clinton returned to the track for the 2007/2008 domestic season. He performed well at the Sydney and Melbourne Grands Prix then put family first, missing the national championships to be by his wife’s side as she gave birth to their son, Callum.

His performances throughout 2008 would be enough to see Clinton Beijing bound, hoping to emulate the relay team’s performance from four years prior. In what was a quick final, the team placed sixth (3:00.02), the second-fastest time ever by an Australian team.