Kenneth “Ken” Harnden (born 31 March 1973 in Salisbury – now Harare) is a Zimbabwean track and field coach and former hurdler who specialized in the 400 metres hurdles.
His personal best time is 48.05 seconds, achieved in July 1998 in Paris. Together with Tawanda Chiwira, Phillip Mukomana and Savieri Ngidhi he holds the Zimbabwean record in 4 x 400 metres relay with 3:00.79 minutes, achieved during the heats at the 1997 World Championships in Athens. Harnden also competed for Zimbabwe in both the 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.[1]
Competing for the North Carolina Tar Heels track and field program, Harnden won the 1995 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships title in the 400 m hurdles.[2]
Under his tutelage, sophomore Walter Dix won the NCAA indoor and outdoor 200m National Championships, became a five-time All-American, a two-time NCAA East Region title holder in the 100m and 200m, six-time individual ACC Championship winner, and holds six All-ACC accolades in addition to shattering numerous school, league and world records. Fellow rookie sprinter Ricardo Chambers broke Harnden's longstanding Mike Long Track Record in the 400m while his 4x100m relay earned All-American honors for the second consecutive season. Zimbabwean 200m sprint record holder and All Africa games medalist Brian Dzingai. In his first two seasons, his 400m relay squads have finished in the top three on FSU's all-time list.[3]
| Representing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Commonwealth Games | Victoria, Canada | 6th | 400 m hurdles | 50.02 |
| 9th (h) | 4x400 m relay | 3:07.50 | |||
| 1995 | World Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 6th | 400 m hurdles | 48.89 |
| 15th (h) | 4x400 m relay | 3:03.91 | |||
| 1996 | Olympic Games | Atlanta, United States | 12th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 48.61 |
| 28th (h) | 4x400 m relay | 3:13.35 | |||
| 1997 | World Championships | Athens, Greece | 11th (sf) | 400 m hurdles | 48.82 |
| 6th | 4x400 m relay | 3:01.43 | |||
| 1998 | African Championships | Dakar, Senegal | 2nd | 400 m hurdles | 49.39 |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 3rd | 400 m hurdles | 49.06 | ||
| 6th | 4x400 m relay | 3:03.02 | |||
| 1999 | World Championships | Seville, Spain | 24th (h) | 400 m hurdles | 49.72 |
| 19th (h) | 4x400 m relay | 3:07.69 | |||
| All-Africa Games | Johannesburg, South Africa | 2nd | 400 m hurdles | 48.47 | |
| 5th | 4x400 m relay | 3:02.18 | |||
| 2000 | Olympic Games | Sydney, Australia | 52nd (h) | 400 m hurdles | 51.83 |
| 15th (h) | 4x400 m relay | 3:05.60 | |||