Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, he attended John I. Leonard Community High School in Lake Worth, graduating in 1985.

He did not compete in sports at a young age due to a heart murmur, but had begun to take part in the hurdles towards the end of high school.

He claimed a 60 m hurdles silver medal on his international debut at the 1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships, forming an American 1–2 with winner Allen Johnson.

[6] An outdoor medal followed at the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina, as he took bronze in a time of 13.54 seconds, finishing behind the higher profile athlete Kingdom and Emilio Valle of Cuba.

[2] In spite of these successes, he was outside the top three at the national championships both indoors and out, and closed his season injured at the 1995 IAAF Grand Prix Final (ending seventh).

[1] His highest national honour came at the 1996 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, where he succeeded Allen Johnson to the 60 m hurdles title with a run of 7.46 seconds.