Manteo Mitchell (born July 6, 1987) is an American sprinter and Bobsledder who competes in the 200m, 400m, and 4 × 400 m relay. He was a member of the USA team that won the gold medal in the Men’s 4×400 metres relay at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships. He now competes in a new sport, Bobsled, where he is seeking to make history, becoming only the 7th person in history to medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. This feat would also make him the first African American male to claim this rare honor.

Early life
Mitchell was born in Shelby, North Carolina to Dianna Ellis. He attended Crest High School, being named all-conference, all-region, and all-state his junior and senior years. He then enrolled at Western Carolina University on an athletic scholarship, setting school records in the 400m, 4 × 100 m relay, and 4 × 400 m relay. Mitchell also led the Catamounts to 5 indoor and outdoor championships, being named the MVP multiple years.

Professional career
At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials, Mitchell qualified for the Olympic team by finishing fifth in the 400 metres with a time of 44.96, which qualified him to run in the 4×400 metres relay as a member of the U.S. relay team. At the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London, Mitchell ran the first leg of the heat for the 4×400 metres relay and revealed afterwards that he broke his left fibula at the 200m mark. Despite this, Manteo finished his lap and clocked a time of 45.7, and the American team was able to qualify for the final.

Mitchell later earned a silver medal after the American team placed second in the final.

He is also a bobsledder for Team USA, seeking to become just the 7th person in history and first African American male to medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

Mitchell currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina. He has one son, Khi Avery, born in 2012.

Remains one of the greatest athletes to have ever graced the football field at WCU. Outstanding playing career spanned seven years, interrupted by three years of military service in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. Finished his career second in Catamount program history with 22 career interceptions including a program single-season best nine in the 1969 season. Returned a school-record four interceptions for touchdowns, amassing 472 yards in interception returns. He also keyed the 1976 WCU defense that ranked second in the nation in pass defense. One of the founders of the Nu Zeta chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., at WCU, established the Harvey Walker Scholarship at WCU in 2000 … Inducted in 2021.

At the time of his induction, Carmichael was one of only five WCU football players to be named All-America in multiple seasons and was selected as the tight end on Western Carolina’s All-20th Century Football Team. A native of Lake View, S.C., he was a first-team Associated Press (AP)) All-America selection in 1985 when he caught 55 passes for 587 yards, a school record for tight ends. During that ’85 season, he caught 11 passes in the Furman game and had 130 yards in receptions at Georgia Tech.

Carmichael followed up in 1986 with 31 receptions for nearly 400 yards and was named to the AP’s second-team All-America squad. He captained the 1985 and ’86 Catamounts and was a two-time first-team All-Southern Conference selection. Carmichael was selected to the Southern Conference 100th Anniversary Team in 2021.