Track and Field

Famous Sports Stars

Evelyn Ashford Biography - Racing The Boys, Chronology, Bitter Disappointment, Double Gold, Gold And Silver, The Fastest Doubleheader Ever - CONTACT INFORMATION

1957- American track and field athlete Recognized as one of track and field history's most accomplished sprinters, Evelyn Ashford is the only woman in U.S. track history to win four Olympic gold medals—one in the 100-meter sprint and three as part of Evelyn Ashford 4 × 100-meter relay teams. Two years after giving birth to her daughter, she won a silver medal for the 10…

less than 1 minute read

Donovan Bailey Biography - Hones Sprinting Skills, Captures Olympic Gold, Calls It Quits, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments

1967- Canadian sprinter Canadian sprinter Donovan Bailey set the world record in a 100-meter race in 1996, earning the distinction of "world's fastest man." At his peak during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, the Jamaican-born Bailey ran a record-setting, gold-medal-winning time of 9.84 seconds. With three teammates, he also captured the gold in the 4×100-meter…

1 minute read

Alice Coachman Biography - Winner At Wembley, Great Olympic Athlete, Awards And Accomplishments, Further Information

1923- American track and field athlete Alice Coachman became the first black woman of any nationality to win a gold medal at the Olympics with her victory was in the high jump at the 1948 Summer Games in London. Coachman broke jump records at her high school and college, then became the U.S. national high jump champion before competing in the Olympics. She is also the first African-American woman …

2 minute read

Mary Decker Biography - Little Mary, Olympic Struggles, Repairing The Damage, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments, Decker's Legacy - CONTACT INFORMATION

1958- American track and field athlete Mary Decker is remembered by many for what she did not do, rather than what she did. Although Decker, who started her impressive career as a pre-teen, is one of the world's fastest middle-distance runners ever, bad circumstances interfered in Decker's attempts to win an Olympic gold medal. Throughout her long running career, Decker pushed her bo…

less than 1 minute read

Gail Devers Biography - A Born Competitor, A Mysterious Affliction, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments, Back, And Better Than Ever - CONTACT INFORMATION

1966- American track and field athlete Gail Devers will go down as one of the fastest female combination sprinters and hurdlers in history, as well as one of the greatest track and field athletes. While her awards and accomplishments, including setting several American and world records in various indoor and outdoor events, are impressive, they are only half the story. Devers's triumph over…

less than 1 minute read

Michael Johnson Biography - Born In Dallas, Runs Track For Baylor, Waylaid By Illness In 1992, Wins Both Events At Atlanta - SELECTED WRITINGS BY JOHNSON:

1967- American track and field athlete The first man ever to win both 200-meter and 400-meter dashes at the same world championship, Michael Johnson is considered by many the greatest combined 200/400 sprinter who ever lived. One of the most colorful competitors at the Summer Olympic Games of 1992, 1996, and 2000, Johnson captured a total of five gold medals in Olympic competition, as well as nine…

less than 1 minute read

Carl Lewis Biography - Growing Up, The "next Jesse Owens", The 1984 Olympics, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments - CONTACT INFORMATION, SELECTED WRITINGS BY LEWIS:

1961- American track and field athlete Carl Lewis, the greatest track and field star of the 20th century, attracted intense attention to his sport in the United States in the 1980s. His early successes as a sprinter and long-jumper inspired writers to compare him to Jesse Owens, even before he equaled Owens' feat of winning four gold medals in a single Olympics. Negative publicity about his…

less than 1 minute read

Svetlana Masterkova Biography - Running Career Determined Soviet-style, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments - CONTACT INFORMATION

1968- Russian track and field athlete In 1996 internationally renowned Russian track and field athlete Svetlana Masterkova became the second women ever to win Olympic gold medals in both the Svetlana Masterkova 1500 and 800 meter runs. Previous to Masterkova, only Tatyana Kazankina had accomplished the same feat, earning her double gold at the Montreal Games 20 years before. Participating i…

less than 1 minute read

Sonia O'Sullivan Biography - Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments, Further Information - CONTACT INFORMATION

1969- Irish track and field athlete Irish middle distance runner Sonia O'Sullivan has mastered the 5,000 meter race. In addition to her wins in the 5,000 meter, she established several records over the years, running the 2,000 meter in 5:25:63 (world record), the 3,000 meter in 8:21:64 (European record), and setting the record for the two mile. Gaining international visibility through her p…

5 minute read

Jesse Owens - Part Of The Great Migration, Athletic Success As A Teenager, Chronology, Related Biography: Coach Charles Riley

1913-1980 American track and field athlete Few athletes have transcended their sports to become a symbol of an era as did Jesse Owens. Enduring a childhood marked by grinding poverty in Alabama, Owens became a star athlete in high school after his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio. His achievements earned Owens several lucrative offers to attend college as a track-and-field athlete, and he enrolled …

1 minute read

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