American sprinter
Gwen Torrence
Born (1965-06-12 ) June 12, 1965 (age 56) [1] Atlanta, Georgia Height 5 ft 7+ 1 ⁄2 in (171 cm)[2] Weight 125 lb (57 kg) Country United States Sport Track and field Updated on 9 February 2014.
Gwendolyn Lenna Torrence (born June 12, 1965) is a retired American sprinter and Olympic gold medalist . She was born in Decatur, Georgia . She attended Columbia High School and the University of Georgia . She was offered a scholarship because of her athletic abilities, but she said she wasn't interested because she initially wanted to become a beautician . From the persuasion from her coaches and family, she chose to enroll to the University of Georgia .
In the early 1990s, Gwen Torrence was one of the best sprinters in the world, winning five Olympic medals, and three gold.[3]
Torrence won medals at the Summer Olympics , Outdoor & Indoor World Championships , Pan American Games , Goodwill Games , and World University Games .
In 1988, Torrence achieved a tie with Evelyn Ashford in the 55 m race at the U.S. national indoor championships. She also had many battles both on the track and in the press with Florence Griffith Joyner .[citation needed ]
In the 200 m at the 1995 World Championships , she was disqualified for stepping out of her lane after finishing first. This left her idol, Merlene Ottey , to be promoted to first place.
In 2000 she was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame .[4]
International competitions [ ]
1985
World University Games
Kobe , Japan
1st
4 × 100 m relay
1987
Pan American Games
Indianapolis , United States
1st
200 m
1st
4 × 100 m relay
World University Games
Zagreb , Yugoslavia
1st
100 m
1st
200 m
1988
Olympic Games
Seoul, South Korea
5th
100 m
6th
200 m
1989
World Indoor Championships
Budapest , Hungary
2nd
60 m
1991
World Championships
Tokyo , Japan
2nd
100 m
2nd
200 m
1992
Olympic Games
Barcelona , Spain
1st
200 m
1st
4 × 100 m relay
2nd
4 × 400 m relay
1993
World Championships
Stuttgart , Germany
3rd
100 m
2nd
200 m
2nd
4 × 100 m relay
1st
4 × 400 m relay
1994
Goodwill Games
Saint Petersburg , Russia
1st
100 m
1st
200 m
1st
4 × 100 m relay
1995
World Championships
Gothenburg , Sweden
1st
100 m
1st
4 × 100 m relay
1996
Olympic Games
Atlanta , United States
3rd
100 m
1st
4 × 100 m relay
National titles [ ]
Personal bests [ ]
Outdoor
100-meter dash – 10.82 (1994)
200-meter dash – 21.72 (1992)
400-meter dash – 49.64 (1992)
Indoor
50-meter dash – 6.07 (1996)
55-meter dash – 6.56 (1987)
60-meter dash – 7.02 (1996)
References [ ]
External links [ ]
Awards
Preceded byLe Jingyi
United Press International Athlete of the Year 1995
Succeeded bynone
Preceded byGail Devers
Women's Track & Field ESPY Award 1995
Succeeded byKim Batten
Sporting positions
Preceded byMerlene Ottey
Women's 200m Best Year Performance 1992 1994 –1995
Succeeded byMerlene Ottey Marie-José Pérec & Mary Onyali
show
Florence Griffith Joyner (1988)
Ana Fidelia Quirot (1989)
Merlene Ottey (1990)
Katrin Krabbe (1991)
Heike Henkel (1992)
Sally Gunnell (1993)
Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1994)
Gwen Torrence (1995)
Svetlana Masterkova (1996)
Marion Jones (1997)
Marion Jones (1998)
Gabriela Szabo (1999)
Marion Jones (2000)
Stacy Dragila (2001)
Paula Radcliffe (2002)
Hestrie Cloete (2003)
Yelena Isinbayeva (2004)
Yelena Isinbayeva (2005)
Sanya Richards (2006)
Meseret Defar (2007)
Yelena Isinbayeva (2008)
Sanya Richards (2009)
Blanka Vlašić (2010)
Sally Pearson (2011)
Allyson Felix (2012)
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (2013)
Valerie Adams (2014)
Genzebe Dibaba (2015)
Almaz Ayana (2016)
Nafissatou Thiam (2017)
Caterine Ibargüen (2018)
Dalilah Muhammad (2019)
Yulimar Rojas (2020)
show Olympic champions in women's 200 metres
show
1928 Rosenfeld , Smith , Bell , Cook (CAN )
1932 Carew , Furtsch , Rogers , von Bremen (USA )
1936 Bland , Rogers , Robinson , Stephens (USA )
1948 Stad-de Jong , Witziers-Timmer , van der Kade-Koudijs , Blankers-Koen (NED )
1952 Faggs , Jones , Moreau , Hardy (USA )
1956 Strickland de la Hunty , Croker , Mellor , Cuthbert (AUS )
1960 Hudson , Williams , Jones , Rudolph (USA )
1964 Ciepły , Kirszenstein , Górecka , Kłobukowska (POL )
1968 Ferrell , Bailes , Netter , Tyus (USA )
1972 Krause , Mickler , Richter , Rosendahl (FRG )
1976 Göhr , Stecher , Bodendorf , Wöckel (GDR )
1980 Müller , Wöckel , Auerswald , Göhr (GDR )
1984 Brown , Bolden , Cheeseborough , Ashford (USA )
1988 Brown , Echols , Griffith Joyner , Ashford , Young (USA )
1992 Ashford , Jones , Guidry , Torrence , Finn (USA )
1996 Devers , Miller , Gaines , Torrence , Guidry (USA )
2000 Fynes , Sturrup , Davis-Thompson , Ferguson , Lewis (BAH )
2004 Lawrence , Simpson , Bailey , Campbell , McDonald (JAM )
2008 Borlée , Mariën , Ouédraogo , Gevaert (BEL )
2012 Madison , Felix , Knight , Jeter , Tarmoh , Williams (USA )
2016 Bartoletta , Felix , Bowie , Gardner , Akinosun (USA )
2020 Williams , Thompson-Herah , Fraser-Pryce , Jackson , Morrison , Burchell (JAM )
show World Athletics Championships champions in women's 100 metres
1983: Marlies Göhr (GDR)
1987: Silke Gladisch (GDR)
1991: Katrin Krabbe (GER)
1993: Gail Devers (USA)
1995: Gwen Torrence (USA)
1997: Marion Jones (USA)
1999: Marion Jones (USA)
2001: Zhanna Pintusevich (UKR)
2003: Torri Edwards (USA)
2005: Lauryn Williams (USA)
2007: Veronica Campbell (JAM)
2009: Shelly-Ann Fraser (JAM)
2011: Carmelita Jeter (USA)
2013: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM)
2015: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM)
2017: Tori Bowie (USA)
2019: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM)
show Universiade champions in women's 100 metres
show Summer Universiade champions in women's 200 metres
1959: Giuseppina Leone (ITA)
1961: Barbara Janiszewska (POL)
1963: Jutta Heine (FRG)
1965: Irena Kirszenstein (POL)
1967: Gabrielle Meyer (FRA)
1970: Renate Stecher (GDR)
1973: Mona-Lisa Pursiainen (FIN)
1975: Pirjo Häggman (FIN)
1977: Silvia Chivás (CUB)
1979: Marita Koch (GDR)
1981: Kathy Smallwood-Cook (GBR)
1983: Randy Givens (USA)
1985: Grace Jackson (JAM)
1987: Gwen Torrence (USA)
1989: Galina Malchugina (URS)
1991: Wang Huei-chen (TPE)
1993: Flirtisha Harris (USA)
1995: Du Xiujie (CHN)
1997: Yekaterina Grigoryeva (RUS)
1999: Kim Gevaert (BEL)
2001: Li Xuemei (CHN)
2003: Yelena Bolsun (RUS)
2005: Natalya Ivanova (RUS)
2007: Iryna Shtangyeyeva (UKR)
2009: Monique Williams (NZL)
2011: Anneisha McLaughlin (JAM)
2013: Kimberly Hyacinthe (CAN)
2015: Viktoriya Zyabkina (KAZ)
2017: Irene Siragusa (ITA)
2019: Krystsina Tsimanouskaya (BLR)
show US National Championship winners in women's 100-meter dash
1923–1979 Amateur Athletic Union
1923–1924:
1925:
1926:
1927–1928OT : Elta Cartwright
1929: Betty Robinson
1930: Stella Walsh
1931:
1932OT : Wilhelmina von Bremen
1933: Annette Rogers
1934: not held
1935–1936: Helen Stephens
1937:
1938: Lula Hymes
1939:
1940–1941:
1942: Alice Coachman
1943–1944: Stella Walsh
1945–1946: Alice Coachman
1947:
1948: Stella Walsh
1949–1950: Jean Patton
1951:
1952: Catherine Hardy
1953–1954: Barbara Jones
1955–1956: Mae Faggs
1957: Barbara Jones
1958: Margaret Matthews
1959–1962: Wilma Rudolph
1963: Edith McGuire
1964–1966: Wyomia Tyus
1967: Barbara Ferrell
1968: Margaret Bailes
1969: Barbara Ferrell
1970: Chi Cheng (TWN) * Iris Davis
1971: Iris Davis
1972: Alice Annum (GHA) * (3) Iris Davis
1973: Iris Davis
1974:
1975: Rosalyn Bryant
1976: Chandra Cheeseborough
1977: Evelyn Ashford
1978: Leleith Hodges (JAM) * Brenda Morehead
1979: Evelyn Ashford
1980–1992 The Athletics Congress
1980: Alice Brown
1981–1983: Evelyn Ashford
1984 Merlene Ottey (JAM) * Alice Brown
1985: Merlene Ottey (JAM) * Pam Marshall
1986: Pam Marshall
1987: Diane Williams
1988: Sheila Echols
1989: Dawn Sowell
1990: Michelle Finn
1991: Carlette Guidry
1992OT : Gwen Torrence
1993–present USA Track & Field
1993–1994: Gail Devers
1995–1996OT : Gwen Torrence
1997–1998: Marion Jones
1999: Inger Miller
2000OT : Marion Jones
2001–2002: Chryste Gaines
2003: Torri Edwards
2004OT : LaTasha Colander
2005: Me'Lisa Barber
2006: Lauryn Williams
2007: Torri Edwards
2008OT : Muna Lee
2009: Carmelita Jeter
2010: Allyson Felix
2011–2012OT : Carmelita Jeter
2013: English Gardner
2014: Tianna Bartoletta
2015: Tori Bowie
2016OT : English Gardner
2017: Tori Bowie
2018: Aleia Hobbs
2019: Teahna Daniels
20212020 OT : Javianne Oliver
Notes
OT : 1928, 1932, and since 1992, championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
2020 OT : The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Distance : The event was over 100 yards until 1927; from 1929 to 1931, 1955, 1957 to 1958, 1961 to 1962, 1965 to 1966, 1969 to 1970 and 1973 to 1974.
show US National Championship winners in women's 200-meter dash
1926–1979Amateur Athletic Union
1926:
1927:
1928OT :
1929:
1930–1931: Stella Walsh
1932OT –1933
1934: not held
1935: Helen Stephens
1936:
1937:
1938:
1939–1940: Stella Walsh
1941:
1942–1948: Stella Walsh
1949–1950: Nell Jackson
1951: Jean Patton
1952: Catherine Hardy
1953: Dolores Dwyer
1954–1956: Mae Faggs
1957: Isabelle Daniels
1958: Lucinda Williams
1959: Isabelle Daniels
1960: Wilma Rudolph
1961: Lacey O'Neal
1962–1963: Vivian Brown
1964–1965: Edith McGuire
1966: Wyomia Tyus
1967:
1968: Wyomia Tyus
1969: Barbara Ferrell
1970: Chi Cheng (TWN) *
1971: Raelene Boyle (AUS) *
1972: Alice Annum (GHA) * (3) Pamela Greene
1973: Mable Fergerson
1974: Alice Annum (GHA) *
1975: Debra Armstrong
1976: Brenda Morehead
1977–1979: Evelyn Ashford
1980–1992The Athletics Congress
1980: Karen Hawkins
1981: Evelyn Ashford
1982: Merlene Ottey (JAM) * Florence Griffith
1983: Evelyn Ashford
1984 Merlene Ottey (JAM) * (3) Pam Marshall
1985 Merlene Ottey (JAM) * Pam Marshall
1986–1987: Pam Marshall
1988: Gwen Torrence
1989: Dannette Young
1990: Grace Jackson (JAM) * Dannette Young
1991–1992OT : Gwen Torrence
1993–presentUSA Track & Field
1993: Gwen Torrence
1994: Carlette Guidry-White
1995: Gwen Torrence
1996OT : Carlette Guidry-White
1997: Inger Miller
1998–2000OT : Marion Jones
2001: LaTasha Jenkins
2002: Stephanie Durst
2003: Torri Edwards
2004OT –2005: Allyson Felix
2006: Rachelle Boone-Smith
2007–2009OT : Allyson Felix
2010: Connie Moore
2011: Shalonda Solomon
2012OT : Allyson Felix
2013: Kimberlyn Duncan
2014: Jeneba Tarmoh
2015: Jenna Prandini
2016OT : Tori Bowie
2017: Deajah Stevens
2018: Jenna Prandini
2019: Dezerea Bryant
20212020 OT : Gabrielle Thomas
Notes
OT : 1928, 1932, and since 1992, championships incorporated the Olympic Trials in Olympic years, otherwise held as a discrete event.
Distance :The event was over 220 yards until 1932, 1955, 1957-8, 1961-3, 1965-6, 1969-70 and 1973-4
2020 OT : The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
show 1927–1979Amateur Athletic Union
1927: (CAN)
1928:
1929–32: Mary Carew
1933: Pearl Young
1934: Stanisława Walasiewicz (POL)
1935–37: Helen Stephens
1938–40: Not held
1941:
1942–44: Not held
1945–46: Alice Coachman
1947: Not held
1948:
1949–50: Dolores Dwyer
1951: Catherine Hardy
1952: Dolores Dwyer
1953–54: Mabel Landry
1955–58: Isabelle Daniels
1959–60: Wilma Rudolph
1961–63: Willye White
1964: Debbie Thompson
1965–67: Wyomia Tyus
1968–69: Barbara Ferrell
1970: Chi Cheng (TPE)
1971: Pat Hawkins
1972–73: Iris Davis
1974:
1975: Alice Annum (GHA)
1976:
1977–78: Brenda Morehead
1979: Evelyn Ashford
1980–1992The Athletics Congress 1993–presentUSA Track & Field Notes *Distances have varied as follows: 40 yards (1927–32), 50 meters (1933–54), 50 yards (1956–64), 60 yards (1965–86), 55 meters (1987–90)
show Australian national champions in women's 100 m
100 yards until 1967
1930:
1932: Eileen Wearne
1933:
1935: Edith Robinson
1936: Edith Robinson
1937: Decima Norman
1940:
1948: Joyce King
1950: Marjorie Jackson-Nelson
1952: Marjorie Jackson-Nelson
1954: Marjorie Jackson-Nelson
1956: Wendy Ey
1958: Marlene Mathews
1960: Pat Duggan
1962: Glenys Beasley
1963: Dianne Burge
1964: Joyce Bennett
1965: Debbie Thompson (USA)
1966:
1967: Dianne Burge
1968: Dianne Burge
1969: Jenny Lamy
1970: Raelene Boyle
1971: Raelene Boyle
1972: Raelene Boyle
1973: Raelene Boyle
1974: Denise Boyd
1975: Denise Boyd
1976: Raelene Boyle
1977: Raelene Boyle
1978: Debbie Wells
1979: Denise Boyd
1980: Denise Boyd
1981: Debbie Wells
1982:
1983:
1984: Debbie Wells
1985: and
1986:
1987:
1988: Jane Flemming
1989:
1990: Jane Flemming
1991:
1992: Melinda Gainsford-Taylor
1993: Melinda Gainsford-Taylor
1994: Gwen Torrence (USA)
1995: Melinda Gainsford-Taylor
1996: Cathy Freeman
1997: Melinda Gainsford-Taylor
1998: Melinda Gainsford-Taylor
1999: Lauren Hewitt
2000: Melinda Gainsford-Taylor
2001: Lauren Hewitt
2002: Lauren Hewitt
2003: Sharon Cripps
2004: Gloria Kemasuode (NGR)
2005: Sally McLellan
2007: Sally McLellan
2008:
2009: Sally McLellan
2010: Melissa Breen
2011: Sally Pearson
2012: Melissa Breen
2013: Toea Wisil
2014: Sally Pearson
2015: Melissa Breen
2016: Melissa Breen
2017: Toea Wisil
show 1988 USA Olympic track and field team
Qualification Men's track and road athletes Men's field athletes Women's track and road athletes Women's field athletes
Wendy Brown
Carol Cady
Bonnie Dasse
Sheila Echols
Cindy Greiner
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Trish King
Carol Lewis
Donna Mayhew
Ramona Pagel
Connie Price
Louise Ritter
Karin Smith
Coleen Sommer
Lynda Sutfin
Coaches
Stan Huntsman (men's head coach)
(men's assistant coach)
Irving "Moon" Mondschein (men's assistant coach)
(men's assistant coach)
(men's assistant coach)
Joe Vigil (men's assistant coach)
(women's head coach)
(women's assistant coach)
(women's assistant coach)
Fred Thompson (women's assistant coach)
show 1992 USA Olympic track and field team
Qualification Men's track and road athletes Men's field athletes Women's track and road athletes Women's field athletes Coaches
Mel Rosen (men's head coach)
Harry Groves (men's assistant coach)
(men's assistant coach)
(men's assistant coach)
(men's assistant coach)
Fred Samara (men's assistant coach)
Barbara Jacket (women's head coach)
Dorothy Doolittle (women's assistant coach)
(women's assistant coach)
(women's assistant coach)
show 1996 USA Olympic track and field team
Qualification 1996 United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
Men's track and road athletes Men's field athletes Women's track and road athletes Women's field athletes Coaches —
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