Veronica Campbell Brown

         Veronica Campbell Brown was born May 5, 1982 in Trelawny, Jamaica. She specializes in the 100 and 200 meter dash. She was a great runner even in primary school which landed her a scholarship to one of Jamaica’s venerable high school track programs, Vere Technical. In 1999, she became the first female to win the World Youth Games 100 meter title. The next year, she won her first of five Olympic Games medals courtesy of a relay silver medal at the Sydney Games. Veronica became the youngest Jamaican female to win an Olympic medal. At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Veronica gained three medals: a bronze in the 100 meter with a time of 10.91 seconds, gold in the 200 meter with a time of 22.05 seconds, and gold in the 4-by-100 meter relay. At the 2007 World Championships, Veronica captured the 100m title and became the first athlete (male or female) to win the full offering of International Association of Athlete Federation (IAAF) sprint titles available. That 2007 World Championship 100m gold medal made her the first Jamaican to win a senior global 100m title. At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Veronica became the second woman in Olympic Games history to successfully defend her 200m title. She got the gold medal with her best time of 21.74 seconds.

            At the 2011 World Outdoor Championship, she finally secured the 200m crown. Also, she won silver medals in the 100m and 4x100m relays. At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Veronica got the bronze medal in the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.81 seconds. Her 4-by-100 meter relay team took home the silver medal. Veronica currently has seven Olympic medals. Veronica is now married to the 2006 Commonwealth Games 200 meter Champion Omar Brown.

 "IAAF: Athlete Profile for Veronica Campbell-Brown." Iaaf.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015. <http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/jamaica/veronica-campbell-brown-134999#biography>.

"Veronica Campbell Brown." Veronica Campbell Brown. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2015. <http://veronicacampbellbrown.com/london.html>.

http://www.olympic.org/veronica-campbell-brown

Amanda Smock

Amanda Smock was born on July 27, 1982 to parents Beth and Glen Thieschafer. She grew up in the small town, Melrose, in rural Minnesota where she began competing in gymnastics at age 4. She was very close to her father, who was a gymnast coach and wanted her to pursue gymnastics. However, she gave up gymnastics when she became a teenager and started track and field. She excelled at long jump, pole vault, triple jump, and sprinting events. Smock graduated from Melrose High School in 2000. She attended North Dakota State University on an athletic scholarship, graduating in 2004. In college, she was a three-time NCAA Division II triple jump champion. Amanda Smock holds four national triple jump titles, two at USA Outdoors and two at USA Indoors. After Smock failed to make the Olympic Team in 2008, her father crossed "2008" off of his credential and added "2012." Smock lost her father shortly after the trials. In 2011, Smock won the USA Outdoor Championships with a jump of 46.2 ft., but was just shy of making the needed B standard for the World Championships. Days before the World team was announced, Smock jumped a personal best of 46.5 ft. and went to Daegu to compete.

In 2012, she won the Indoor Championship with a jump of 45.2 ft., qualifying her for the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships. At the Olympic Trials she won the event with a jump of 45.7 ft. and qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.  At the games, she failed to advance out of the qualifying round of competition with her best jump of 44.7 ft. and placed 11th. Amanda Smock is now married to her former college teammate, Greg Smock and coaches long and triple jump for Macalester College’s track and field team. 

"Amanda Smock." Team USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015. <http://www.teamusa.org/usa-track-and-field/athletes/Amanda-Smock>.

"Amanda Smock Biography." Amanda Smock Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015. <http://www.asicsamerica.com/athletes/amanda-smock>.

"Amanda Smock." USA Track & Field -. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015. <http://www.usatf.org/Athlete-Bios/Amanda-Smock.aspx>.

Dawn Harper

       

         

 Dawn Harper was born May 13, 1984 in East St. Louis, Illinois. Harper was a promising athlete in high school. She was raised by her mother and father and she has 2 brothers, and 2 sisters. In her freshman year, Harper won the 300m hurdles with a time of 42.70. During her sophomore year, she tore her PCL and Meniscus before the IHSA sectional meet. With a torn PCL and Meniscus, Harper still earned a silver medal in the 100m hurdles. She broke her own Illinois State Record in the 100m hurdles her junior year with a time of 13.54. During her senior year, Harper won her third state final in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.82 and the 300m hurdles. Harper graduated from East St. Louis High School as a 6 time IHSA State Champion. She then attended UCLA and won the sprint hurdles at the US Junior Championships and at the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships. She received All-American honors twice at the 2004 NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

            She won her first national outdoor title and the women's Visa Championship Series in 2009. She is a three-time USA Outdoor champion with her personal best of 12.36 in the 100 meter hurdles. In 2009, Harper won the Outdoor Visa Champion for the 100 meter hurdles. In the 2008 Olympic Games, she went home with the gold medal in the 100 meters hurdles after beating Lolo Jones. She had a startling time of 12.54. However, in 2010 Harper suffered from a knee injury and made a major comeback in 2011. In 2011, she won the bronze medal World Outdoors with a time of 12.47 and then third at the USA Outdoors with a time of 12.65. In 2012, Harper had a great year. She placed 2^nd at the London Olympic Games with a time of 12.37. In 2013, she married her hometown friend, Alonzo Nelson on March 23^rd. 

"Dawn Harper." Team USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. <http://www.teamusa.org/usa-track-and-field/athletes/Dawn-Harper>.

"Harper Got the Gold, but Lolo Took the Fame." USATODAY.COM. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/track/story/2012-07-24/dawn-harper-and-lolo-jones/56461048/1>.

"IAAF: Athlete Profile for Dawn Harper Nelson." Iaaf.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. <http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/dawn-harper-nelson-188986#honours>.

 "London 2012 Summer Olympics | Olympic Videos, Photos, News."Athletics Results. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. <http://www.olympic.org/olympic-results/london-2012/athletics>.

Reintroduction

          

             Track and Field is a time consuming sport that takes a lot of dedication and hard work. Running is my favorite thing to do, and I have been in love with it since I first learned to run. I run when I’m angry, sad, or happy; it’s an outlet for all of my emotions. I use to dream of becoming an Olympian, but I know now that is not what I am meant to do. However, these women who have competed in the Olympics and have won multiple medals still inspire me.

            I chose this topic because I am track runner myself, and it’s incredible to see the achievements these women have made. I am going to continue talking about women track and field Olympians from all over the world. Some are more known than others, but they all have achieved great things. I am going to tell the story of an Olympian, and what she had to go through in order to make it to where she is now. Also, I am going to talk about all of their achievements and what makes them incredible athletes.

            These women are the best of the best, and deserve this recognition. If you want to hear about extraordinary athletes, keep reading because these women are the definition of that. Running may not seem worth the time, but these women prove it with their record holding times and records. They have pushed themselves harder, faster, and higher than most, and they each have a story worth telling.