 Rollins at the 2015Bislett Games | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Brianna Rollins (1991-08-18)August 18, 1991 (age 34) Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) |
Spouse | |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event | 100 metres hurdles |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personalbest | 60 m hurdles: 7.78 s (2013)100 m hurdles: 12.26 s (2013) |
Brianna Rollins-McNeal (born August 18, 1991), better known asBriana McNeal orBriana Rollins, is an Americantrack and field athlete who specializes in the100 metres hurdles. She is the2016 Olympic champion and the2013 World champion in the 100 metres hurdles. Her time of 12.26 ties her as theseventh-fastest 100 metre hurdler in history.
McNeal has been issued with two competition bans for anti-doping violations during her career. She served a one year ban in 2017 and served a five year ban that lasted February 2020 - August 2025.
McNeal was born in Miami, Florida, daughter of Temperance Rollins. She is the eldest of seven siblings and the only female. She is a 2009 graduate ofMiami Northwestern Senior High School. Rollins competed for Clemson University and graduated in 2013, majoring in travel and tourism. At Clemson, McNeal was a three-timeNCAA champion: winning the 60 metres hurdles in 2011 and 2013 and the 100 metres hurdles in 2013. She turned professional following the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships, where she broke the NCAA record in the 100 m hurdles with a time of 12.39.[1]
McNeal competed at the2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, but did not make the Olympic team, finishing sixth in the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 12.94. The following month, at the2012 NACAC Under-23 Championships, McNeal won gold in the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 12.60 (+4.5).
At the2013 USA Track and Field Championships, McNeal won the 100 metres hurdles in an American record time of 12.26, betteringGail Devers's previous record of 12.33 set in 2000.[2] At the2013 World Championships in Moscow, McNeal won the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 12.44, beating Olympic and reigning world championSally Pearson (12.50). In the final, McNeal had the slowest reaction time in the field (0.263), but was able to run down the field and win gold.[3] For her performances in 2013, she was presented theJackie Joyner-Kersee Athlete of the Year Award.
At the2014 IAAF Diamond League, which consists of fourteen meetings from May to September, McNeal won one 100 metres hurdles race in Rome with a time of 12.53. At the2014 USA Track and Field Championships, McNeal placed 5th in the 100 metres hurdles with a time of 12.81.[4]
At the2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, McNeal won the60 metres hurdles in 7.76 seconds. She finished second at2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships in60 m hurdles.
McNeal won in the 100 hurdles in a time of 12.34 at the2016 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) ahead of Team USA teammatesKristi Castlin andNia Ali to qualify to representUnited States atAthletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.[5] Not only did she win agold medal, but her teammates placed second and third, making it thefirst time in history that one country gained all medals in this discipline at the Olympic Games, and the first time American women achieved such asweep in any Olympic event.[6]
In April 2017, McNeal was issued with a one-year ban backdated to December 2016 by the World Anti-Doping Agency after missing three drugs tests in 2016. In addition McNeal's results obtained on and subsequent to 27 September 2016 were disqualified and any medals, points, and prizes are forfeited.[7][8]
McNeal finished third at the2019 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships in the100 metres hurdles in a season's best time of 12.61, qualifying for the2019 World Athletics Championships.[9] She was disqualified from the 100 m hurdles after a false start in qualification during the Doha World Championships.[10]
In January 2021, McNeal was suspended from competition by theAthletics Integrity Unit following a missed drug test in January 2020.[11] She denied the allegations and claimed that she was innocent and clean.[12] The Athletics Integrity Unit's Disciplinary Tribunal declared that she intentionally altered 3 medical notes without verifying the details with the clinic or anyone else "as a reasonable person would have done". In a striking admission, McNeal confessed to not having written the date down at all because it was firmly fixed in her mind.[13][14] The Tribunal dismissed her defense.[15]
In June 2021, she was banned for five years for "tampering with the anti-doping testing process" which would effectively make her ineligible to participate in both2020 Summer Olympics and in the2024 Summer Olympics.[8][13][16] Her official ban is set to be completed in August 2025.[17] McNeal was made eligible to take part in US national trials for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics while she appeal the suspension. However, as the disqualification was confirmed, the fourth placeGabbi Cunningham replaced McNeal.[13] On 2 July 2021, the ban was upheld byCourt of Arbitration for Sport.[18] Following the upholding of the ban, McNeal commented on social media that the presence of "white European men" on the Panel may have led to a different consideration than if she was a "white woman, or a European".[19][13]
In 2017, she married Bryce McNeal in a ceremony in San Diego. The two met at Clemson where Bryce was part of the Tigers football team.[20]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing United States | |||||
| 2012 | NACAC U23 Championships | Irapuato, Mexico | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.60 |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.44 |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 4th | 100 m hurdles | 12.67 |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, Oregon, United States | 2nd | 60 m hurdles | 7.82 |
| Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.48 | |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | – | 100 m hurdles | DQ |
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | The Bowerman (women's winner) 2013 | Succeeded by |
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