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| Born | (1965-06-12)June 12, 1965 (age 60)[1] Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft7+1⁄2 in (171 cm)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 125 lb (57 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| Updated on February 9, 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gwendolyn Lenna Torrence (born June 12, 1965) is a retired Americansprinter and Olympic champion. She was born inDecatur, Georgia. She attendedColumbia High School and theUniversity 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 abeautician. From the persuasion from her coaches and family, she chose to enroll to theUniversity 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 theSummer Olympics,Outdoor &Indoor World Championships,Pan American Games,Goodwill Games, andWorld University Games.
In 1988, Torrence achieved a tie withEvelyn 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 withFlorence Griffith Joyner.[citation needed]
In the 200 m at the1995 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 theGeorgia Sports Hall of Fame.[4]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 4th | 100 m | |
| 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 |
Outdoor
Indoor
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | United Press International Athlete of the Year 1995 | Succeeded by none |
| Preceded by | Women's Track & Field ESPY Award 1995 | Succeeded by |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by | Women's 200m Best Year Performance 1992 1994–1995 | Succeeded by |
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