 Sally Pearson in 2015 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | (1986-09-19)19 September 1986 (age 39) Sydney, Australia |
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)[1] |
| Weight | 60 kg (132 lb)[1] |
| Website | Official Facebook Page |
| Sport | |
| Country |  Australia |
| Sport | Track and field |
Event(s) | 100 metres sprint, 200 metre sprint, 100 metres hurdles and 200 metre hurdles |
| Coached by | Sharon Hannan and Peter Hannan; Self-coached |
| Retired | 5 August 2019 |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Olympic finals | 100 m hurdles and 100 metre sprints |
| Personalbest(s) | 11.14s–100 Metre Sprint[2] 12.28s–100 m Hurdles[2] 22.97s–200 m sprint[2] 1:02.98–400 m Hurdles[2] 7.16s–60 Metre Sprint[2] |
Medal record | |
Sally Pearson,OAM (néeMcLellan; born 19 September 1986)[3] is a retired Australianathlete who competed in the100 metre hurdles. She is the2011 and2017 World champion and2012 Olympic champion in the100 metres hurdles. She also won asilver medal in the100 m hurdles at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the2013 World Championships.
Sally Pearson was born in Sydney and moved toBirdsville, Queensland when she was eight years old, before eventually settling on theGold Coast. It was there, while she was still in primary school, that her athletic talents were noticed by Sharon Hannan, who coached her until 2013.[4] Pearson rose to prominence in 2001, when at the age of only 14, she won the Australian Youth 100 m and 90 m hurdles titles.[5] After injury setbacks during 2002 she made her international debut at the2003 World Youth Championships inSherbrooke, Canada and wongold in the 100 m hurdles. The following month, still only 16 years old, she represented Australia at open level at the2003 World Championships in Paris, France as part of the4 × 100 m relay team. In 2004, she won abronze in the 100 m at theWorld Junior Championships, and just missed out on a medal in the 100 m hurdles.[6]
At the2006 Commonwealth Games inMelbourne, Pearson tripped over a hurdle and fell to the ground during the 100 m hurdles final, costing her the chance of a medal. In 2007, she continued to pursue both the 100 m and the 100 m hurdles, making the semi-final of each event at theWorld Championships inOsaka, Japan. However, in the lead up to the2008 Olympic Games, she shifted her focus solely to the 100 m hurdles. This decision paid off, with Pearson claiming the silver medal in a dramatic final, where the favouriteLolo Jones stumbled and aphoto finish was required to decide the minor medals. After the announcement of the official results a jubilant Pearson celebrated enthusiastically with bronze medal winnerPriscilla Lopes-Schliep, and gave an emotional trackside interview.[7]
Pearson was in good form during the 2009 European season, winning five out of seven races and breaking theAustralian andOceanian record in the 100 m hurdles at theHerculis meeting in July, with a time of 12.50 seconds; 0.03 faster than the area record she had set on the same track a year earlier.[8] However, she was hampered by back spasms in the lead up to theWorld Championships in Berlin, and was only able to finish fifth in the 100 m hurdles final.[9]
At the2010 Commonwealth Games inDelhi,India, Pearson competed in the 100 m sprint in addition to the 100 m hurdles. In the final of the 100 m she recorded a false start, along with English runnerLaura Turner, but was allowed to line up for the restart, crossing the finish line first in a time of 11.28s. However a protest was lodged after the race, which resulted in a distraught Pearson being disqualified.[10][11] Three nights later she went on to win gold in the 100 m hurdles final in 12.67 seconds.[12] Pearson was also controversially included in the Australian team for the final of the women's4 × 400 m relay, an event she had not trained for, and collapsed after running the anchor leg, the Australian team having finished in fifth place. Even though she thought she had let the team down, her teammates comforted her.[13]
At the beginning of the next season, she won the 100 m, 200 m and 100 m hurdles to become the first Australian woman to win three national titles at the same event sincePam Kilborn had done in 1968.[14]
At the2011 World Championships inDaegu,South Korea, Pearson ran a100 m hurdles time of 12.28s (+1.1), the fourth fastest time in history, following the semi-finals where she produced the equal fifth fastest time in history of 12.36s (+0.3) to beat her ownOceanian area record andAustralian national record.
Coming into the2012 London Olympics, for the100 m hurdles Pearson had won 32 races from 34 starts. She led the competition after Round 1 heats with 12.57 and lead coming into the final with a semi-final time of 12.39. Pearson won gold with a new Olympic record time of 12.35s (Wind (m/s): -0.2) beating out AmericansDawn Harper, 12.37, andKellie Wells, 12.48, who both recorded personal bests.
At theGolden Gala, Pearson fell over a hurdle badly mid-race. She suffered a "bone explosion" of her left forearm and broke her wrist.[15] The traumatic injury ruined the remainder of her 2015 season.[16]
Sally Pearson was set to be a strong contender to defend her gold medal title she won at the London 2012 Olympics. However, during a hard training session Pearson slightly tore her hamstring forcing her out of the Rio 2016 games.[17]
Pearson won the gold medal in the 100 metres hurdles at the 2017 World Championships in London with a time of 12.59.[18]
Pearson was to compete in the 100 metre hurdles and 4 × 100 relay but later withdrew due to an Achilles tendon injury.[19]
On 5 August 2019, Pearson announced her retirement from competitive athletics, stating that she did not believe that she would be ready for the 2020 Olympic Games.[20] Pearson stated: "It has been a long 16 years, but also a fun and exciting 16 years. My body has decided it is time to let it go, and move forward onto a new direction."[20]
In February 2022, Pearson joinedSeven News Gold Coast as a sport presenter.[21] She remained in the role untilSeven News Gold Coast was axed in November 2024.
In May 2023, it was announced that Pearson would be participating in thetwentieth series ofDancing with the Stars. She was paired with Mitch Kirkby.
In February 2025, Pearson joinedSunrise as a reporter.
Pearson was raised by her single mother Anne, who worked two jobs to make enough money to support her daughter's athletic career.[3] In late 2008 she became engaged toKieran Pearson, the pair having been together since their senior year atHelensvale State High School on Queensland'sGold Coast.[33] In April 2010 they married on the Gold Coast, and had their honeymoon in Los Angeles and Hawaii.[34]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Australia | |||||
| 2003 | World Youth Championships | Sherbrooke, Canada | 5th | 200 m | 24.01 |
| 1st | 100 m hurdles (76.2 cm) | 13.42 | |||
| World Championships | Paris, France | 14th (heats) | 4 × 100 m relay | 44.11 | |
| 2004 | World Junior Championships | Grosseto,Italy | 3rd | 100 m | 11.40(wind: +1.5 m/s) |
| 4th | 100 m hurdles | 13.41(wind: -1.0 m/s) | |||
| 5th | 4 × 100 m relay | 45.10 | |||
| 2006 | Commonwealth Games | Melbourne, Australia | 7th | 100 m | 11.50 |
| 3rd | 4 × 100 m relay | 44.25 | |||
| World Cup | Athens, Greece | 8th | 100 m | 11.44 | |
| 4th | 100 m hurdles | 12.95 | |||
| 5th | 4 × 100 m relay | 44.26 | |||
| 2007 | World Championships | Osaka, Japan | 15th (semis) | 100 m | 11.32 |
| 10th (semis) | 100 m hurdles | 12.82 | |||
| 14th (heats) | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.91 | |||
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, China | 2nd | 100 m hurdles | 12.64 |
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 5th | 100 m hurdles | 12.70 |
| 2010 | IAAF Continental Cup | Split, Croatia | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.65 |
| Commonwealth Games | New Delhi, India | DQ | 100 m | - | |
| 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.67 | |||
| 4th | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:30.29 | |||
| 2011 | World Championships | Daegu, South Korea | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.28 |
| 10th (heats) | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.79 | |||
| 2012 | World Indoor Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | 1st | 60 m hurdles | 7.73 |
| Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.35 | |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 2nd | 100 m hurdles | 12.50 |
| 2014 | World Indoor Championships | Sopot, Poland | 2nd | 60 m hurdles | 7.85 |
| Commonwealth Games | Glasgow, Scotland | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.67 | |
| 2017 | World Championships | London,England | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.59 |
| 2018 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, England | 9th (semis) | 60 m hurdles | 7.92 |
| Record | Performance | Date | Meet | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oceania | 12.28 | 3 September 2011 | World Championships | Daegu, South Korea |
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | IAAF World Athlete of the Year 2011 | Succeeded by |
|
Commonwealth Games champions in women's100 metres hurdles | |
|---|---|
| 80 metres hurdles (1934–1966) | |
| 100 metres hurdles (1970–present) |
|
Australians at the2009 World Championships in Athletics | |||
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Australian athletes at the2011 World Championships in Athletics | |||
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| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
