Gwen Torrence Explained

Gwen Torrence
Birth Date:	12 June 1965^[1]
Birth Place:	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 7+1/2 in^[2]
Weight:	125 lb
Country:	United States
Sport:	Track and field
Updated:	February 9, 2014

Gwendolyn Lenna Torrence (born June 12, 1965) is a retired American sprinter and Olympic champion. 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.

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	bgcolor=gold	1st	4 × 100 m relay
1987	Pan American Games	Indianapolis, United States	bgcolor=gold	1st	200 m
			bgcolor=gold	1st	4 × 100 m relay
	World University Games	Zagreb, Yugoslavia	bgcolor=gold	1st	100 m
			bgcolor=gold	1st	200 m
1988	Olympic Games	Seoul, South Korea	5th	100 m
			6th	200 m
1989	World Indoor Championships	Budapest, Hungary	bgcolor=silver	2nd	60 m
1991	World Championships	Tokyo, Japan	bgcolor=silver	2nd	100 m
			bgcolor=silver	2nd	200 m
1992	Olympic Games	Barcelona, Spain	bgcolor=gold	1st	200 m
			bgcolor=gold	1st	4 × 100 m relay
			bgcolor=silver	2nd	4 × 400 m relay
1993	World Championships	Stuttgart, Germany	3rd	100 m
			bgcolor=silver	2nd	200 m
			bgcolor=silver	2nd	4 × 100 m relay
			bgcolor=gold	1st	4 × 400 m relay
1994	Goodwill Games	Saint Petersburg, Russia	bgcolor=gold	1st	100 m
			bgcolor=gold	1st	200 m
			bgcolor=gold	1st	4 × 100 m relay
1995	World Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	bgcolor=gold	1st	100 m
			bgcolor=gold	1st	4 × 100 m relay
1996	Olympic Games	Atlanta, United States	3rd	100 m
			bgcolor=gold	1st	4 × 100 m relay

National titles

• USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
  • 100 m: 1995
  • 200 m: 1988, 1993, 1995
• USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
  • 55 m: 1989
  • 60 m: 1994, 1995, 1996
  • 200 m: 1994, 1996

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)

Awards

• World Athletics Awards

World Athlete of the Year (Women)：1995^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gwen Torrence. https://web.archive.org/web/20200417051427/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/to/gwen-torrence-1.html. dead. April 17, 2020. sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. February 9, 2014.
2. Web site: Gwen Torrence. usatf.org. USA Track & Field. February 9, 2014.
3. Web site: Gwen TORRENCE.
4. Web site: Gwen Torrence . . July 5, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305202658/http://gshf.org/pdf_files/inductees/track_and_field/gwen_torrence.pdf . March 5, 2016 .
5. Web site: World Athletes of the Year . . PDF .