Evelyn Ashford

Evelyn Ashford’s exceptionally long career in sprinting earned her four Olympic gold medals. As a 19-year-old, she finished a surprise 5th at the 1976 Olympics, but was unable to follow through at the 1980 Games, with the United States boycotting the Moscow Olympics. She grabbed the opportunity to win the gold when her East German competitors boycotted the 1984 Games, and won two golds, in the 100 m and the relay. Qualifying for two more Olympics, she retained her relay gold in 1988 and 1992. At the Pan American Games she won gold in 100 m and 200 m in 1979, but she was not successful at the World Championships. In 1983, she pulled a muscle in the final, while a similar injury prevented her from entering in 1987 and in 1991 she finished fifth. In 1983, she broke the World Record, which she bettered in 1984 and held for five years, until Florence Griffith Joyner took over with her impossibly fast 10.49.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.76 (1984); 200 – 21.83 (1979).