Gwen Torrence (born June 12, 1965) was a sprint athlete.
Gwen was born, not without problems, in Decatur, Georgia United States, she attended Columbia High School then University of Georgia.
She has won medals at nearly every major athletics competition to include, Summer Olympics, Outdoor & Indoor World Championships, Pan American Games, Goodwill Games, and World University Games.
In her era Gwen won more Olympic and World Championship medals than any other athlete ever had. Her tally of golds would have improved had she been awarded those in which she had finished second to East German, Katrin Krabbe who later tested positive for clenbuteral .
In 1988 Gwen achieved, one of those rare occasions in athletics, a tie with Evelyn Ashford in the 55 m. race at the national indoor championships. She also had many battles both on the track and in the press with team-mate Florence Griffith Joyner.
In the 200 m. at the 1995 World Championships she was disqualified, after convincingly beating the field, for stepping out of her lane which left her idol Merlene Ottey to be promoted to first place.
After retiring from athletics Gwen became a hairdresser and lives with her children, a son called Manley and a daughter named E’mon.
Major Achievements
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- Pan American Games - Indianapolis, United States.
- 200 m. gold medal
- 4 x 100 m. relay gold medal
- World University Games - Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
- 100 m. gold medal
- 200 m. gold medal
- 1988
- National Championships
- National Indoor Championships
- 1989
- World Indoor Championships - Budapest, Hungary.
- National Indoor Championships
- 1991
-
World Championships - Tokyo, Japan.
- 100 m. silver medal
- 200 m. gold medal
- National Championships
- 100 m. silver medal
- 200 m. silver medal
- National Indoor Championships
- 1992
- 1993
-
World Championships - Stuttgart, Germany.
- 100 m. bronze medal
- 200 m. silver medal
- 4 x 100 m. relay silver medal
- 4 x 400 m. relay gold medal
- National Championships
- 100 m. silver medal
- 200 m. gold medal
- 1994
- 1994 Goodwill Games - Saint Petersburg, Russia.
- 100 m. gold medal
- 200 m. gold medal
- 4 x 100 m. relay gold medal
- National Indoor Championships
- 60 m. gold medal
- 200 m. gold medal
- 1995
-
World Championships - Gothenburg, Sweden.
- 100 m. gold medal
- 4 x 100 m. relay gold medal
- National Championships
- 100 m. gold medal
- 200 m. gold medal
- National Indoor Championships
- 1996
-
1996 Summer Olympics - Atlanta, United States.
- 100 m. bronze medal
- 4 x 100 m. relay gold medal
- National Indoor Championships
- 60 m. gold medal
- 200 m. gold medal
- 1997
- National Indoor Championships
Last updated: 05-06-2005 18:35:16
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04
