Aretha Thurmond facts for kids
Thurmond at the 2010 Meeting Areva
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Aretha Hill |
| Born | August 14, 1976 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Calgary |
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 107 kg (236 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country |  United States |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | Discus |
| Updated on August 14, 2012. | |
Aretha Thurmond, born Aretha Hill, is an American athlete. She was born on August 14, 1976. Aretha is famous for her skills in the discus throw. This is an event where athletes throw a heavy disc as far as they can. Her best throw ever was 65.86 meters (about 216 feet). She achieved this in March 2004.
Aretha finished Renton High School in 1994. Later, in 1998, she earned a degree in sociology from the University of Washington. Today, Aretha works for USA Track & Field. She helps manage international teams for the organization.
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College Sports Career
Aretha Thurmond was a key member of the track team at the University of Washington. She played from 1995 to 1998. During her time there, she was a star discus thrower. She set many new records for her college. She also set records in the Pac-10 Conference. Aretha was named an NCAA All-American four times. This means she was one of the best college athletes in the country.
Her Life Outside of Sports
Aretha Thurmond is married to Reedus Thurmond. He used to be a throws coach at the University of Washington. They have one son together named Theo.
Aretha has always stayed involved in sports. She lives in Indianapolis with her family. While working for USA Track & Field, she also earned a special master's degree. This degree is in Sport Organization Management. It helps her in her role managing sports teams.
International Competitions
Aretha Thurmond has represented the United States in many big competitions. She has won several medals for her country.
Pan American Games Medals
Aretha won gold medals at the Pan American Games twice.
- In 1999, she won gold in Winnipeg, Canada.
- In 2003, she won gold again in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
She also earned a silver medal at the Pan American Games in 2011. This was in Guadalajara, Mexico.
World Athletics Final Medals
Aretha also won medals at the IAAF World Athletics Final.
- In 2003, she won a silver medal in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
- In 2004 and 2005, she won bronze medals in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Olympic Games Appearances
Aretha competed in the Olympic Games multiple times.
- She participated in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
- She also competed in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
- Her last Olympic appearance was in 2012 in London, United Kingdom.
