Brianna Rollins-McNeal facts for kids
Rollins at the 2015 Bislett Games
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Brianna Rollins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | August 18, 1991 Miami, Florida, U.S. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) |
Bryce McNeal
(m. 2017) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 100 metres hurdles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 60 m hurdles: 7.78 s (2013) 100 m hurdles: 12.26 s (2013) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brianna Rollins-McNeal, born on August 18, 1991, is an American track and field athlete. She is famous for her speed in the 100 metres hurdles race. Brianna won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games and was also the World Champion in 2013. Her best time of 12.26 seconds makes her one of the fastest 100-meter hurdlers ever.
During her career, Brianna faced some challenges related to competition rules. She received a one-year suspension in 2017. Later, she received another suspension that is set to end in August 2025.
Contents
Brianna's Early Life and College Career
Brianna McNeal was born in Miami, Florida. She is the oldest of seven children and the only girl in her family. She finished high school at Miami Northwestern Senior High in 2009.
After high school, Brianna went to Clemson University. She studied travel and tourism and graduated in 2013. While at Clemson, she became a three-time NCAA champion. She won the 60 meters hurdles twice (in 2011 and 2013) and the 100 meters hurdles once (in 2013). After her college career, she became a professional athlete. She even set a new NCAA record in the 100 meters hurdles with a time of 12.39 seconds.
Brianna's Professional Athletics Career
Starting Her Olympic Journey
In 2012, Brianna tried out for the U.S. Olympic team. She finished sixth in the 100 meters hurdles and did not make the team that year. However, the next month, she won a gold medal at the 2012 NACAC Under-23 Championships in the 100 meters hurdles.
Becoming a World Champion
In 2013, Brianna won the 100 meters hurdles at the USA Track and Field Championships. She set a new American record with an amazing time of 12.26 seconds! This was faster than the previous record held by Gail Devers.
Later that year, at the World Championships in Moscow, Brianna won another gold medal. She finished the 100 meters hurdles in 12.44 seconds, beating the Olympic champion Sally Pearson. Even though she had a slower start, she quickly caught up and won the race. For her great performance in 2013, she received the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Athlete of the Year Award.
Continuing Success and Olympic Gold
In 2014, Brianna won a 100 meters hurdles race in Rome as part of the 2014 IAAF Diamond League. In 2016, she won the 60 meters hurdles at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. She also earned a silver medal at the 2016 World Indoor Championships in the 60 meters hurdles.
Brianna qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games by winning the 100 hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, she won a gold medal in the 100 meters hurdles. What made this even more special was that her teammates, Kristi Castlin and Nia Ali, won silver and bronze. This was the first time in history that one country won all three medals in this event at the Olympics!
Challenges and Appeals
In April 2017, Brianna received a one-year suspension due to issues with competition rules. This meant some of her results from late 2016 were removed.
In 2019, she finished third at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, which qualified her for the World Athletics Championships. However, she was disqualified from the 100 meters hurdles at the World Championships after a false start.
In January 2021, Brianna faced another suspension from competition due to a rule violation. She stated she was innocent and clean. However, a special tribunal found that she had changed some medical notes without checking them properly. In June 2021, she received a five-year suspension. This meant she could not compete in the 2020 (held in 2021) or 2024 Olympic Games. The suspension was confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Brianna's Personal Life
In 2017, Brianna married Bryce McNeal in San Diego. They met at Clemson University, where Bryce played for the Tigers football team.
Competition Achievements
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  United States |
|||||
| 2012 | NACAC U23 Championships | Irapuato, Mexico | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.60 |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.44 |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 4th | 100 m hurdles | 12.67 |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, Oregon, United States | 2nd | 60 m hurdles | 7.82 |
| Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 1st | 100 m hurdles | 12.48 | |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | – | 100 m hurdles | DQ |
See also
In Spanish: Brianna McNeal para niños
