Carmelita Jeter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Carmelita Jeter

Jeter at the 2011 World Championships
Personal information
Born	(1979-11-24) November 24, 1979 (age 45) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Weight	135 lb (61 kg)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Running
Event(s)	100 meters, 200 meters
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 1 1 World Championships 3 1 3 World Indoor Championships 0 1 0 World Athletics Final 2 0 0 Total 6 3 4 Olympic Games Gold 2012 London 4×100 m relay Silver 2012 London 100 m Bronze 2012 London 200 m World Championships Gold 2007 Osaka 4×100 m relay Gold 2011 Daegu 100 m Gold 2011 Daegu 4×100 m relay Silver 2011 Daegu 200 m Bronze 2007 Osaka 100 m Bronze 2009 Berlin 100 m Bronze 2013 Moscow 100 m World Indoor Championships Silver 2010 Doha 60 m World Relay Championships Silver 2015 Nassau 4×100 m relay World Athletics Final Gold 2007 Stuttgart 100 m Gold 2009 Thessaloniki 100 m

Carmelita Jeter (born November 24, 1979) is a retired American sprinter. She was known for competing in short races like the 60 metres, 100 m, and 200 m. For many years, between 2009 and 2021, people called Jeter the "Fastest woman alive." This was after she ran the 100 m race in an amazing 10.64 seconds in 2009.

In the 100 m race at the 2011 World Championships, she won the gold medal. She also earned a silver medal in the 100 m at the 2012 London Olympics. Her fastest time of 10.64 seconds in the 100 m makes her one of the fastest women ever. Only a few athletes, like Florence Griffith Joyner, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, have run faster.

In May 2023, Carmelita Jeter became the head coach for the track and field and cross country teams at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

Early Life and First Steps in Running

Carmelita Jeter was born on November 24, 1979. She went to Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, California. At first, her family loved basketball, and her younger brother, Eugene, even played for the Sacramento Kings.

Carmelita's basketball coach saw her speed and suggested she try track. She ran 100 meters in just 11.7 seconds, showing her natural talent! She later graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills. There, she set a record for winning the most NCAA medals for her university's track team. She was also the first athlete from her university to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Carmelita faced some challenges early on. A problem with her hamstring muscle kept her from competing much between 2003 and 2005. But she worked hard, including getting special deep tissue massage treatment. By 2007, she was ready to make a big impact in professional track and field.

Becoming a World-Class Sprinter

Jeter competing at the 2007 World Championships.

In 2007, Carmelita Jeter started to shine. She won a silver medal in the 60 meters race at a national championship. She then improved her 100 m time to 11.04 seconds. This helped her qualify for her first big international competition, the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. There, she won a bronze medal in the 100 m with a time of 11.02 seconds. She also won a gold medal at the 2007 World Athletics Final.

The next year, she tried out for the 2008 Summer Olympics team. Even though she ran her fastest 100 m race yet (10.97 seconds), she didn't make the team. This was tough, as many thought she would be selected. After this, she decided to work with a new coach, John Smith, who helped her change her running style.

Amazing Speed in 2009

In 2009, Carmelita Jeter showed incredible improvement. She ran the 60 m race in 7.11 seconds, which was the fastest time in the world that year! She continued her great form outdoors, winning her first national title in the U.S. Outdoor Championships. At the London Grand Prix, she ran the 100 m in 10.92 seconds, her new personal best.

Before the 2009 World Championships, Jeter was part of a U.S. 4 × 100 m relay team. They ran the fastest women's sprint relay in twelve years! This showed how strong the team was.

Jeter running in the World Championships in Berlin.

At the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Carmelita was a favorite to win gold. She ran a super fast 10.83 seconds in the semifinals. But in the final, she won her second World Championship bronze medal in the 100 m. After the championships, she kept winning, beating strong competitors in other races.

She was also chosen to be the anchor runner for the U.S. relay team. Sadly, during their race, one of her teammates got hurt, and the team was out of the competition.

Breaking Records and Becoming "Fastest Woman Alive"

Carmelita Jeter kept surprising everyone with her speed. At the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final in Greece, she won the 100 m race in an astonishing 10.67 seconds. This made her the third fastest woman in history at that time! It was the fastest run in twelve years.

Just a week later, she ran even faster at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, winning in 10.64 seconds. This made her the second fastest woman ever in the 100 m race! Because of these amazing times, many people started calling her the "Fastest woman alive."

Her sudden speed increase made some people wonder how she improved so much. Carmelita said she understood why people asked questions. But she also felt it was unfair that her hard work wasn't always fully recognized.

Olympic Glory and Retirement

Carmelita Jeter continued to compete at the highest level. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she won three medals! She earned a gold medal in the 4x100 m relay, a silver medal in the 100 m, and a bronze medal in the 200 m. These were huge achievements for her career.

She retired from running in 2017. This was because injuries stopped her from being able to compete in the 2016 Olympics.

Carmelita Jeter's Best Times

Here are Carmelita Jeter's fastest times in different races:

• All information from IAAF profile.

Images for kids

• 

  Jeter at the 2009 World Championships

See also

In Spanish: Carmelita Jeter para niños