Catherine Hardy Lavender facts for kids
Hardy training for the Olympics.
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Quick facts for kids Personal information |
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| Born | February 8, 1930 Carroll County, Georgia |
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| Died | September 8, 2017 (aged 87) Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Education | Carroll County Training School Fort Valley State College |
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Medal record
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Catherine Hardy Lavender (born Catherine Hardy) was an American athlete. She was born on February 8, 1930, and passed away on September 8, 2017. Catherine was famous for running fast, especially in the 100-meter dash. She won a gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. This was for the 4 × 100 metres relay race. After her sports career, she got married, had children, and taught in Atlanta schools for 30 years.
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Early Life and College
Catherine Hardy Lavender was born in Carroll County, Georgia. She was the third of eight children. Her parents were Ernest and Emma Hardy.
She finished Carroll County Training School when she was 16. Catherine wanted to go to Tuskegee Institute. However, her family were farmers and did not have much money. So, she went to Fort Valley State College instead. This college is now called Fort Valley State University.
At that time, schools were still separated by race. Even though West Georgia College was close to her home, Catherine, who was African-American, had to go to a different college.
Becoming a Track Star
In college, Catherine loved playing basketball. Her track coach at Fort Valley, Raymond Pitts, told her to try track. She agreed and ran her first race in 1949 at the Tuskegee Relays, and she won!
Two years later, she won a big indoor meet in New York City. This was the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) meet. She won the 50-yard dash and set a new American record. From 1951 to 1952, she was named an All-American athlete.
In 1952, Catherine earned her college degree in business education. After graduating, she trained very hard for more AAU events and the Olympic tryouts. At the AAU event, she won three races: the 50-yard dash, the 100-meter race, and the 200-meter race.
Journey to the Olympic Games
At the U.S. Olympic tryouts in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Catherine Hardy set another American record. This was in the 200-meter run. This amazing run helped her get a spot on the 1952 U.S. Olympic Women's Track Team.
She was the only athlete from the state of Georgia to go to the Olympics that year. The games were held in Helsinki, Finland.
Winning Olympic Gold
At the Olympics, Catherine was the anchor runner for the 4x100 meter relay team. This means she ran the last part of the race. She won the gold medal with her teammates: Mae Faggs, Barbara Jones, and Janet Moreau.
Their win was a big surprise! Many people thought the team from Australia would win. Australia had a famous runner named Marjorie Jackson, who was called "Jet." But a mistake during a baton transfer hurt Australia's chances.
Originally, Janet Moreau was supposed to be the anchor runner. But the coach realized Catherine was the fastest runner on the team. So, they changed the order. Videos and photos of the race show it was very close. But Catherine Hardy was the one who crossed the finish line first! The U.S. team beat Germany, who won the silver medal, and Great Britain, who won the bronze medal.
Catherine's time in the 100 meters during the relay was actually faster than the winning time for the individual 100-meter race at those Olympics. Even though she didn't do well in her individual 100-meter heat, she and her teammates set a new world record in the relay and brought home the gold!
When Catherine returned to the United States, her hometown held a big ticker tape parade for her. In 1999, she was honored by being added to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.
Life After Sports
After the Olympics, Catherine was offered coaching jobs in the northern U.S. But she decided to use her college degree in education. She chose to work as a teacher in Atlanta, Georgia.
She settled in Atlanta and married Edward Wright Lavender, Sr. in 1956. They had two children: a son named Edward Jr., born in 1957, and a daughter named Stephanie, born in 1960.
Catherine Hardy Lavender continued teaching for over 30 years. She retired in 1986 to care for her sick mother. After her mother passed away in 1987, Catherine returned to teaching. She worked as a substitute teacher in the Atlanta Public Schools system.
See also
In Spanish: Catherine Hardy para niños
