Dawn Harper-Nelson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dawn Harper-Nelson

Harper-Nelson in 2013
Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	(1984-05-13) May 13, 1984 (age 41) East St. Louis, Illinois
Height	5 ft 6 in
Weight	134 lb
Sport
College team	UCLA Bruins
Medal record Women's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing 100 m hurdles Silver 2012 London 100 m hurdles World Championships Silver 2017 London 100 m hurdles Bronze 2011 Daegu 100 m hurdles IAAF Continental Cup Gold 2014 Marrakech 100 metre hurdles NACAC U23 Championships in Athletics Gold 2006 Santo Domingo 100 metre hurdles Pan American Junior Championships Gold 2003 Bridgetown 100 m hurdles

Dawn Harper-Nelson (born May 13, 1984) is an American track and field athlete. She is famous for running the 100-meter hurdles. Dawn won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. She also earned a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games. In 2017, she won another silver medal at the World Championships. Dawn is the first American 100-meter hurdler to win gold at one Olympics and then medal again at the next. She is coached by Bob Kersee, who is married to the famous athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Both Dawn and Jackie are from East St. Louis, Illinois. In 2022, Dawn was honored by being added to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.

Dawn's Early Career in Track and Field

High School Achievements

Dawn Harper showed great talent in high school. In her first year, she won the IHSA 2A state championship. She also broke the Illinois state record for the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.03 seconds. She won the 300m hurdles that year too.

In her second year, Dawn faced a challenge when she injured her knee. Even with the injury, she still won a silver medal in the 100m hurdles. By her junior year, she broke her own 100m hurdles state record with a time of 13.54 seconds. This record still stands today! In her senior year, Dawn won both the 100m and 300m hurdles state titles again. She graduated from East St. Louis Senior High as a 6-time state champion.

College Success at UCLA

While attending UCLA Bruins, Dawn continued her success. She won the sprint hurdles at the US Junior Championships. She also won at the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships. In 2004, she earned All-American honors twice. She finished eighth in the 100m hurdles final. She also helped her team take second place in the 4×100-meter relay.

Olympic Journey and World Championships

2008: First Olympic Gold

Dawn had a tough start to 2008. She had knee surgery in February, just before the outdoor track season. But only four months later, she made her first Olympic team! She barely made it, finishing third by a tiny fraction of a second at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

During her training for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Dawn struggled to find sponsors. Luckily, her teammate Michelle Perry, who was injured, gave her a pair of running spikes. Dawn wore those spikes when she raced in the Olympics.

At 24 years old, Dawn won her first Olympic gold medal in the 100m hurdles. Her time was 12.54 seconds, which was her best time ever. This was a big surprise win. Many other US favorites had lost, and Dawn became famous around the world.

2009: National Title and World Stage

In 2009, Dawn won her first national title in the 100m hurdles. She ran a very fast time of 12.36 seconds. This was one of the fastest times ever by an American. At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, she set a personal best of 12.48 seconds in the semi-finals. In the final, she hit a hurdle and finished seventh. Later that year, she won a silver medal at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final. She ended the year ranked second in the world.

2010–2011: Comeback from Injury

In 2010, Dawn suffered another knee injury during practice. This ended her season early. She had surgery and spent a lot of time recovering. She trained for four months and then made the US team again in 2011. She finished third in the 100m hurdles at the USA Outdoor Championships.

She then earned a bronze medal at the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. She set a new personal best time of 12.47 seconds.

2012 London Olympics: Silver Medal and Record

Dawn started 2012 healthy, which was great news. She won several races leading up to the London Olympics. She won the Rome Diamond League and the Colorful Daegu Pre Championship Meet. She then won her first U.S. Olympic Trials in Oregon.

In London, Dawn ran very well. She set a new personal record of 12.46 seconds in the semifinals. In the Olympic final, she made history. She ran 12.37 seconds, which was another personal best and tied the Olympic record. She earned a silver medal, missing gold by just 0.02 seconds.

After the London Games, Dawn continued to win. She won the Stockholm Galan Diamond League Meet. She also ran her second fastest time ever, 12.43 seconds, in Lausanne, Switzerland. She finished 2012 by winning the Diamond League Title in Zurich. This win automatically qualified her for the 2013 World Championship. Dawn was named the Female Hurdler of the Year for North & Central America.

2013: A New Name and More Wins

On March 23, Dawn Harper became Dawn Harper-Nelson after marrying her high school friend, Alonzo Nelson. She quickly won her first race under her new name in Jamaica. She then ran an even faster time in Doha, Qatar. She also won races in Manchester, England, and Rome, Italy.

Because she won the 2012 Diamond League Championship, Dawn-Harper Nelson had an automatic spot on the USA World Championship team for Moscow, Russia. She only needed to run one round at the USATF National Championship to show she was fit. She won her first race there in 12.60 seconds.

She continued to win Diamond League races in Birmingham, England, and Lausanne, Switzerland. At the IAAF World Championships, she finished fourth, which was disappointing. It was the first major international championship since 2008 where she didn't win a medal. However, she bounced back. She won her second Diamond League Title in Brussels, Belgium, with a fast time of 12.48 seconds.

2014: World's Number One Hurdler

Dawn Harper-Nelson started 2014 by running her first shuttle hurdle relay. Her team set the world's fastest time of 50.50 seconds. She won the Birmingham Diamond League and set a world-leading time of 12.44 seconds in Paris. Before the Diamond League final, she defended her 2013 USATF National Championship title.

She won her third straight Diamond Trophy in Zurich. She then represented the Americas at the IAAF 2014 Continental Cup in Morocco. She won the Continental Cup with a championship record of 12.47 seconds. Dawn Harper-Nelson finished 2014 as the number one 100m hurdler in the world!

2015: Another National Title and Diamond League Win

In 2015, Dawn was still ranked number one. Even though she was the Diamond League winner, she had to compete for a spot on the World Championship team. She won her fourth US Championship in 12.55 seconds. However, she had a tough moment at the World Championships. She crashed into the second hurdle and fell out of the semifinal race. Despite this, she recovered and won her fourth Diamond League title in Brussels.

2016: Missing the Olympics

Dawn Harper-Nelson did not qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. She missed the qualifying time by just 0.01 seconds. Even so, she stayed positive and said she was "grateful" for her amazing career.

2017: World Championships Silver

Dawn Harper-Nelson joined the Worlds team again in 2017. At the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London, she won a silver medal in the 100m hurdles. She finished in 12.63 seconds. This was her second medal from a World Championships race. She said, "Me and Sally [Pearson] have just battled it out for years and it's been so great to be here with her."

Personal Life and Advocacy

Dawn is the daughter of Henry and Linda Harper. She has two sisters, Keya and Shivani, and two brothers, Bryton and Shiven. She studied at UCLA and earned a degree in psychology in 2006.

After winning gold at the Beijing Olympics, the Governor of Illinois declared October 6 as Dawn Harper Day. This day honored her victory and her roots in East St. Louis. Her hometown held a parade and celebration for her.

In June 2012, Dawn became a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association. She is passionate about preventing diabetes because many of her family members have the disease. She lost an uncle to diabetes in 2011.

After winning her silver medal in London, Dawn Harper-Nelson became an Ambassador for United Way of Greater St. Louis Education Express. Through this program, she promotes the importance of education and mentoring. She loves talking to children about their dreams and why education matters.

On March 23, 2013, Dawn married her hometown friend, Alonzo Nelson. They had known each other since eighth grade. Before her wedding, Dawn appeared on a TV show called Say Yes to the Dress to find her wedding gown. She now uses the name Dawn Harper-Nelson in her competitions.

Dawn Harper Day

Dawn Harper Day is celebrated on October 6 in Illinois. It honors track and field athlete and Olympic gold medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson.

Dawn won the Olympic gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles at the Beijing Olympics on August 19, 2008. Her winning time was 12.54 seconds, which was her personal best. She is also the first American 100-meter hurdler to win gold at one Olympics and then medal in the next.

The day was officially declared by Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich. It was celebrated with a parade and a public gathering in Dawn's hometown of East St. Louis. This is where Dawn's track and field journey began. It's also where she met her idol, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a three-time Olympic champion who is also from East St. Louis. Jackie Joyner-Kersee's husband, Bob Kersee, is Dawn's coach.

Harper-Nelson went on to win a silver medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2012 London Olympics. She set another personal record with a time of 12.37 seconds. Before the London Games, she won the US Track and Field Trials in Oregon, even though it was raining.

See also

In Spanish: Dawn Harper-Nelson para niños