Joanna Hayes facts for kids
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Hayes on Right
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Birth name | Joanna Dove Hayes | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | December 23, 1976 Williamsport, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Sport | Track & Field | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| Updated on July 7, 2012. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Joanna Dove Hayes (born December 23, 1976, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania) is a famous American track and field athlete. She is best known for winning the gold medal in the 100 meters hurdles race at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
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Early Life and High School Success
Joanna grew up in Riverside, California. She went to John W. North High School. While there, she was an amazing athlete.
In 1995, she won two big races at the CIF California State Meet. She won both the 100 meter hurdles and the 300 meter hurdles. She even set a new record in the 100 meter hurdles!
Because of her success, Track and Field News magazine named her the national Girl's "High School Athlete of the Year." She then received a scholarship to compete for UCLA.
Becoming a Champion Hurdler
Joanna first focused on the 400 meters hurdles. This race is longer and more challenging.
She won a silver medal at the 1999 Summer Universiade. This was a huge achievement for her. She also won a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games.
Olympic Gold Medal
In 2004, Joanna started competing in the 100 meters hurdles. This race is shorter and faster.
She placed fourth at the 2004 World Indoor Championships. Then, in August, she achieved her biggest dream. She won the Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens! Her winning time was 12.37 seconds, which was her best time ever.
Later that year, she also won the 2004 World Athletics Final. This showed she was one of the best hurdlers in the world.
Later Career and Comeback
At the 2005 World Championships, Joanna was expected to do very well. She made it to the final race. However, she stumbled over a hurdle and could not finish.
She still managed to finish third at the 2005 World Athletics Final. After this, she had some challenging seasons. She faced an injury and could not qualify for the 2008 Olympics.
Joanna gave birth to her daughter, Zoe, in December 2010. She started training again in 2012. This was her comeback to competitive running.
Coaching Career
After her running career, Joanna became a successful coach. She has helped many young athletes.
She was an assistant coach at UCLA from 2014 to 2016. Before that, she coached at Harvard-Westlake School. This school is in Los Angeles, California.
From 2017 to 2024, she coached at the University of Southern California. She was named Athletic Director for Track and Field and Cross Country there.
Joanna also coached Sydney McLaughlin, a professional runner. Sydney McLaughlin is a world record holder in the 400m hurdles.
Awards and Recognition
Joanna Hayes has received several honors for her achievements.
In 2014, she was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for great athletes who attended UCLA.
In 2024, she received the Night of Legends Award. She was also named the USATF Nike Coach of the Year.
