Lauryn Williams facts for kids
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| Born | September 11, 1983 Rochester, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Alma mater | University of Miami | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 127 lb (58 kg; 9.1 st) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  United States |
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| Club | Florida | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World finals | 1st Helsinki 2005– 100 metres | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympic finals | 2nd Athens 2004– 100 metres | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest world ranking | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 m- 10.88 200 m- 22.27 |
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Medal record
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| Updated on February 19, 2014. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lauryn Williams (born September 11, 1983) is an amazing American athlete. She is famous for being both a fast sprinter and a bobsledder. Lauryn won a gold medal in the 100 meter dash at the 2005 World Championships. She also earned silver medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics and other big events.
In 2014, Lauryn made history by winning a silver medal in two-woman bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics. This made her one of only six athletes ever to win medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. She was also the first American woman to achieve this incredible feat!
Lauryn was a World Junior Champion in 2002. She also won the 100-meter race at the 2003 Pan American Games. She was a key part of the American 4 × 100 meter relay team. This team won gold medals at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships. They also won gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
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Lauryn's Early Life and Education
Lauryn Williams was born in Rochester, Pennsylvania. She grew up in areas near Pittsburgh and Detroit. Today, she lives in suburban Pittsburgh. In high school, she set records in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and long jump events. She also held the record for the 4 × 100 meters relay.
College Years and Achievements
Lauryn went to the University of Miami. She was a star on their track team. She graduated in 2004. While there, she was honored by the Iron Arrow Honor Society. This is the highest award at the university.
Her Amazing Track Career
Lauryn Williams was part of the 4 × 100 meter relay team at the 2003 World Championships. She helped her team in the early races. Later that year, she won a gold medal in the 100-meter event at the 2003 Pan American Games. Her winning time was 11.12 seconds.
Olympic and World Championship Success
Lauryn won a silver medal in the 100 meters at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She also earned four medals at the World Championships in Athletics. She won gold medals in the 4 × 100 m relay in 2005 and 2007. She also took home gold and silver medals in the 100 m race in those same years.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics, there was a small problem. Lauryn and her teammate had trouble with the baton exchange in the 4 × 100 relay final. This led to the U.S. team being disqualified.
Challenges at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Lauryn ran the last part of the relay race. However, a mix-up with her teammate caused the baton to drop. Lauryn picked it up and finished the race. But the team was disqualified because she had to run outside her lane. In the individual 100 meters, she finished fourth in the final. Three runners from Jamaica took the top spots.
In 2009, Lauryn placed third in the 100 m at the US Championships. This qualified her for her third World Championships. Before the event, she was part of a U.S. relay team that ran the fastest women's sprint relay in twelve years.
Lauryn took a break from competitive running in 2010. She worked in the athletic department at the University of Miami. She returned to racing in 2011.
Setting a World Record in London 2012
At the 2012 Olympics in London, Lauryn Williams ran the first part of the 4 × 100 meter relay for the USA in the qualifying round. The team went on to win the gold medal. They also set a new world record with an amazing time of 40.82 seconds!
Switching to Bobsleigh
On January 19, 2014, Lauryn Williams won her first bobsled gold medal. This was at a World Cup event in Austria. Soon after, she was chosen for the U.S. Olympic women's bobsled team for 2014.
Winning Silver at the 2014 Winter Olympics
On February 19, 2014, Lauryn Williams and her teammate Elana Meyers won the silver medal. This was at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Their first run set a new track record. They finished with a total time of 3:50.71, just a tiny bit behind the first-place team from Canada.
Lauryn is one of only six Olympians in history to win medals at both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games. Only three Americans have done this. The others are Eddie Eagan and Eddy Alvarez.
Life After Sports
After her amazing sports career, Lauryn Williams became a certified financial planner. She passed her exam in 2017. This shows she is not only a great athlete but also very smart with money!
Major Achievements and Medals
Here are some of Lauryn Williams' biggest achievements representing the United States:
- 2002 World Junior Championships (Kingston, Jamaica)
- Gold medal in 100 m
- Silver medal in 4 × 100 m relay
- 2003 Pan American Games (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
- Gold medal in 100 m
- 2004 Olympic Games (Athens, Greece)
- Silver medal in 100 m
- 2004 World Athletics Final (Monaco)
- Bronze medal in 100 m
- 2005 World Championships (Helsinki, Finland)
- Gold medal in 100 m
- 2005 World Athletics Final (Monaco)
- Bronze medal in 100 m
- 2006 World Indoor Championships (Moscow, Russia)
- Silver medal in 60 m
- 2007 World Championships (Osaka, Japan)
- Silver medal in 100 m
- 2012 Olympic Games (London, Great Britain)
- Gold medal in 4 × 100 m relay (competed in heats)
- 2014 Winter Olympic Games (Sochi, Russia)
- Silver medal in 2 Woman bobsleigh
See also
In Spanish: Lauryn Williams para niños
- List of multi-sport athletes
- World Fit
