Sally Pearson facts for kids
Sally Pearson in 2015
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| Nationality | Australian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 19 September 1986 Sydney, Australia |
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| Residence | Gold Coast, Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.67 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 60 kg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  Australia |
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| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 100 metres sprint, 200 metre sprint, 100 metres hurdles and 200 metre hurdles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Sharon Hannan and Peter Hannan ; Self-coached | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 5 August 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Olympic finals | 100 m hurdles and 100 metre sprints | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 11.14s–100 Metre Sprint 12.28s–100 m Hurdles 22.97s–200 m sprint 1:02.98–400 m Hurdles 7.16s–60 Metre Sprint |
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Medal record
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Sally Pearson, born Sally McLellan on 19 September 1986, is a famous Australian athlete. She is best known for her amazing skills in the 100 metre hurdles race. Sally has won many big competitions, including two World Championships and an Olympic gold medal. She is one of Australia's most successful track and field stars.
Contents
Sally's Athletic Journey
Sally Pearson was born in Sydney, Australia. When she was eight, her family moved to the Gold Coast, Queensland. It was there that her talent for running was first noticed. Her coach, Sharon Hannan, helped her from a young age.
Early Success and First Medals
Sally quickly became a rising star. In 2001, at just 14 years old, she won national titles in the 100 metres and 90 metres hurdles. She made her international debut in 2003 at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics in Canada. There, she won a gold medal in the 100 metres hurdles. The next year, she won a bronze medal in the 100 metres at the 2004 World Junior Championships in Athletics.
Olympic Dreams and Silver Medal
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Sally had a tough moment. She tripped over a hurdle in the final, missing out on a medal. After this, she decided to focus mainly on the 100 metres hurdles. This choice paid off big time at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Sally won a silver medal in a very exciting race.
Setting New Records
In 2009, Sally was in great shape. She broke the Australian and Oceanian record for the 100 metres hurdles. She ran the race in an incredible 12.50 seconds. This showed everyone she was one of the fastest hurdlers in the world.
Commonwealth Games Challenge
At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, Sally faced a challenge. She was disqualified from the 100 metres sprint final due to a false start. This was very upsetting for her. However, just three nights later, she bounced back. She won a gold medal in the 100 metres hurdles final. She also ran in the 4 × 400 metres relay, even though she hadn't trained for it. She collapsed after the race, showing how much effort she put in for her team.
World Champion in 2011
In 2011, Sally Pearson became a World Champion. At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in South Korea, she ran the 100 metres hurdles in an amazing 12.28 seconds. This was the fourth fastest time ever recorded in history! It also broke her own Australian and Oceanian records.
Olympic Gold in 2012
Leading up to the 2012 London Olympics, Sally was almost unbeatable. She had won 32 out of 34 races. In the 100 metres hurdles final, she won the gold medal with a new Olympic record time of 12.35 seconds. This was a huge moment in her career.
Injuries and Comebacks
Sally faced some tough injuries during her career. In 2015, she had a serious wrist injury after falling over a hurdle. This stopped her from competing for the rest of the season. In 2016, a hamstring injury meant she couldn't compete at the Rio Olympics. Despite these setbacks, Sally showed incredible strength. She made a fantastic comeback in 2017. She won another gold medal in the 100 metres hurdles at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics in London.
Retirement from Athletics
On 5 August 2019, Sally Pearson announced she was retiring from competitive athletics. She explained that her body was telling her it was time to stop. Sally is known as the eighth fastest 100 metres hurdles sprinter in history.
Life After Running
After retiring, Sally has stayed busy. In February 2022, she started working as a sports presenter for Seven News Gold Coast. She also joined the TV show Dancing with the Stars in May 2023. In February 2025, she became a reporter for the TV program Sunrise.
Awards and Recognition
Sally Pearson has received many awards for her achievements:
- 2008/2009 – Athletics Australia Female Athlete of the Year.
- 2011 – IAAF World Athlete of the Year. She was the first Australian to win this award.
- 2012 – Sport Australia Hall of Fame The Don Award.
- 2014 – Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to sport.
- 2017 – Australian Institute of Sport Female Athlete of the Year.
- 2018 – She was the final runner for the Queens Baton Relay at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
- 2024 – Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Sally was raised by her single mother, Anne. Her mother worked hard to support Sally's athletic career. In 2010, Sally married her long-time partner, Kieran Pearson. They had been together since high school.
Sally's Best Times
- 100 metres – 11.14 seconds (2007)
- 200 metres – 22.97 seconds (2015)
- 100 metres hurdles – 12.28 seconds (2011) – This is the eighth fastest time in history!
Images for kids
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Sally Pearson in 2015
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Sally Pearson at the 2011 World Championships
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Sally Pearson at the 2017 Boost Boston Games
See also
In Spanish: Sally Pearson para niños
