Torri Edwards facts for kids
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| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | January 31, 1977 Fontana, California |
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| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 127 lb (58 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Running | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 100 meters, 200 meters, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 m: 10.78 s 200 m: 22.18 s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Torri Edwards (born January 31, 1977) is an American sprinter. She is known for competing in short-distance running events. These include the 100 meters and 200 meters. Torri won an Olympic medal in the 4×100-meter relay race in 2000. In 2003, she earned six medals at big international events. One of these was a gold medal at the World Championships. Edwards also ran in the 100-meter race at the 2008 Olympic Games.
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Torri Edwards' Early Running Career
Torri Edwards started running when she joined her school team. This was during her junior high years. When she attended Pomona High School, she was a good but not top-level sprinter. Her best finish in a state meet was fourth place in the 200-meter race. This happened in her senior year. After high school, Edwards went on to attend the University of Southern California.
While at USC, she became a much stronger runner. She won the Pac-10 titles for both the 100-meter and 200-meter races. Torri said that she did not realize how good she could be until college. Winning those titles gave her a lot of confidence. She then began setting bigger and bigger goals for herself.
In 2004, Torri faced a temporary suspension from competing. This meant she missed the 2004 Summer Olympics. She appealed this decision. An official panel looked into her case. They stated that Torri had acted with "honesty, integrity and character." They also said she "has not sought to gain any improper advantage or to 'cheat' in any way." Her suspension was later shortened.
Later, her 2000 Olympic medal was taken away. This happened because a teammate, Marion Jones, was involved in a rule violation. However, Torri and six other team members fought this decision. In July 2010, they successfully got their medal back.
Torri Edwards' Fastest Running Times
- 100 meters - 10.78 seconds (set in 2008)
- 200 meters - 22.28 seconds (set in 2003)
Torri Edwards at the 2008 Olympics
At the 2008 Olympic finals for the women's 100 meters, Torri Edwards had a tough race. She thought she had started too early. Because of this, she paused for a moment. She believed the officials would call a false start.
Edwards ended up finishing in eighth place. Her time was 11.20 seconds. This was not her best performance. Her fastest time is 10.78 seconds. Torri explained that she thought she moved before the starting gun. She hesitated because she expected to hear a second gun. This really affected her race.
Interestingly, her reaction time was 0.179 seconds. This was not the fastest or slowest among the runners. It's possible she twitched her upper body but kept her feet still.
Another difficult moment came in the 4×100-meter relay race. The American team dropped the baton. This happened because of a misunderstanding. Torri was on the top bend, and Lauryn Williams was waiting for the baton. Williams picked up the baton to finish the race. However, the USA team was disqualified. This was because Williams had to run out of her lane to get the baton.
Torri Edwards' International Competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Summer Olympics | Sydney, Australia | 3rd | 4×100 m relay | Medal restored after appeal |
| 2003 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 2nd | 60 m | |
| World Championships | Paris, France | 1st | 100 m | 10.93 PB | |
| 2nd | 200 m | ||||
| 2nd | 4×100 m relay | ||||
| World Athletics Final | Monte Carlo, Monaco | 3rd | 100 m | ||
| 3rd | 200 m | ||||
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, China | 8th | 100 m |
Torri Edwards' Coaching Career
After her running career, Torri Edwards became a track coach. She has helped many young athletes.
- From 2017 to 2022, she was a sprint track coach at North Carolina State University.
- She was named head track coach at Kentucky State University from August 2015 to 2020.
- Before that, she worked with the UK Kentucky Wildcats track and field teams from 2013 to 2015.
- Coach Edwards also served as an assistant coach at Riverside Community College. While there, she helped the men's track and field team win conference and state titles in 2012 and 2013.
- She also worked as a volunteer assistant at Cal Poly Pomona. She helped Angela Garcia reach the NCAA Division II National Championships. This was in Garcia's first college season. Garcia also earned All-West Region honors. At the 2013 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championships, the men's team finished second. The women's team finished third, which was their best result in over ten years. Together, the teams won six individual conference championships. Also, 25 Broncos athletes received All-CCAA honors.
See also
- List of doping cases in athletics
