Wendy Vereen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wendy Vereen

Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the  United States
World Championships
Silver	1993 Stuttgart	4×100 m relay
World Indoor Championships
Gold	1993 Toronto	1600 m relay
IAAF World Cup
Bronze	1989 Barcelona	4×100 m relay

Wenda "Wendy" Vereen, born on April 24, 1966, is a former American track and field athlete. She was a fast runner, specializing in short races like the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. She was even ranked as the best high school runner in the country in 1983 and 1984. Her fastest times were 11.17 seconds for the 100 meters and 22.63 seconds for the 200 meters.

Wendy won three important medals in relay races. These include a silver medal at the 1993 World Championships and a gold medal at the 1993 World Indoor Championships. She also earned a bronze medal at the 1989 IAAF World Cup. She also ran for the United States by herself in the 200-meter race at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in 1993 and 1995.

Wendy Vereen's Athletic Journey

Wendy grew up in Trenton, New Jersey. She started her track and field journey in high school at Trenton Central High School. In 1982, she won the 200-meter race for athletes under 17. The next year, in 1983, she became the American junior champion in the 200 meters. Her winning time of 23.22 seconds was a record for many years.

High School Achievements

Track & Field News magazine named her the number one high school girl in both the 100-meter and 200-meter races in 1983 and 1984. Her 100-meter time of 11.17 seconds in 1983 made her the second-fastest American high school runner ever at that time. Only Chandra Cheeseborough had run faster.

College Career

Because she was one of the best high school sprinters, Wendy received a scholarship to attend Morgan State University. While there, she set four new school records in different running events. She earned eight All-American honors while competing for the Morgan State Bears team. In 1986, she was part of the team that finished second in the 4×100-meter relay at the NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Future Olympic champion Rochelle Stevens was also on that team. Wendy was chosen as a backup runner for the 1984 American Olympic team, but she did not get to compete.

National and International Success

From the late 1980s, Wendy often reached the finals at national competitions. In 1989, she won her first international medal at the 1989 IAAF World Cup. She was the anchor runner for the 4 × 100 m relay team. Her teammates were Sheila Echols, Esther Jones, and Dawn Sowell. They won a bronze medal, finishing behind teams from East Germany and the Soviet Union.

Peak Performance in 1993

Wendy's professional running career reached its highest point in 1993. She ran her fastest indoor 200-meter race in 23.07 seconds. She was also chosen to represent the United States individually for the first time. At the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships, she finished fifth in the 200-meter race. She also won a gold medal with the 1600-meter medley relay team. Their winning time of 3:45.90 minutes was a world record for that specific relay distance.

She was also part of the 4 × 100 m relay team for the 1993 World Championships in Athletics. The team included Michelle Finn-Burrell, Gwen Torrence, Wendy Vereen, and Gail Devers. They finished the race in 41.49 seconds, which was a new championship record. However, the Russian team finished with the exact same time. After a closer look, the Russian team was declared the winner. Wendy and the American team were awarded a silver medal. Wendy ended her 1993 season by finishing seventh in the 100-meter race at the 1993 IAAF Grand Prix Final.

Later Career and Retirement

Wendy had one more international appearance in 1995. She ran in the 200-meter heats at the 1995 IAAF World Indoor Championships. However, she was disqualified for running outside her lane. Her last major competition was at the 1996 United States Olympic Trials. There, she reached the quarter-finals in the 200-meter race.

After her athletic career, Wendy settled in Indiana. In 2014, she was honored and inducted into the Morgan State University Hall of Fame. She worked for the Department of Workforce Development. She also became a coach for the Indiana Racing Cheetah Track Club. Wendy married Troy Christopher, and they have a daughter named Camille, who was born around 2000.

International Competitions

Personal Records

• 100-meter dash – 11.17 seconds (1983)
• 200-meter dash – 22.63 seconds (1993)
• 200-meter dash indoor – 23.07 seconds (1993)

See also

In Spanish: Wendy Vereen para niños