Sally Pearson (Qld)

Across a glittering career, Sally Pearson has won it all in the 100m (& 60m) hurdles. She has been the Olympic champion (2012), world champion (2011 & 2017), world indoor champion (2011), Commonwealth Games (2010 & 2014) and Continental Cup champion (2010).

The sixth fastest 100m hurdler in history, Sally made her Australian senior team debut, aged 16 years, way back
in 2003 as a member of the 4x100m relay team at the IAAF World Championships. This was shortly after she had won the World Youth 100m hurdles title. The following year, 2004, at the World Juniors, she was fourth in the 100m hurdles, but third in the 100m.

She made her Commonwealth Games debut in 2006 as a teenager and was a finalist in the 100m and 100m hurdles. In her preferred event, while in fifth place, she smashed into the ninth hurdle, lost her balance and fell heavily at the last hurdle to be disqualified.

She won a landmark silver in the 100m hurdles at the Beijing Olympics. At the 2010 Commonwealth Games she won the 100m hurdles, and in the 100m final, after winning the final and doing a victory lap, she was disqualified.

Sally won the next two global 100m hurdles titles, 2011 World Championships and 2012 London Olympics. Second, at the 2013 World Championships, she defended her Commonwealth Games crown in Glasgow in 2014.

A fall in the 2015 Rome Diamond League, where she broke her wrist, forced her out of the world championships and subsequent hamstring problems shut down her Rio Olympic campaign. She returned in 2017 winning her eighth national 100m hurdles title and compiling a solid series of races overseas. Then on July 9 at the London Diamond League, running in the stadium she won gold at the 2012 London Olympics, Sally confirmed she is back to her very best, placing second in 12.48. It was the fastest time since she won gold in the same stadium, 1797 days before. Her momentum continued to the World Championships where she won the world title, defeating a strong field including Keni Harrison (USA) the world record holder. It was Sally’s fourth global win.

Following a strong domestic season, which included a quick 100m of 11.17, she won the national 100m hurdles title in 12.73 seconds, her ninth 100m hurdles crown. It took her total number of national titles to 16 comprising nine 100m hurdles, six 100m and one 200m. She was also selected for her fourth Commonwealth Games.
In early March she travelled to Birmingham to compete at the IAAF World Indoor Championships. She just missed qualification for the 60m hurdles final by 0.01 seconds.

Following her gold medal at the London Olympics, she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM). Sally is a lover of animals and has a Golden Retriever, Oscar. Sally is an ambassador for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games to be held in her home city and has been named co-captain of the Australian team.