Thursday, 21 November 2024

Evelyn Ashford

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Athletes 2024
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Track & Field
Statistics: 1 100 mm Olympic Gold Medal (1984)
3 4x100 m Relay Olympic Gold Medals (1984, 1988 & 1992)
1 100 m Olympic Silver Medal (1988)
1 100 m Pan American Games Gold Medal (1979)
1 200 m Pan American Games Gold Medal (1979)
1 100 m Goodwill Games Gold Medal (1986)
2 4x100 m Relay Goodwill Games Gold Medals (1986 & 1990)
Member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame
At age 19, Evelyn Ashford finishing fifth in the 100 m at the 1976 Olympics. Winning Gold at the Pan-American Games in San Juan, Ashford was primed to have a breakout performance at the 1980 Games, but the U.S. led boycott kept her from going, and even if there were no boycott, an injured hamstring likely would have kept her stateside.
Ashford fulfilled her destiny, winning Gold in the 100 m and the 4x100 m Relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. This was Ashford’s apex, but she still scored Gold in the 1986 Goodwill Games in the 100m and 4x100m Relay.
At the 1988 Seoul Games, Ashford was the flag bearer in the opening ceremony and won the Silver in the 100m, falling to her fellow American, Florence Griffith-Joyner. The two would team up and win another Gold in the 4x100m Relay. Ashford added another Olympic Gold in the 1992 4x100m Relay.
We are proud to nominate Evelyn Ashford for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.