University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Joanna Hayes Wins Gold Medal in 100m Hurdles in Athens
August 24, 2004 | Bruin Athletics
Aug. 24, 2004
Bruin Alumnus Joanna Hayes (1999) captured her first Olympic title on Tuesday after winning the 100m hurdles in a new Olympic Record time of 12.37. The reigning world champion, Perdita Felicien of Canada, failed to finish the race after a collision with Russia's Irina Shevchenko.
"I have been waiting so long for this," said Hayes. " The most important thing out there is to stay fast and clean. Well, it wasn't clean in the end, but I was able to keep my focus until the end."
Hayes won her first two heats of the hurdles, and ran a personal best of 12.48 in the semifinal round (12.71 in the quarterfinals). She knocked another tenth of a second off her lifetime-best in the finals, running an Olympic Record of 12.37 (old record, 12.39).
For complete results go to www.olympics.com
