Dawn Harper

Dawn Harper-Nelson

Harper-Nelson in 2013
Personal information
Nationality	United States
Born	(1984-05-13) May 13, 1984 (age 32) East St. Louis, Illinois
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Weight	134 lb (61 kg)
Sport
College team	UCLA Bruins
Medal record Women's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games 2008 Beijing 100 m hurdles 2012 London 100 m hurdles World Championships 2011 Daegu 100 m hurdles IAAF Continental Cup 2014 Marrakech 100 metre hurdles Pan American Junior Championships 2003 Bridgetown 100 m hurdles

Dawn Harper-Nelson (born May 13, 1984) from East St. Louis, Illinois is an American track and field athlete who specializes in the 100-meter hurdles. She was the gold medalist in the event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the silver medalist in the 2012 London Olympic Games. Dawn Harper is the first American 100-meter hurdler to ever win gold at an Olympics and medal in the following Olympics. She is trained by Bob Kersee, husband of Jackie Joyner-Kersee, six time Olympic medalist also from her hometown of East St. Louis, Illinois.

In high school, Dawn showed much promise in the sport by winning her first IHSA 2A State Championship and breaking the Illinois State record in the 100m hurdles her freshman year with a time of 14.03. In her freshman year, Harper also won the 300m hurdles with a time of 42.70. Her sophomore year was met with much adversity when she tore her PCL and Meniscus before the IHSA sectional meet. With a torn PCL and Meniscus, Harper still earned a silver medal in the 100m hurdles, but the discomfort moved her coach, Nino Fennoy, to scratch her from the 300m hurdle finals. She broke her own Illinois State Record in the 100m hurdles her Junior year with a time of 13.54. That record time still currently stands Senior year Harper came back and defended her titles winning her third State final in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.82 and the 300m hurdles. Harper graduated from East St. Louis Sr High School as a 6 time IHSA State Champion.

During her time with the UCLA Bruins, Harper won the sprint hurdles at the US Junior Championships and at the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships. She received All-American honours twice at the 2004 NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship, after coming eighth in the 100 m hurdles final and taking second place in the 4×100-meter relay.