Gail Devers

Gail Devers

Devers during her induction to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame, 2011
Personal information
Full name	Yolanda Gail Devers
Born	November 19, 1966 (1966-11-19) (age 50) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Height	5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Weight	121 lb (55 kg)
Sport
Event(s)	Hurdles, Sprints
College team	University of California, Los Angeles
Medal record Women’s athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games 1992 Barcelona 100 m 1996 Atlanta 100 m 1996 Atlanta 4x100 m relay World Championships 1993 Stuttgart 100 m 1993 Stuttgart 100 m hurdles 1995 Gothenburg 100 m hurdles 1997 Athens 4x100 m relay 1999 Seville 100 m hurdles 1991 Tokyo 100 m hurdles 1993 Stuttgart 4x100 m relay 2001 Edmonton 100 m hurdles World Indoor Championships 1993 Toronto 60 m 1997 Paris 60 m 2003 Birmingham 60 m hurdles 2004 Budapest 60 m 2004 Budapest 60 m hurdles Pan American Games 1987 Indianapolis 100 m 1987 Indianapolis 4x100 m relay

Yolanda Gail Devers (born November 19, 1966) is an American retired track and field athlete. A two-time Olympic champion in the 100 meters for the USA, her 1996 win made her only the second woman in history to successfully defend an Olympic 100m title. She won a third Olympic gold medal in the 4 x 100m relay in 1996. She is also the 1993 World champion in the 100m, and a three-time World champion in the 100m hurdles. In 2011, she was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Devers was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up near National City, California, graduating from Sweetwater High School in 1984. (Sweetwater's football and track stadium would later be named Gail Devers Stadium.) A young talent in the 100 m and 100 m hurdles, Devers was in training for the 1988 Summer Olympics, started experiencing health problems, suffering from among others migraine and vision loss. She qualified for the Olympics 100 m hurdles, in which she was eliminated in the semi-finals, but her health continued to deteriorate even further.

In 1990, she was diagnosed with Graves' disease, and underwent radioactive iodine treatment followed by thyroid hormone replacement therapy. During her radiation treatment, Devers began to develop blistering and swelling of her feet. Eventually, the sprinter could barely walk and had to crawl and or be carried. A doctor considered amputating her feet. Amazingly, Devers recovered after the radiation treatment was discontinued, and she resumed training. At the 1991 World Championships, she won a silver medal in the 100 m hurdles.