Lashinda Demus
Encyclopedia
Lashinda Demus (born March 10, 1983 in Inglewood, California
) is an American
hurdler
who specialises in the 400 meter hurdles.
Her personal best time over 400m hurdles is 52.47 seconds in Daegu, South Korea on September 1, 2011, which is currently the women's 3rd fastest time ever. Also she is the American Record holder in 400m Hurdles.
She is an alumna of Long Beach Wilson High School
where she ran and still holds the national high school record for the 300 hurdles, the only girl to break the 40 second barrier. She ran on the 4x400 relay team that progressively set the National record in 1998, the #2 time in history in 1999 and then broke its own national record in 2001 (since surpassed by cross town rival Long Beach Polytechnic High School
in 2004). She also competed in the 100 meter hurdles winning the CIF California State Meet
in 2001, on the 4x100 relay team, Champions in 2001, as well as many of the sprint medley teams. In 1999 and again in 2001 she was named the named the national Girl's "High School Athlete of the Year" by Track and Field News.
After High School, Lashinda attended the University of South Carolina
to work under Curtis Frye
. Her top times in college were, Top Times- 55m H: 7.80; 60m H: 8.32; 100m H: 13.35; 400m H: 54.70; 400m: 51.38; 800m: 2:13.77. While at South Carolina, Demus won the world Junior Championship in 2002, the NCAA Indoor Championship at 400 metres
in 2004, the first of three National Championships and a silver medal in the 2005 World Championships.
Leaving behind the memory of failure to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics
, she won the 2009 US Championships in the 400 m hurdles, with a world-leading 53.78 seconds, gaining herself a place at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
. She improved upon this with a time of 52.63 seconds at the Herculis
meeting in July. This was a meeting record and was then the fourth fastest time ever for the event. With that time she was the favorite to win the World Championships, but faltered over the last two hurdles as she was passed by Olympic Gold Medalist Melanie Walker of Jamaica
who was en route to the #2 time in history, leaving Demus to take home a second silver medal. However, Demus got her revenge at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
in Daegu, South Korea when she won the gold medal in 52.47, a new American Record and the third fastest time in history, she beat reigning Olympic Champion and defending World Champion Melaine Walker
who finished second. Heavy favourite Kaliese Spencer
who had set the fastest time in 2011, could only finish fourth behind Demus, Walker and 2010 European Champion and former Olympic 400m bronze medalist Natalya Antyukh
.
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hurdler
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
who specialises in the 400 meter hurdles.
Her personal best time over 400m hurdles is 52.47 seconds in Daegu, South Korea on September 1, 2011, which is currently the women's 3rd fastest time ever. Also she is the American Record holder in 400m Hurdles.
She is an alumna of Long Beach Wilson High School
Wilson Classical High School
Woodrow Wilson Classical High School is a secondary school in Long Beach, California. It is part of the Long Beach Unified School District and opened in 1925.-Overview:Wilson High School opened in 1925 as the second school in the city....
where she ran and still holds the national high school record for the 300 hurdles, the only girl to break the 40 second barrier. She ran on the 4x400 relay team that progressively set the National record in 1998, the #2 time in history in 1999 and then broke its own national record in 2001 (since surpassed by cross town rival Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a High school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States....
in 2004). She also competed in the 100 meter hurdles winning the CIF California State Meet
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
in 2001, on the 4x100 relay team, Champions in 2001, as well as many of the sprint medley teams. In 1999 and again in 2001 she was named the named the national Girl's "High School Athlete of the Year" by Track and Field News.
After High School, Lashinda attended the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
to work under Curtis Frye
Curtis Frye
Curtis Frye is the head coach for the University of South Carolina Track and Field teams. He served as an assistant coach for the United States women's track and field team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.Fry's coaching specialties are the hurdling events, sprints, and relays...
. Her top times in college were, Top Times- 55m H: 7.80; 60m H: 8.32; 100m H: 13.35; 400m H: 54.70; 400m: 51.38; 800m: 2:13.77. While at South Carolina, Demus won the world Junior Championship in 2002, the NCAA Indoor Championship at 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
in 2004, the first of three National Championships and a silver medal in the 2005 World Championships.
Leaving behind the memory of failure to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, she won the 2009 US Championships in the 400 m hurdles, with a world-leading 53.78 seconds, gaining herself a place at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
. She improved upon this with a time of 52.63 seconds at the Herculis
Herculis
The Herculis is an annual track and field meet at Stade Louis II in Fontvieille, Monaco. Previously one of the five IAAF Super Grand Prix events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League.-World records:...
meeting in July. This was a meeting record and was then the fourth fastest time ever for the event. With that time she was the favorite to win the World Championships, but faltered over the last two hurdles as she was passed by Olympic Gold Medalist Melanie Walker of Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
who was en route to the #2 time in history, leaving Demus to take home a second silver medal. However, Demus got her revenge at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
2011 World Championships in Athletics
The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011....
in Daegu, South Korea when she won the gold medal in 52.47, a new American Record and the third fastest time in history, she beat reigning Olympic Champion and defending World Champion Melaine Walker
Melaine Walker
Melaine Walker O.D is a Jamaican 400 metres hurdler. Walker is the reigning World and Olympic 400 m hurdles champion...
who finished second. Heavy favourite Kaliese Spencer
Kaliese Spencer
Kaliese Spencer is a Jamaican track and field athlete who specialises in the 400 metres hurdles. She has finished fourth at both the 2009 World Championships in Athletics and the 2011 World Championships in Athletics. She was heavy favourite to win the Gold Medal in 2011 but performed poorly in...
who had set the fastest time in 2011, could only finish fourth behind Demus, Walker and 2010 European Champion and former Olympic 400m bronze medalist Natalya Antyukh
Natalya Antyukh
Natalya Nikolayevna Antyukh is a Russian athlete who primarily competed in the 400 metres and 400 metre hurdles.In addition to winning medals in individual contests, she has been a very successful relay runner, winning a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics....
.
Achievements
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Result | Extra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | World Junior Championships 2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics The 2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2002 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Kingston, Jamaica from July 16 to July 21, 2002.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:... |
Kingston Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island... , Jamaica Jamaica Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic... |
1st | |
| 2005 | World Championships 2005 World Championships in Athletics The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of... |
Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
2nd | |
| World Athletics Final 2005 IAAF World Athletics Final The 3rd IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on September 9, and September 10, 2005.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary on September 3 as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.- Medal... |
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco.... , Monaco Monaco Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the... |
1st | ||
| 2006 | World Athletics Final 2006 IAAF World Athletics Final The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*... |
Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
1st | |
| World Cup 2006 IAAF World Cup The 10th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event, held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which took place on 16 and 17 September 2006 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.... |
Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... , Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
2nd |