Perdita Felicien
Encyclopedia
Perdita Felicien (born August 29, 1980 in Oshawa, Ontario
, Canada
) is a Canadian hurdler
.
island nation of Saint Lucia
. Her mother named her "Perdita" after a contestant on the television game show, The Price is Right
.
Felicien grew up in Pickering, Ontario
, where, as a student, she began competing in track and field events at her school. At first, she competed in the 100m dash. Inspired by the success of World and Olympic
champions Donovan Bailey
and Bruny Surin
from Canada, Felicien dedicated herself to hurdling and won the Ontario
high-school hurdling championship in 1997. She repeated as the Ontario champion in 1998 and that year added the first of two consecutive Canadian junior championships. Her performance at a scholastic meet in Ohio
brought offers of athletic scholarships from a number of U.S. universities from which she chose the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
where she enrolled in the study of kinesiology
.
history for the event. The following year she was ranked No. 1 in the 100 m hurdles by the NCAA for the entire outdoor season and was the first Illinois athlete to ever win a national championship during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Her performance earned her the first of three consecutive University of Illinois Female Athlete of the Year awards and she was voted the U.S. Track Coaches Association National Female Outdoor Athlete of the Year.
In 2003, an undefeated Perdita Felicien won her second consecutive 100 m hurdles national title en route to becoming the first University of Illinois female athlete to be named the Big Ten Conference
"Athlete of the Year" while earning NCAA Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors. Felicien blossomed into a major force on the international scene in hurdling, topping off her season by winning the women's 100 m Hurdles Final at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
in Paris
, France
. With her win, Felicien became Canada's first ever female world gold medallist and the first female in Illinois
track & field history to win a gold medal in an individual event at the World Championships. She was named Canada's female athlete of the year – the first track athlete to capture that honor in 25 years.
In March 2004, in a much-anticipated showdown with hurdling great Gail Devers
, Perdita Felicien set a new record in defeating the three-time hurdles world champion in the 60 m hurdle final at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
in Budapest, Hungary. She chalked up six straight wins leading up to the Summer Olympics
in Athens, Greece, where she was expected to win gold in the 100 m hurdles on August 24, especially after Devers pulled out with an injury. Unexpectedly, in the event final, Felicien failed to clear the first hurdle and fell into the adjacent lane knocking down the Russian competitor, Irina Shevchenko
and taking her out of the race and a chance at an olympic medal, much to the obvious dismay of Shevchenko.
Felicien has returned to the track, and has had some success, winning medals at the world championships, alongside her teammate Priscilla Lopes-Schliep
. In 2007, she won a silver medal at the world championships in the 100 metre hurdles.
On July 14, 2008, Felicien did not compete in the 2008 Olympics
in Beijing
, China
, due to a foot injury. In August 2008, Felicien was a guest commentator for CBC Television
's 2008 Olympics coverage of hurdles.
In June, 2011, Felicien relocated to the University of Calgary in Alberta to train under the tutelage of former national team head coach, Les Gramantik and her old coach, Gary Winckler. She has also partnered with Jessica Zelinka, ranked the sixth-best heptathlete in the world.
2007
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
Oshawa, Ontario
Oshawa is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the Lake Ontario shoreline. It lies in Southern Ontario approximately 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto. It is commonly viewed as the eastern anchor of both the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe. It is now commonly referred to as the most...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) is a Canadian 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...
.
Early life
Felicien carries her mother's maiden name, whose origins are in the CaribbeanCaribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
island nation of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
. Her mother named her "Perdita" after a contestant on the television game show, The Price is Right
The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right is a television game show franchise originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, and created by Bob Stewart, and is currently produced and owned by FremantleMedia. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also includes merchandise such as video games, printed...
.
Felicien grew up in Pickering, Ontario
Pickering, Ontario
Pickering is a city located in Southern Ontario, Canada immediately east of Toronto in Durham Region. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, the largest metropolitan area in Canada.- Early Period :...
, where, as a student, she began competing in track and field events at her school. At first, she competed in the 100m dash. Inspired by the success of World and Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
champions Donovan Bailey
Donovan Bailey
Donovan Bailey is a retired Canadian sprinter, who once held the world record for the 100 metres race following his gold medal performance in the 1996 Olympic Games. He was the first Canadian to legally break the 10-second barrier in the 100 m...
and Bruny Surin
Bruny Surin
Bruny Surin is a Canadian athlete, winner of a gold medal in the 4x100 m relay at the 1996 Summer Olympics. In 2008 he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 1996 Summer Olympics 4x100 relay team.-Career:...
from Canada, Felicien dedicated herself to hurdling and won the Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
high-school hurdling championship in 1997. She repeated as the Ontario champion in 1998 and that year added the first of two consecutive Canadian junior championships. Her performance at a scholastic meet in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
brought offers of athletic scholarships from a number of U.S. universities from which she chose the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
where she enrolled in the study of kinesiology
Kinesiology
Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational...
.
Career
Coached by Gary Winckler, in her first year competing at the university level, Perdita Felicien earned All-American honors and in the 100m hurdles set the record for the fastest time by a freshman in NCAANational Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
history for the event. The following year she was ranked No. 1 in the 100 m hurdles by the NCAA for the entire outdoor season and was the first Illinois athlete to ever win a national championship during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Her performance earned her the first of three consecutive University of Illinois Female Athlete of the Year awards and she was voted the U.S. Track Coaches Association National Female Outdoor Athlete of the Year.
In 2003, an undefeated Perdita Felicien won her second consecutive 100 m hurdles national title en route to becoming the first University of Illinois female athlete to be named the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
"Athlete of the Year" while earning NCAA Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors. Felicien blossomed into a major force on the international scene in hurdling, topping off her season by winning the women's 100 m Hurdles Final at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics
2003 World Championships in Athletics
The 9th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held from 23 August to 31 August 2003 in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.-Track:...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. With her win, Felicien became Canada's first ever female world gold medallist and the first female in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
track & field history to win a gold medal in an individual event at the World Championships. She was named Canada's female athlete of the year – the first track athlete to capture that honor in 25 years.
In March 2004, in a much-anticipated showdown with hurdling great Gail Devers
Gail Devers
Yolanda Gail Devers is a retired three-time Olympic champion in track and field for the US Olympic Team. Devers was born in Seattle, Washington, and grew up near National City, California and graduated from Sweetwater High School in 1984...
, Perdita Felicien set a new record in defeating the three-time hurdles world champion in the 60 m hurdle final at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Budapest Arena, Hungary between March 5 and March 7, 2004...
in Budapest, Hungary. She chalked up six straight wins leading up to the Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens, Greece, where she was expected to win gold in the 100 m hurdles on August 24, especially after Devers pulled out with an injury. Unexpectedly, in the event final, Felicien failed to clear the first hurdle and fell into the adjacent lane knocking down the Russian competitor, Irina Shevchenko
Irina Shevchenko
Irina Shevchenko, née Korotya is a Russian hurdler.Her personal best time is 12.67 seconds, achieved in July 2004 in Tula. She equalled this time in the 2004 Olympic semi final...
and taking her out of the race and a chance at an olympic medal, much to the obvious dismay of Shevchenko.
Felicien has returned to the track, and has had some success, winning medals at the world championships, alongside her teammate Priscilla Lopes-Schliep
Priscilla Lopes-Schliep
Priscilla Lopes-Schliep is a Canadian hurdler in track and field athletic competition. She was born in Scarborough, Ontario and currently lives in Whitby. Lopes-Schliep is the first cousin of soccer player Dwayne De Rosario. She attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.Lopes-Schliep won a...
. In 2007, she won a silver medal at the world championships in the 100 metre hurdles.
On July 14, 2008, Felicien did not compete in the 2008 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...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, due to a foot injury. In August 2008, Felicien was a guest commentator for CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
's 2008 Olympics coverage of hurdles.
In June, 2011, Felicien relocated to the University of Calgary in Alberta to train under the tutelage of former national team head coach, Les Gramantik and her old coach, Gary Winckler. She has also partnered with Jessica Zelinka, ranked the sixth-best heptathlete in the world.
Track & Field accomplishments
2011- Harry Jerome International Track Classic Winner in the 100 metre hurdles in 12:79 secs.
2007
- 2007 IAAF World Championships Silver Medal 100m hurdles
2004
- World Indoor Champion2004 IAAF World Indoor ChampionshipsThe 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Budapest Arena, Hungary between March 5 and March 7, 2004...
in the 60 m hurdles
2003
- World Champion in the 100 m hurdles
- Big TenBig Ten ConferenceThe Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
Champion in the 60 m and 100 m hurdles - Drake Relays Most Outstanding Athlete
2002
- NCAANational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Champion in the 100 m hurdles - University of Illinois Female Athlete of the Year
- Drake Relays Most Outstanding Athlete
- NCAA Record holder in the 60 m hurdles, 7.90 seconds
- NCAA Champion in the 60 m hurdles
- Big Ten Champion in the 60 m hurdles
- All-American in the 60 m hurdles
2001
- All-American in the 100 m hurdles
- All-American in the 60 m hurdles
- USTCA National Female Athlete of the Year
- Big Ten Female Outdoor Athlete of the Year
- University of Illinois Female Athlete of the Year
- Big Ten Indoor Freshman of the Year
- World Track and Field Championship Semifinalist
2000
- Big Ten Outdoor Freshman of the Year
- All-American in the 100 m hurdles