Deon Marie Hemmings (born 9 October 1968 in

Saint Ann, Jamaica Saint Ann is the largest parish in Jamaica. It is situated on the north coast of the island, in the county of Middlesex, roughly halfway between the eastern and western ends of the island. It is often called "the Garden Parish of Jamaica" on ac ...

) is a former female 400 metres hurdler. Hemmings was the first ever

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

n woman to win an Olympic Gold when she won the 400m Hurdles at the

1996 Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...

breaking the Olympic record which stood to 2004. Hemmings also won two silver medals at the

2000 Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 ( Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from ...

in the 400m Hurdles and 4 × 400 m Relay (together with

Sandie Richards Angella ("Sandie") Richards (born 6 November 1968 in Clarendon Park) is a Jamaican track and field athlete. She was a bronze medalist in the 4x400 m relay at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Career She was a world junior represen ...

Catherine Scott-Pomales Catherine Scott (born 27 August 1973 in Clarendon Parish) is a retired Jamaican athlete who specialized in the 400 metres hurdles. She also competed on the successful Jamaican team in the 4 x 400 metres relay 4 (four) is a num ...

and

Lorraine Graham Lorraine Fenton (born Lorraine Graham on 8 September 1973 in Manchester) is a retired Jamaican athlete who specialized in the 400 metres. Career Her career highlight came when she won the Olympic silver medal in 2000, being the first Jamaican ...

). Hemmings also won a Silver medal in the

1994 Commonwealth Games The 1994 Commonwealth Games (French: ''XVéme Jeux du Commonwealth'') were held in Victoria, British Columbia, from 18 to 28 August 1994. Ten types of sports were featured at the Victoria Games: athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, cycling ...

, Bronze Medal in the 1995

World Athletics Championships The World Athletics Championships (until 2019 known as the World Championships in Athletics) are a biennial athletics competition organized by World Athletics (formerly IAAF, International Association of Athletics Federations). Alongside the Ol ...

, Silver in the 1997

and Bronze in the 1999

all in the 400m Hurdles. Hemmings retired in 2003 and married

Michael McCatty Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...

in 2004.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hemmings, Deon 1968 births Living people Jamaican female hurdlers Athletes (track and field) at the 1991 Pan American Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1994 Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Jamaica Olympic athletes of Jamaica Olympic gold medalists for Jamaica Olympic silver medalists for Jamaica People from Saint Ann Parish Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics Jamaican female sprinters World Athletics Championships medalists Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists in athletics (track and field) Olympic silver medalists in athletics (track and field) Pan American Games medalists in athletics (track and field) Pan American Games silver medalists for Jamaica Goodwill Games medalists in athletics Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Jamaica Competitors at the 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games World Athletics Indoor Championships winners World Athletics Championships winners Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in athletics Competitors at the 1998 Goodwill Games Medalists at the 1991 Pan American Games 20th-century Jamaican women 21st-century Jamaican women