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 ...

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

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

n woman to win an Olympic Gold when she won the 400 m 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, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...

in the 400 m Hurdles and 4 × 400 m Relay (together with Sandie Richards, Catherine Scott-Pomales and Lorraine Graham). 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, Canada, between 18 and 28 August 1994. Ten types of sports were featured at the Victoria Games: athletics, aquatics, badminton, box ...

, a Bronze Medal in the 1995

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

, a Silver in the 1997

, and a Bronze in the 1999

, all in the 400 m Hurdles. Hemmings retired in 2003 and married Michael McCatty 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 Commonwealth Games athletes for Jamaica Olympic athletes for Jamaica Olympic gold medalists for Jamaica Olympic silver medalists for Jamaica Sportspeople from Saint Ann Parish 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 silver 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 sportswomen 21st-century Jamaican sportswomen Medallists at the 1994 Commonwealth Games Commanders of the Order of Distinction Jamaican Athletics Championships winners Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics