Sally Pearson

Sally Pearson was born in Sydney and moved to Birdsville, Queensland when she was eight years old, before eventually settling on the Gold Coast. It was there, while she was still in primary school, that her athletic talents were noticed by Sharon Hannan, who coached her until 2013.[4] Pearson rose to prominence in 2001, when at the age of only 14, she won the Australian Youth 100 m and 90 m hurdles titles.[5] After injury setbacks during 2002 she made her international debut at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada and won gold in the 100 m hurdles. The following month, still only 16 years old, she represented Australia at open level at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, France as part of the 4 × 100 m relay team. In 2004, she won a bronze in the 100 m at the World Junior Championships, and just missed out on a medal in the 100 m hurdles.[6]

At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Pearson tripped over a hurdle and fell to the ground during the 100 m hurdles final, costing her the chance of a medal. In 2007, she continued to pursue both the 100 m and the 100 m hurdles, making the semi-final of each event at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan. However, in the lead up to the 2008 Olympic Games, she shifted her focus solely to the 100 m hurdles. This decision paid off, with Pearson claiming the silver medal in a dramatic final, where the favourite Lolo Jones stumbled and a photo finish was required to decide the minor medals. After the announcement of the official results a jubilant Pearson celebrated enthusiastically with bronze medal winner Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, and gave an emotional trackside interview.[7]

Pearson was in good form during the 2009 European season, winning five out of seven races and breaking the Australian and Oceanian record in the 100 m hurdles at the Herculis meeting in July, with a time of 12.50 seconds; 0.03 faster than the area record she had set on the same track a year earlier.[8] However, she was hampered by back spasms in the lead up to the World Championships in Berlin, and was only able to finish fifth in the 100 m hurdles final.[9]

2011 World championships

Pearson at the 2011 World Championships

At the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Pearson ran a 100m hurdles time of 12.28s (+1.1), the fourth fastest time in history, following the semi-finals where she produced the equal fifth fastest time in history of 12.36s (+0.3) to beat her own Oceanian area record and Australian national record.

On 5 August 2019, Pearson announced her retirement from competitive athletics, stating that she did not believe that she would be ready for the 2020 Olympic Games.[20] Pearson stated: "It has been a long 16 years, but also a fun and exciting 16 years. My body has decided it is time to let it go, and move forward onto a new direction."[20] She is the eighth fastest 100m hurdles sprinter in history.

In May 2023, it was announced that Pearson would be participating in the twentieth series of Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with Mitch Kirkby.

• 2008/2009 – Athletics Australia Female Athlete of the Year.[21]
• 2011 – Female Athlete of the Year. She is the first Australian to receive this award. Pearson also received prizemoney of A$ 98,800($US76,117).[22]
• 2011 – "Key to the City of Gold Coast".[23]
• 2012 – Athletics Australia Female Athlete of the Year.[24]
• 2012 – Sport Australia Hall of Fame The Don Award
• 2012 – Queensland Sports Star of the Year.[25]
• 2013 – National Finalist Young Australian of the Year[26]
• 2014 – Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the London 2012 Olympic Games.[27]
• 2014 – Sport Australia Hall of Fame The Don Award.[28]
• 2014 – Women's Health Sports Woman[29]
• 2017 – Australian Institute of Sport Female Athlete of the Year[30]
• 2017 – Athletics Australia Female Athlete of the Year.
• 2018 – Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games final Queens Baton Relay runner

Pearson at the 2017 Boost Boston Games

Pearson was raised by her single mother Anne, who worked two jobs to make enough money to support her daughter's athletic career.[3] In late 2008 she became engaged to Kieran Pearson, the pair having been together since their senior year at Helensvale State High School on Queensland's Gold Coast.[31] In April 2010 they married on the Gold Coast, and had their honeymoon in Los Angeles and Hawaii.[32]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sally Pearson.

• Official website
• Sally Pearson at The Australian Women's Register
• Sally Pearson at World Athletics
• Sally Pearson at Australian Athletics Historical Results
• Sally Pearson at Diamond League
• Sally Pearson at Olympics.com
• Sally Pearson at Olympedia
• Sally Pearson at the Australian Olympic Committee
• Sally Pearson at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
• Sally Pearson at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
• Sally Pearson at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)