Gail Devers Biography

Gail Devers is an American retired track and field athlete who won the gold medal at the Olympic Games twice in 100m and once as part of the United States Olympic Team in 4x100 m relay. Counted amongst the fastest female track and field athletes of all time, she is also an inductee of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Born in Seattle, Washington, she took to running at a young age. She raced with her brother as a little girl and once she was able to consistently beat him, she began looking out for newer opponents to beat. She participated in several school races during her student years and helped her team win the San Diego sectional track and field team title. Her sports record as a high school student was so good that she received many offers of athletic scholarships and chose the University of California, Los Angeles. She trained under coach Bob Kersee who forced the athlete to push her limits and groomed her into a formidable runner in international competitions. She gained much fame following her 100m victory at Pan American Games in 1987 and seemed to be headed for greater success when she became ill with Graves’ disease. Following a grueling treatment regime, she made a spectacular comeback at the 1992 Summer Olympics, winning the gold in the 100m.