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Olympic 100 meters Hurdles Gold medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson to retire

by May 1st, 2018

Dawn Harper-Nelson, an Olympic 100m hurdles gold and silver medalist, reportedly said she will retire after this season.

Said Harper Nelson- “Since I was a child, there were always three things I wanted: to be an Olympic gold medalist, a wife and a mom,. “Right now I am two for three and I’m feeling the urge to be someone’s mom. “So this is it for me.”

The 33 year old Harper-Nelson emerged in 2008, making the Olympic team by finishing third at trials (by .007), then passing a stumbling Lolo Jones going into the final hurdle for gold in Beijing.

After placing seventh at worlds in 2009 and third in 2011, she missed a repeat Olympic title in 2012 by .02, edged by Australian Sally Pearson in a reversal of their 2008 finish. Harper-Nelson ran personal bests in each Olympic final.

Harper-Nelson was then eliminated in the 2016 Olympic Trials semifinals but bounced back to take silver at last summer’s world championships (also behind Pearson).

Throughout her career, Harper-Nelson competed in one of the deepest events in U.S. track and field, making her longevity all the more impressive.

Five American women from her era have faster personal bests, but none can match her Olympic medal record.

Harper-Nelson is en route to Doha for the Diamond League season opener Friday.

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