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Carmelita Jeter ( , born November 24, 1979) is a retired American sprinter, who competed in the 60 metres, 100 m and 200 m. For over a decade, between 2009 and 2021, Jeter was called the "Fastest woman alive" after running a 100 m personal best of 10.64 seconds at the 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix. In the 100 m, she was the 2011 world champion and the 2012 Olympic silver medalist.
She won the 100 m Bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics and a Gold medal at the World Athletics Final. She won a second World Championship bronze in 2009. Her personal best of 10.64 s makes her the fifth fastest woman ever in the 100 m, behind Florence Griffith Joyner (10.49 s), Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.54 s), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.60 s), and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (10.61 s).
In May 2023, she was named the new head coach of the track & field and cross country programs at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
Jeter attended Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, California. Initially, basketball was the preferred sport in her family, and her younger brother, Eugene Jeter, later joined the Sacramento Kings. Her basketball coach suggested that she try out track, and an 11.7-second run confirmed her natural talent for sprinting. Jeter graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills, which is located in Carson, California, with a bachelor's degree in physical education. Jeter set the record for most NCAA medals by a CSUDH track athlete and became the university's first U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier. A recurring hamstring problem kept her out of competition for much of 2003–05, and it was not until 2007 that she made her first impact in senior track and field athletics, having undergone treatment with deep tissue massage. Carmelita Jeter Biography. USATF. Retrieved on July 25, 2009.
The following year, she competed at the 100 and 200 m U.S. Olympic trials. Although she set a 100 m best of 10.97 seconds in the quarter-finals, Women 100 Meter Dash quarterfinals results. USATF. Retrieved on July 25, 2009. she did not progress beyond the semifinals, finishing just two hundredths out of the qualifying positions. Women 100 Meter Dash semifinals results. USATF. Retrieved on July 25, 2009. A sixth-place finish in the 200 m meant she had not made the 2008 Summer Olympics team, despite being one of the favourites for selection. Women 200 Meter Dash final results. USATF. Retrieved on July 25, 2009. She qualified for the 100 and 200 m races at the 2008 World Athletics Final, but only managed fourth and fifth place, respectively. She changed coach in November, deciding to work with John Smith, who had previously coached athletes such as Maurice Greene. Smith began completely remodelling Jeter's running style.
In her 2009 season, she showed strong performances going into the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. She ran 7.11 seconds in the 60 m in the indoor season, the fastest by any athlete that year and a personal best. 60 Metres 2009. World Athletics (March 22, 2009). Retrieved on 2009-07-25. She remained in-form in her outdoor season, recording a fast 10.96 seconds at the Mt. SAC Relays,Lee, Kirby (April 19, 2009). World leads for Jeter and Johnson in Mt. SAC Relays – Day 3. World Athletics. Retrieved on 2021-08-07. winning gold at the 2009 Nike Prefontaine Classic, and taking her first national title at the 2009 U.S. Outdoor Championships.Morse, Parker (June 27, 2009). Jeter and Rodgers take 100m titles in Eugene – US Champs, Day 2. World Athletics. Retrieved on 2021-08-07. At the 2009 London Grand Prix, she placed first in the 100 m, clocking a personal best of 10.92; it was the third-fastest time at that point of the season, only slower than Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser and Kerron Stewart. A week prior to the start of the World Championships, Jeter was part of a United States 4 × 100 m relay team that ran the fastest women's sprint relay in twelve years. Lauryn Williams, Allyson Felix, Muna Lee, and Jeter finished with a time of 41.58 seconds, bringing them to eighth on the all-time list.Wenig, Jörg (August 8, 2009). US quartet blasts 41.58 in the 4x100 as Wlodarczyk improves to 77.20m in Cottbus . World Athletics. Retrieved on 2009-08-09.
At the 2009 World Athletics Championships, in Berlin, Jeter was one of the favorites for the gold medal as a 10.83-second personal best in the semis made her the fastest qualifier for the final. She ended up with her second World Championship bronze medal in the 100 m, however, finishing a tenth of a second behind Fraser and Stewart. The races after the championships proved more successful: she beat strong opposition in the IAAF Golden League meets in Weltklasse and Brussels with two sub-10.90 runs. 2009 Weltklasse Zurich 100 metres W. World Athletics. Retrieved on September 17, 2009. 2009 Memorial Van Damme 100 metres W. World Athletics. Retrieved on September 17, 2009.
Jeter was also selected to run as part of the US relay team as the anchor runner. However, in their heat, during the change over between Alexandria Anderson and Muna Lee, Lee horrifically injured her leg which caused elimination from the relay event. Jamaica eventually claimed the gold medals.
She entered the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Final having won her last three races by a significant margin. Even taking this into account, Jeter surprised with one of the highlights of the final edition of the IAAF World Athletics Final. Stunning Jeter run upstages Bolt. BBC Sport (September 13, 2009). Retrieved on 2009-09-17. She won the 100 m race in Thessaloniki, Greece with a time of 10.67, to become the third fastest woman in history and set a championship record. Jeter – 10.67 – third fastest of all-time! IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final. World Athletics. Retrieved on July 17, 2009. This was the fastest run in twelve years; a time which had only been bettered by Marion Jones and Florence Griffith-Joyner, 100 Metres All Time. World Athletics (September 15, 2009). Retrieved on 2009-09-17. and 0.16 seconds faster than Jeter had ever run before. 100 Metres 2009. IAAF (September 16, 2009). Retrieved on September 17, 2009 She ran even faster a week later at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, winning in 10.64 seconds (the fourth fastest time ever) to become the second fastest woman outright. Gay clocks stunning 100m in China. BBC Sport (September 20, 2009). Retrieved on 2009-09-21.
Her fast times were a double-edged sword in that they brought as much suspicion as they did appreciation. At age 30, Jeter had improved her personal record by over a third of a second within a single season and she ranked between Jones and Griffith-Joyner in the all-time lists. Given the history of the women's sprints and speculation about performance-enhancing drug use, Jeter said "I can't be upset about those questions but It's unfortunate that I work this hard and I don't get the credit I should get".Kessel, Anna (February 20, 2010). Carmelita Jeter bears the burden of being the fastest woman alive. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2010-02-20. She improved her 60 m best to 7.02 seconds to win at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. This was still slower than LaVerne Jones-Ferrette, and Jeter resolved to improve further for the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships.Lee, Kirby (March 1, 2010). World Leads by Dunn, Trammell and Williams, Jeter jets 7.02 – USA Indoor Champs Day 2. World Athletics. Retrieved on 2010-03-01.
She retired in 2017 after injury prevented her from competing in the 2016 Olympics.
International success
In 2007, Jeter won a silver medal in the 60 meters at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships with a personal best of 7.17 seconds, 2007 US Indoor Championships Women 60 Meter Dash. USATF. Retrieved on September 17, 2009. and she remained in good form, improving her 100 m best to 11.04 seconds to take fourth place in the 100 m at the Adidas Track Classic.Arcoleo, Laura (September 13, 2009). Jeter's rise continues, all the way to 10.67! – IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final. World Athletics. Retrieved on 2009-09-17. Building upon this, she qualified for her first major competition by finishing third at the national championships behind Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams. 2007 US Championships Women 100 Meter Dash. USATF. Retrieved on September 17, 2009. She went on to win the bronze medal at the World Championships in a personal best time of 11.02 seconds, as well as taking the 100 m gold at the 2007 World Athletics Final.
Personal bests
55 meters 6.84 Fresno, California, United States January 21, 2008 60 meters 7.02 Albuquerque, United States February 28, 2010 100 meters 10.64 Shanghai, China September 20, 2009 200 meters 22.11 Eugene, United States June 30, 2012
External links
Categories: 1979 Births, Living People, Track And Field Athletes From Los Angeles, American Women Sprinters, African-american Track And Field Athletes, Olympic Gold Medalists For The United States In Track And Field, Athletes At The 2012 Summer Olympics, Medalists At The 2012 Summer Olympics, World Athletics Championships Athletes For The United States, World Athletics Championships Medalists, World Athletics Indoor Championships Medalists, World Athletics Record Holders, California State University, Dominguez Hills Alumni, Diamond League Winners, Usa Outdoor Track And Field Championships Winners, Usa Indoor Track And Field Championships Winners, World Athletics Championships Winners, Iaaf World Athletics Final Winners, Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros Women's Track And Field Athletes, Olympic Female Sprinters, 21st-century African-american Sportswomen, 20th-century African-american Sportswomen, 20th-century American Sportswomen, Bishop Montgomery High School Alumni, 21st-century American Sportswomen
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