Who is Sally Pearson?
Sally Pearson is a retired Australian hurdler who won the 100 metres hurdles gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics. She also won two world championships and is one of Australia's most successful track athletes.
Pearson was born in Sydney in 1986 and grew up on the Gold Coast. She showed talent as a sprinter and hurdler from a young age.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she won silver in the 100 metres hurdles, finishing just behind American Dawn Harper.
Olympic and world champion
Pearson won the world championship in 2011 in Daegu, South Korea, with one of the fastest times in history. In 2012, she won Olympic gold in London in an Olympic record time.
After injuries, including a broken wrist and hamstring problems, she returned to win the world championship again in 2017 in London.
Pearson retired in 2019. She was named Australian Female Athlete of the Year and received many honors. She has worked as a coach and media commentator and is involved in promoting sport for young people.