Aretha Thurmond

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Aretha Thurmond

| image = Aretha Thurmond - 2010 Meeting Areva.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Thurmond at the 2010 Meeting Areva

| birth_name = Aretha Hill

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|8|14|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Seattle, Washington, U.S.

| alma_mater = University of Calgary

| height = {{height|m=1.78}}

| weight = {{convert|107|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| country = {{USA}}

| sport = Athletics

| event = Discus

| coach =

| highestranking =

| pb =

| medaltemplates =

| updated = August 14, 2012

}}

Aretha Thurmond, née Hill (born August 14, 1976) is an American discus thrower. Her personal best distance is {{convert|65.86|m}}, achieved in March 2004 in Marietta.

Thurmond is a 1994 graduate of Renton High School and in 1998 she graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in sociology.{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/TH/Aretha-Thurmond |title=Aretha Thurmond |website=TeamUSA.org |publisher=United States Olympic Committee |access-date=August 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104174309/https://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/TH/Aretha-Thurmond |archive-date=November 4, 2018 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Athlete-Bios/Aretha-Thurmond.aspx |title=Aretha Thurmond |website=USATF.org |publisher=USA Track & Field |access-date=August 16, 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://www.gohuskies.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30200&ATCLID=208218861 |title=Aretha (Hill) Thurmond |website=GoHuskies.com |publisher=University of Washington |access-date=August 16, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819102914/http://www.gohuskies.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30200&ATCLID=208218861 |archive-date=August 19, 2014}}

Thurmond is currently employed with USA Track & Field as the managing director of International Teams.{{cite web |url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/About/Directory---Contacts/Staff/Aretha-Thurmond.aspx |title=USA Track & Field - Aretha Thurmond |publisher=Legacy.usatf.org |date= |accessdate=2022-08-26}}

College career

Thurmond was a member of the track team at the University of Washington 1995–98.She was a discus thrower. During her time she set many collegiate records. Her records include ones in the Pac-10 Conference. She was also a four-time NCAA All-American.{{cite web |url=https://gohuskies.com/news/2013/4/18/208219134.aspx |title=Washington Huskies |website=Washington Huskies |language=en |access-date=2020-04-09}}

Personal life

She is married to the former University of Washington throws coach, Reedus Thurmond. They have one son together. His name is Theo.{{cite web |url=https://paulmerca.blogspot.com/2013/10/aretha-thurmond-announces-retirement.html |title=Aretha Thurmond announces retirement from the sport and starts new career at USA Track & Field... |last=Mercanator |date=2013-10-24 |website=Paul Merca |access-date=2020-04-09}}

Aretha Thurmond never strayed away from the sport. She resides in Indianapolis with her family. Since she is working for USA Track & Field, Thurmond earned her Executive Masters in Sport Organization Management.{{cite web |url=https://lindseyhein.com/20180223-7587/episode-105-aretha-thurmond/ |title=Episode 105: Aretha Thurmond |date=2018-02-23 |website=Lindsey Hein |language=en-US |access-date=2020-04-09}}

International competitions

{{AchievementTable}}
colspan="5"\|Representing the {{USA}}
1996 \|Olympic Games \|Atlanta, United States \|34th (q) \|56.04 m
1999 \|Pan American Games \|Winnipeg, Canada \| style="background:gold;"\| 1st \|59.06 m
rowspan=2\|2003 \|Pan American Games \|Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic \| style="background:gold;"\| 1st \|63.30 m
World Athletics Final \|Monte Carlo, Monaco \| style="background:silver;"\| 2nd \|
rowspan=2\|2004 \|Olympic Games \|Athens, Greece \|19th (q) \|58.82 m
World Athletics Final \|Monte Carlo, Monaco \| style="background:#c96;"\| 3rd \|63.43 m
2005 \|World Athletics Final \|Monte Carlo, Monaco \| style="background:#c96;"\| 3rd \|
rowspan=2\|2006 \|World Athletics Final \|Stuttgart, Germany \|5th \|
World Cup \|Athens, Greece \| style="background:silver;"\| 2nd \|
2009 \|World Championships \|Berlin, Germany \|10th \|59.89 m
2011	Pan American Games \|Guadalajara, Mexico \| style="background:silver;"\|2nd \|59.53 m
2012 \|Olympic Games \|London, United Kingdom \|25th (q) \|59.39 m

colspan="5"|Representing the {{USA}}

1996

|Olympic Games

|Atlanta, United States

|34th (q)

|56.04 m

1999

|Pan American Games

|Winnipeg, Canada

| style="background:gold;"| 1st

|59.06 m

rowspan=2|2003

|Pan American Games

|Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

| style="background:gold;"| 1st

|63.30 m

World Athletics Final

|Monte Carlo, Monaco

| style="background:silver;"| 2nd

rowspan=2|2004

|Olympic Games

|Athens, Greece

|19th (q)

|58.82 m

World Athletics Final

|Monte Carlo, Monaco

| style="background:#c96;"| 3rd

|63.43 m

2005

|World Athletics Final

|Monte Carlo, Monaco

| style="background:#c96;"| 3rd

rowspan=2|2006

|World Athletics Final

|Stuttgart, Germany

|5th

World Cup

|Athens, Greece

| style="background:silver;"| 2nd

2009

|10th

2011

| style="background:silver;"|2nd

|59.53 m

2012

|Olympic Games

|London, United Kingdom

|25th (q)

|59.39 m

References

External links

{{World Athletics|name=Aretha D. Thurmond}}
{{USATF|name=Aretha Thurmond athlete profile}}
[http://www.legacy.usatf.org/About/Directory---Contacts/Staff/Aretha-Thurmond.aspx Aretha Thurmond staff profile] at legacy.USATF.org
{{Team USA|new_id=aretha-thurmond|name=Aretha Thurmond|old_id=TH/Aretha-Thurmond|archive=20230324135240}}
{{Olympics.com profile|name=Aretha Hill}}
{{Olympedia|name=Aretha Hill-Thurmond}}