Gwen Torrence

{{Short description|American sprinter (born 1965)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}

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| name = Gwen Torrence

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|6|12}}{{cite web|title=Gwen Torrence|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/to/gwen-torrence-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417051427/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/to/gwen-torrence-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 17, 2020|work=sports-reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=February 9, 2014}}

| birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

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| height = 5 ft 7+1/2 in{{cite web|title=Gwen Torrence|url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/athletes/bios/TrackAndFieldArchive/2000/torrence.html|work=usatf.org|publisher=USA Track & Field|access-date=February 9, 2014}}

| weight = 125 lb

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| country = {{USA}}

| sport = Track and field

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| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport | Women's athletics}}

{{Medal|Country | the {{USA}} }}

{{Medal|Competition|Olympic Games}}

{{Medal|Gold | 1992 Barcelona | 200 m}}

{{Medal|Gold | 1992 Barcelona | 4 × 100 m relay}}

{{Medal|Gold | 1996 Atlanta | 4 × 100 m relay}}

{{Medal|Silver | 1992 Barcelona | 4 × 400 m relay}}

{{Medal|Bronze | 1996 Atlanta | 100 m}}

{{Medal|Competition|World Championships}}

{{Medal|Gold |1993 Stuttgart| 4 × 400 m relay}}

{{Medal|Gold |1995 Gothenburg| 100 m}}

{{Medal|Gold |1995 Gothenburg| 4 × 100 m relay}}

{{Medal|Silver |1991 Tokyo| 100 m }}

{{Medal|Silver |1991 Tokyo| 200 m }}

{{Medal|Silver |1993 Stuttgart| 200 m}}

{{Medal|Silver |1993 Stuttgart| 4 × 100 m relay}}

{{Medal|Bronze |1993 Stuttgart| 100 m}}

{{Medal|Competition|Pan American Games}}

{{Medal|Gold| 1987 Indianapolis | 200 m}}

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| updated = February 9, 2014

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Gwendolyn Lenna Torrence (born June 12, 1965) is a retired American sprinter and Olympic champion. She was born in Decatur, Georgia. She attended Columbia High School and the University of Georgia. She was offered a scholarship because of her athletic abilities, but she said she wasn't interested because she initially wanted to become a beautician. From the persuasion from her coaches and family, she chose to enroll to the University of Georgia.

In the early 1990s, Gwen Torrence was one of the best sprinters in the world, winning five Olympic medals, and three gold.{{Cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/gwen-torrence|title = Gwen TORRENCE}}

Torrence won medals at the Summer Olympics, Outdoor & Indoor World Championships, Pan American Games, Goodwill Games, and World University Games.

In 1988, Torrence achieved a tie with Evelyn Ashford in the 55 m race at the U.S. national indoor championships. She also had many battles both on the track and in the press with Florence Griffith Joyner.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}

In the 200 m at the 1995 World Championships, she was disqualified for stepping out of her lane after finishing first. This left her idol, Merlene Ottey, to be promoted to first place.

In 2000 she was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=Gwen Torrence |url=http://gshf.org/pdf_files/inductees/track_and_field/gwen_torrence.pdf | website=Georgia Sports Hall of Fame | access-date=July 5, 2017 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305202658/http://gshf.org/pdf_files/inductees/track_and_field/gwen_torrence.pdf | archive-date=March 5, 2016 }}