Stephanie Hightower

{{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }}

Stephanie Hightower (born July 19, 1958) is an American former hurdler and former president of USA Track & Field (USATF). She is a four-time U.S. Champion at 100 meter hurdles and a five-time U.S. Indoor Champion at 60 meter hurdles. She also won the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials, but was prevented from competing in the Moscow Olympics due to the boycott. She won a silver medal at the 1987 Pan American Games.

Hightower became president of USA Track & Field in December 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?duid=USATF_2008_12_05_18_59_36|title=Hightower elected USA Track & Field President|work=usatf.org|accessdate=2009-01-29}} She resigned as chair of the USATF board in April 2015 and was elected to the IAAF Council in August 2015{{cite web | url=http://www.letsrun.com/news/2015/04/stephanie-hightower-resigns-as-chair-of-usatf-board-but-remains-as-president-of-usatf/ | title=Stephanie Hightower Resigns as Chair of USATF Board but Remains as President of USATF | date=15 April 2015 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.letsrun.com/news/2015/08/usatf-stephanie-hightower-overwhelmingly-elected-to-iaaf-council/ | title=USATF: Stephanie Hightower Overwhelmingly Elected to IAAF Council | date=19 August 2015 }} She resigned as president of USATF in December 2016.http://www.legacy.usatf.org/News/Opening-Session-kicks-off-2016-USATF-Annual-Meeting.aspx {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}

Running

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Hightower was a collegiate track star at Ohio State University. From 1977 to 1980, she did not lose a race in the 60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles or the 100-meter hurdles, and earned Big Ten Conference, NCAA and National championship titles. She was unable to participate in the 1980 Summer Olympics due to the US boycott of the games. She did however receive one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the spurned athletes.{{cite book|last1=Caroccioli|first1=Tom|last2=Caroccioli|first2=Jerry|title=Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games|year=2008|publisher=New Chapter Press|location=Highland Park, IL|isbn=978-0942257403|pages=243–253}} Hightower missed the 1984 Summer Olympics, finishing fourth in what looked like a four-way tie at the Olympic Trials. Kim Turner won the race in 13.12 seconds, with Benita Fitzgerald-Brown in second, Pam Page in third and Hightower in fourth, all running 13.13 seconds,http://www.legacy.usatf.org/statistics/champions/OlympicTrials/HistoryOfTheOlympicTrials.pdf Olympic Trials results P.206-207{{cite web|url=http://bigten.cstv.com/genrel/022307aae.html|title=Always Aiming High|date=Feb 24–25, 2007|work=Big Ten Conference|accessdate=2009-01-29}} in what was possibly the closest elite race in history.{{cite news| url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2012-jun-25-la-sp-0625-oly-hersh-track-20120625-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times | first=Philip | last=Hersh | title=U.S. track officials badly mishandle tiebreaker situation | date=2012-06-25}}{{cite news| url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/usatf-draws-scrutiny-with-no-plan-to-settle-olympic-trial-tie/ | work=Fox News | title=USATF draws scrutiny with no plan to settle Olympic trial tie | date=2012-06-27}} The photo of the finish was later used for instruction in the use of photo finish devices.

Administration

Twenty eight years later, as President of USATF, Hightower was part of the administrative committee formed to settle another controversial close finish, when Jeneba Tarmoh and Allyson Felix tied for the final qualifying spot in the 2012 Olympic Trials.

After retiring from competition, Hightower has held various positions with the USATF, including serving as women's team manager at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. She is currently the President and CEO of the Columbus Urban League. In addition, she has served in the Columbus Mayor's cabinet for Sports Development. In 2011, Hightower was discussed as a possibility for the USATF's CEO position until the board decided on Max Siegel.{{cite news|last=Hersh|first=Philip|title=Very possible that Hightower could move from board chair to CEO of U.S. track|url=http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/sports_globetrotting/2011/05/usa-track-hightower-very-possible-as-new-ceo-doug-logan-search.html|work=ChicagoTribune.com|accessdate=24 May 2011|date=2011-05-23}}

Hightower is the niece of American Football Hall of Famer Paul Warfield. and wife of former world cross country champion Ian Stewart.

National titles

Four-time U.S. 100 meter hurdles Champion (1980, 1981, 1982 and 1984)
Five-time U.S. Indoor 60 meter hurdles Champion (1980, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1986)
Won 1980 USA Olympic Trials

International competitions

{{AchievementTable\|Event=yes}}
colspan=6\|Representing {{USA}}
1980 \|Liberty Bell Classic \|Philadelphia, United States \|bgcolor=gold\|1st \|100 m hurdles \|13.08
1981 \|World Cup \|Rome, Italy \|4th \|100 m hurdles \|13.09
1985 \|World Indoor Games \|Paris, France \|4th \|60 m hurdles \|8.12
rowspan=3\|1987 \|World Indoor Championships \|Indianapolis, United States \|8th \|60 m hurdles \|8.26
Pan American Games \|Indianapolis, United States \|bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|100 m hurdles \|12.82
World Championships \|Rome, Italy \|11th (sf) \|100 m hurdles \|13.12
colspan=6\|(sf) Indicates overall position in qualifying round

colspan=6|Representing {{USA}}

1980

|Liberty Bell Classic

|Philadelphia, United States

|bgcolor=gold|1st

|100 m hurdles

|13.08

1981

|World Cup

|Rome, Italy

|4th

|100 m hurdles