Andrew Parker (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Parker is a Jamaica
n track and field
athlete who competed in the 110 metres hurdles
. He won the event at the 1987 Pan American Games
and represented Jamaica at the 1988 Summer Olympics
as well as the 1987 World Championships in Athletics
.
His first international medal came at the 1983 CARIFTA Games
, where he was the gold medallist in the high hurdles. A 110 m and 400 metres hurdles
double followed at the 1984 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Athletics
held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
.
He studied at Arizona State University
in the United States and competed collegiately for them as part of the Arizona State Sun Devils track and field team. He won the hurdles title twice consecutively at the Pac-10 Conference meet from 1986 to 1987. He also received three All-America
honours in NCAA competition: twice in the 55 metres hurdles
(1985, 1986) and once over the 110 m hurdles (1987).
Parker was selected to represent Jamaica in the 110 m hurdles at the 1987 Pan American Games
in Indianapolis
. American Greg Foster
was the reigning world champion and the favourite for the event. However, his team mate Cletus Clark
fell mid-race and as a result a hurdle flew into Foster's path, throwing him off-balance. Parker took advantage of the mellee between his two main competitors and sped away to claim the Pan American gold medal. Later that month, Parker headed to the 1987 World Championships in Athletics
in Rome
. He was eliminated in the first round, while his Pan American rival Foster retained the world title.
A year later, Parker made his Olympic debut at the age of 23 and reached the hurdles quarter-finals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His final international medal came at the 1989 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics
where he was the silver medal
list behind Cuba's Emilio Valle
, who ran a championship record.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete who competed in the 110 metres hurdles
110 metres hurdles
The 110 metres hurdles is a hurdling track and field event for men. It is incuded in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympic Games. The female counterpart is the 100 metre hurdles. As part of a racing event, ten hurdles of 1.067 metres in height are evenly spaced along a straight...
. He won the event at the 1987 Pan American Games
1987 Pan American Games
The 1987 Pan American Games, officially known as the X Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event which was celebrated in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, from 7 August to 23 August 1987. Over 4,300 athletes from 38 countries in the Americas competed in 30 sports earning...
and represented Jamaica at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
as well as the 1987 World Championships in Athletics
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
.
His first international medal came at the 1983 CARIFTA Games
1983 CARIFTA Games
The 12th CARIFTA Games was held in Fort-de-France, Martinique on April 2-4, 1983.-Participation :For the 1983 CARIFTA Games only the medalists can be found on the "WorldJunior Athletics History" website...
, where he was the gold medallist in the high hurdles. A 110 m and 400 metres hurdles
400 metres hurdles
The 400 metres hurdles is an Olympic athletics event in track and field. On a standard outdoor track 400 metres is the length of the inside lane once around the stadium. Runners stay in their lane the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear ten hurdles that are evenly...
double followed at the 1984 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Athletics
1984 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Athletics
The 6th Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 21-24 June, 1984.-Participation :...
held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
.
He studied at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
in the United States and competed collegiately for them as part of the Arizona State Sun Devils track and field team. He won the hurdles title twice consecutively at the Pac-10 Conference meet from 1986 to 1987. He also received three All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honours in NCAA competition: twice in the 55 metres hurdles
55 metres hurdles
55 metres hurdles is a distance in hurdling, usually only run in indoor competitions. This is more commonly run at the high school level. The objective is to approach the first hurdle with 7 steps, each hurdle after that needs to have 3 step intervals. 5 stepping or commonly known as stutter...
(1985, 1986) and once over the 110 m hurdles (1987).
Parker was selected to represent Jamaica in the 110 m hurdles at the 1987 Pan American Games
Athletics at the 1987 Pan American Games
The Athletics Competition at the 1987 Pan American Games was held in Indianapolis, United States. The events were competed at the IU Indianapolis Track and Soccer Stadium.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-References:*...
in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. American Greg Foster
Greg Foster (hurdler)
Gregory Foster was an American hurdling athlete. He was born in Chicago, Illinois. He is the only person in the history of the IAAF World Championships in Athletics to win three consecutive 110 meter hurdling titles . He was the 1981 World Cup and the 1991 World Indoor hurdling champion...
was the reigning world champion and the favourite for the event. However, his team mate Cletus Clark
Cletus Clark
Cletus Clark is a retired male hurdler from the United States, best known for winning the gold medal in the men's 110 metres hurdles at the 1991 Pan American Games.-Achievements:-References:...
fell mid-race and as a result a hurdle flew into Foster's path, throwing him off-balance. Parker took advantage of the mellee between his two main competitors and sped away to claim the Pan American gold medal. Later that month, Parker headed to the 1987 World Championships in Athletics
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He was eliminated in the first round, while his Pan American rival Foster retained the world title.
A year later, Parker made his Olympic debut at the age of 23 and reached the hurdles quarter-finals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His final international medal came at the 1989 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics
1989 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics
The 1989 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics* - GBR Athletics...
where he was the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
list behind Cuba's Emilio Valle
Emilio Valle
Emilio Valle is a retired Cuban hurdler.His personal best time was 13.18 seconds, achieved in the semi final at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The result places him third among Cuban 110 m hurdlers, behind Anier García and Dayron Robles.-Achievements:-References:* at Sporting Heroes...
, who ran a championship record.