Brenda Taylor (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Brenda Taylor is an American
track and field
athlete who specialises in the 400 meter hurdles. She reached the final of the event at the 2004 Summer Olympics
. She also competed at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics
and won a medal at the 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships
in the 4×400-meter relay.
She is a Harvard University
graduate and won the hurdles at the 2001 NCAA Championships representing the Harvard Crimson
track team.
, she had her first successes on the track for Harvard Crimson
, while studying psychology
and biology
at Harvard University
. She finished seventh in the 400 m hurdles at the NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
in 2000. Her greatest college achievements came in her final year at Harvard when she ran a personal best of 55.88 seconds to win the NCAA final. She improved her best to 55.46 at a meeting in Zagreb
and then went on to reach to podium at the 2001 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
, winning the bronze medal
. As a result of these achievements, she received the 2000-01 Honda Sports Award
as the top women's collegiate track athlete.
Her performance at the national championships gained her selection into the 2001 World Championships in Athletics
. Taylor managed to finish reach sixth place in her semi-final. The following year, she was again third place in the 400 m hurdles at the national championships. She began the 2003 season with a fourth place performance in the 400 metres
at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
. This earned her a place on the 4×400-meter relay team at the 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships
, where an American team of Monique Hennagan
, Meghan Addy, Taylor and Mary Danner took the bronze medal.
In the outdoor season, she came first at the Mt. SAC Relays
and again finished third at the Outdoor U.S. Championships. However, she encountered the more illicit side of track and field at the championships as she was offered the banned substance modafinil
. She claimed that she was "the only person that didn't take it". One of her competitors, Sandra Glover
, was among those later banned for taking the drug at the championships. Taylor was chosen to compete at the 2003 Pan American Games
and she finished fourth behind Andrea Blackett
in the 400 m hurdles final
. She attended track and field meetings in Europe, coming third in Zagreb and taking fourth at the Weltklasse Zurich
in a personal record time of 54.92 seconds. She qualified for the 2003 IAAF World Athletics Final
and finished in fifth place, running 54.93 seconds.
She reached the pinnacle of her athletic career in 2004, beginning with a win at the Mt. SAC Relays in a meet record time, and a personal best beating run of 54.36 seconds for second at Golden Spike Ostrava
. At the 2004 United States Olympic Trials
she improved even further, finishing as runner-up to Sheena Johnson
with a time of 53.36 seconds. Gaining her first ever berth on the Olympic team, Taylor set her sights on the 2004 Athens Olympics
. She reached the Olympic hurdles final and took seventh place with a run of 54.97 seconds. She closed the season with a bronze medal at the 2004 IAAF World Athletics Final
. Her new best time of 53.36 ranked her as the fifth fastest 400 m hurdler of 2004
.
She has a twin sister, Lindsay Taylor, who competes in the pole vault
. Taylor abruptly stopped competing in professional athletics after 2004.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 specialises in the 400 meter hurdles. She reached the final of the event at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
. She also competed at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics
2001 World Championships in Athletics
The 8th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada between 3 August and 12 August and was the first time the event had visited North America...
and won a medal at the 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held in the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, UK from 14 March to 16 March 2003. It was the first time the Championships had been held in the UK...
in the 4×400-meter relay.
She is a Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
graduate and won the hurdles at the 2001 NCAA Championships representing the Harvard Crimson
Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson are the athletic teams of Harvard University. The school's teams compete in NCAA Division I. As of 2006, there were 41 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men at Harvard, more than at any other NCAA Division I college in the country...
track team.
Career
Born in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, she had her first successes on the track for Harvard Crimson
Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson are the athletic teams of Harvard University. The school's teams compete in NCAA Division I. As of 2006, there were 41 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men at Harvard, more than at any other NCAA Division I college in the country...
, while studying psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. She finished seventh in the 400 m hurdles at the NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
NCAA team champions for Women's Outdoor Track and Field-By school:-See also:*AIAW Intercollegiate Women's Outdoor Track and Field Champions*NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship*NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship...
in 2000. Her greatest college achievements came in her final year at Harvard when she ran a personal best of 55.88 seconds to win the NCAA final. She improved her best to 55.46 at a meeting in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
and then went on to reach to podium at the 2001 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport...
, winning the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
. As a result of these achievements, she received the 2000-01 Honda Sports Award
Honda Sports Award
The Honda Sports Award is an annual award in the United States of America, given to the best collegiate female athlete in each of twelve sports. There are four nominees for each sport, and the twelve winners of the Honda Award are automatically in the running for the Honda-Broderick Cup award, as...
as the top women's collegiate track athlete.
Her performance at the national championships gained her selection into the 2001 World Championships in Athletics
2001 World Championships in Athletics
The 8th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada between 3 August and 12 August and was the first time the event had visited North America...
. Taylor managed to finish reach sixth place in her semi-final. The following year, she was again third place in the 400 m hurdles at the national championships. She began the 2003 season with a fourth place performance in the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
The USA Indoor Track and Field Championships is an annual indoor track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport...
. This earned her a place on the 4×400-meter relay team at the 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held in the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, UK from 14 March to 16 March 2003. It was the first time the Championships had been held in the UK...
, where an American team of Monique Hennagan
Monique Hennagan
Monique Hennagan is an American athlete, who mainly competes in the 400 meters. She won her first relay medal at the 1999 World Indoor Championships and her second in 2003....
, Meghan Addy, Taylor and Mary Danner took the bronze medal.
In the outdoor season, she came first at the Mt. SAC Relays
Mt. SAC Relays
The Mt. SAC Relays are an annual track and field festival held primarily at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the Mt. San Antonio College campus in Walnut, California. The relays, held in April each year, were started by then track coach Hilmer Lodge in 1959. The meet attracts all levels and disciplines of...
and again finished third at the Outdoor U.S. Championships. However, she encountered the more illicit side of track and field at the championships as she was offered the banned substance modafinil
Modafinil
Modafinil is an analeptic drug manufactured by Cephalon, and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea...
. She claimed that she was "the only person that didn't take it". One of her competitors, Sandra Glover
Sandra Glover
Sandra Glover is an African American athlete competing in the 400 metres hurdles.-Achievements:*Four-time U.S...
, was among those later banned for taking the drug at the championships. Taylor was chosen to compete at the 2003 Pan American Games
2003 Pan American Games
The 14th Pan American Games were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 1 to 17 August 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when this country had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America....
and she finished fourth behind Andrea Blackett
Andrea Blackett
Andrea Blackett is a Barbadian athlete who specializes in the 400 metres hurdles. She is also an assistant women's track coach at her alma mater, Rice University.-Education:...
in the 400 m hurdles final
Athletics at the 2003 Pan American Games – Women's 400 metres hurdles
The final of the Women's 400 metres Hurdles event at the 2003 Pan American Games took place on Wednesday August 6, 2003, with the heats staged a day earlier...
. She attended track and field meetings in Europe, coming third in Zagreb and taking fourth at the Weltklasse Zurich
Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich is an annual track and field meeting at the Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. One of the first large-scale international athletics events , it is sometimes referred to as the one day...
in a personal record time of 54.92 seconds. She qualified for the 2003 IAAF World Athletics Final
2003 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 1st IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on 13 September and 14 September 2003.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary a week previous as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.One of the...
and finished in fifth place, running 54.93 seconds.
She reached the pinnacle of her athletic career in 2004, beginning with a win at the Mt. SAC Relays in a meet record time, and a personal best beating run of 54.36 seconds for second at Golden Spike Ostrava
Golden Spike Ostrava
Golden Spike is an annual athletics event at the Městský Stadion in Ostrava-Vítkovice, Czech Republic as part of the IAAF World Challenge Meetings. It was first organized in 1961.-History:...
. At the 2004 United States Olympic Trials
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
she improved even further, finishing as runner-up to Sheena Johnson
Sheena Johnson
Sheena Tosta is an American hurdler.She finished fourth at the 2004 Summer Olympics and eighth at the 2006 World Athletics Final.Her personal best time is 52.95 seconds, achieved in July 2004 in Sacramento....
with a time of 53.36 seconds. Gaining her first ever berth on the Olympic team, Taylor set her sights on the 2004 Athens Olympics
Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics
At the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put...
. She reached the Olympic hurdles final and took seventh place with a run of 54.97 seconds. She closed the season with a bronze medal at the 2004 IAAF World Athletics Final
2004 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 2nd IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on September 18, and September 19, 2004.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary a week previous as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.One of...
. Her new best time of 53.36 ranked her as the fifth fastest 400 m hurdler of 2004
2004 in athletics (track and field)
This article contains an overview of the sport of athletics, including track and field, cross country and road running, in the year 2004.The major competition of the year was the 2004 Summer Olympics. At the event, Yelena Isinbayeva cleared a world record 4.91 m in the pole vault...
.
She has a twin sister, Lindsay Taylor, who competes in the pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
. Taylor abruptly stopped competing in professional athletics after 2004.
Personal bests
| Event | Time (sec Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
53.36 | Sacramento, California Sacramento, California Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,... , United States |
July 11, 2004 |
| 400 metres 400 metres The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and... |
52.56 | San Diego, California San Diego, California San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round... , United States |
March 22, 2003 |
| 100 metres hurdles 100 metres hurdles The 100 m hurdles are an Olympic track and field athletics discipline run by women . For the race ten hurdles of a height of 83.8 cm are placed evenly spaced along a straight course of 100 meters. They are positioned so that they will fall over if bumped into by the runner... |
13.19 | San Diego, California San Diego, California San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round... , United States |
June 19, 2004 |
- All information taken from IAAF profile.
Competition record
| 2001 | World Championships 2001 World Championships in Athletics The 8th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada between 3 August and 12 August and was the first time the event had visited North America... |
Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , Canada |
6th (semis) | 400 m hurdles 2001 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 400 metres hurdles These are the official results of the Women's 400 metres Hurdles event at the 2001 IAAF World Championships in Edmonton, Canada.-Medalists:-Heats:... |
| 2003 | World Indoor Championships 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held in the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, UK from 14 March to 16 March 2003. It was the first time the Championships had been held in the UK... |
Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a... , United Kingdom |
3rd | 4×400 m relay |
| Pan American Games Athletics at the 2003 Pan American Games The athletics competition at the 2003 Pan American Games was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from Tuesday August 5 to Saturday August 9, 2003... |
Santo Domingo Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River... , Dominican Republic |
4th | 400 m hurdles Athletics at the 2003 Pan American Games – Women's 400 metres hurdles The final of the Women's 400 metres Hurdles event at the 2003 Pan American Games took place on Wednesday August 6, 2003, with the heats staged a day earlier... |
|
| World Athletics Final 2003 IAAF World Athletics Final The 1st IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on 13 September and 14 September 2003.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary a week previous as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.One of the... |
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco.... , Monaco |
5th | 400 m hurdles | |
| 2004 | Olympic Games Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics At the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put... |
Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... , Greece |
7th | 400 m hurdles |
| World Athletics Final 2004 IAAF World Athletics Final The 2nd IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on September 18, and September 19, 2004.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary a week previous as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.One of... |
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco.... , Monaco |
3rd | 400 m hurdles |
External links
- In-depth article from Harvard MagazineHarvard MagazineHarvard Magazine is an independently edited magazine and separately incorporated affiliate of Harvard University. It is the only publication covering the entire University and also regularly distributed to all graduates, faculty and staff...
- Interview with the Watauga DemocratWatauga DemocratThe Watauga Democrat is a newspaper published in Boone, North Carolina. It is printed three days a week, on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. In 2002, its average paid circulation was 20,832....