Debbie Ferguson
Encyclopedia
Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (born 16 January 1976) is a Bahamian sprint
athlete who specialises in the 100
and 200 metres
. She had her first major successes with the Bahamian 4×100 metres relay team, winning gold at the Pan American Games
and World Championships in Athletics in 1999, and taking another gold at the Olympic Games
the following year. She won her first individual gold medal at the 2001 World Championships
– having initially won silver, gold medallist Marion Jones
was later disqualified.
The 2002 season was a career high for Ferguson-McKenzie: she won five gold medals, with victories at the IAAF World Cup and Grand Prix Final
, and a 100 m, 200 m and relay gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
. Her performance in the 100 m remains a personal best and Commonwealth Games record, and her time in the 200 m was the fastest by any athlete that year. She won her only individual Olympic medal in 2004, taking bronze in the 200 m. Injury ruled her out for the whole of 2005. She failed to reach the finals at the 2007 World Championships
, unable to compete with the new generation of American and Jamaica
n sprinters. However, she managed to reach the 100 and 200 metres finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
She is the current 200 m national record holder with a best of 22.19 seconds. Her 100 m best (10.91) is the second fastest time by a Bahamian after Chandra Sturrup
.
Ferguson graduated from University of Georgia
from where she launched her senior athletics career since which she has gained medals at the Summer Olympics, IAAF World Championships in Athletics
, Commonwealth Games
and Pan American Games
.
In 2002 she was appointed as an ambassador for the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization
. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games
in Manchester
, England, she set the championship record in the 100 metres and in the 4×100 m relay with the Bahamian team, recording a personal best of 10.91 seconds in the individual event.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
she competed at the 100 metres
sprint. In her first round heat she placed second behind Oludamola Osayomi
in a time of 11.17 to advance to the second round. There she won her series to qualify for the semi finals in a time of 11.21, this time finishing in front of Osayomi. Despite fellow Bahamian Chandra Sturrup
being unable to qualify for the final with a time of 11.22 in the first semi final, Ferguson managed to qualify with the same time as she finished fourth in her race, while Sturrup finished fifth in hers. In the final Ferguson came to 11.19 seconds, which was the 7th position.
She competed at the 2009 Manchester City Games, winning the 150 metres final in 16.54 seconds. She followed this up with a win in the 200 m at the Meeting Mohammed VI d' Athlétisme in Rabat
. At the 25th Vardinoyiannia in Rethymno
, Greece, she ran a world-leading time of 22.32 seconds to win the 200 m and set a meeting record. Now trains in Clermont, Florida at the NTC.
On 16 October 2002, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie was nominated Goodwill Ambassador
of the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO).
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
athlete who specialises in the 100
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
and 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
. She had her first major successes with the Bahamian 4×100 metres relay team, winning gold at the Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
and World Championships in Athletics in 1999, and taking another gold at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
the following year. She won her first individual gold medal at the 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...
– having initially won silver, gold medallist Marion Jones
Marion Jones
Marion Lois Jones , also known as Marion Jones-Thompson, is a former world champion track and field athlete, and a former professional basketball player for Tulsa Shock in the WNBA...
was later disqualified.
The 2002 season was a career high for Ferguson-McKenzie: she won five gold medals, with victories at the IAAF World Cup and Grand Prix Final
IAAF Grand Prix Final
The IAAF Grand Prix Final was an athletics competition featuring track and field events staged by the International Association of Athletics Federations...
, and a 100 m, 200 m and relay gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
. Her performance in the 100 m remains a personal best and Commonwealth Games record, and her time in the 200 m was the fastest by any athlete that year. She won her only individual Olympic medal in 2004, taking bronze in the 200 m. Injury ruled her out for the whole of 2005. She failed to reach the finals at the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
, unable to compete with the new generation of American and Jamaica
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 sprinters. However, she managed to reach the 100 and 200 metres finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
She is the current 200 m national record holder with a best of 22.19 seconds. Her 100 m best (10.91) is the second fastest time by a Bahamian after Chandra Sturrup
Chandra Sturrup
Chandra Sturrup is a Bahamian track and field sprint athlete. She is a 100 m specialist and the Bahamian national record holder for the women's 100 meter dash with a personal best of 10.84 seconds set in Lausanne, Switzerland on July 5, 2005...
.
Career
Ferguson attended St Andrew's School in Nassau, Bahamas and graduated in 1994.Ferguson graduated from University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
from where she launched her senior athletics career since which she has gained medals at the Summer Olympics, IAAF World Championships in Athletics
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
, Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
and Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
.
In 2002 she was appointed as an ambassador for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Food and Agriculture Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England, she set the championship record in the 100 metres and in the 4×100 m relay with the Bahamian team, recording a personal best of 10.91 seconds in the individual event.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
she competed at the 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
sprint. In her first round heat she placed second behind Oludamola Osayomi
Oludamola Osayomi
Oludamola Bolanle Osayomi is a Nigerian sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres and 200 metres. She is a four-time gold medallist at the African Championships in Athletics and won an Olympic bronze medal with Nigeria in the 4×100 metres relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics...
in a time of 11.17 to advance to the second round. There she won her series to qualify for the semi finals in a time of 11.21, this time finishing in front of Osayomi. Despite fellow Bahamian Chandra Sturrup
Chandra Sturrup
Chandra Sturrup is a Bahamian track and field sprint athlete. She is a 100 m specialist and the Bahamian national record holder for the women's 100 meter dash with a personal best of 10.84 seconds set in Lausanne, Switzerland on July 5, 2005...
being unable to qualify for the final with a time of 11.22 in the first semi final, Ferguson managed to qualify with the same time as she finished fourth in her race, while Sturrup finished fifth in hers. In the final Ferguson came to 11.19 seconds, which was the 7th position.
She competed at the 2009 Manchester City Games, winning the 150 metres final in 16.54 seconds. She followed this up with a win in the 200 m at the Meeting Mohammed VI d' Athlétisme in Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
. At the 25th Vardinoyiannia in Rethymno
Rethymno
Rethymno is a city of approximately 40,000 people in Greece, the capital of Rethymno peripheral unit in the island of Crete. It was built in antiquity , even though was never a competitive Minoan centre...
, Greece, she ran a world-leading time of 22.32 seconds to win the 200 m and set a meeting record. Now trains in Clermont, Florida at the NTC.
Major competition record
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Result | Event | Time (s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | CAC Championships 1993 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics -Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-External links:* - GBR Athletics* - GBR Athletics... |
Cali Calì Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:... , Colombia Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the... |
2nd | 200 metres | 23.32 w |
| 1997 | CAC Championships 1997 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics The 1997 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... |
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... |
1st | 100 metres | 11.29 |
| 1999 | World Championships 1999 World Championships in Athletics The 7th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Estadio Olímpico, Seville, Spain, between the August 20 and August 29.... |
Seville Seville Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level... , Spain |
1st | 4×100 m relay | |
| Pan American Games 1999 Pan American Games The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999... |
Winnipeg, Canada | 1st | 4×100 m relay | ||
| 2000 | Summer Olympics 2000 Summer Olympics The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia... |
Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... , Australia |
8th | 100 metres | 11.29 |
| 4th | 200 metres | 22.37 | |||
| 1st | 4×100 m relay | ||||
| 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, Alberta, Canada | 1st | 200 metres | 22.52 |
| IAAF Grand Prix Final 2001 IAAF Grand Prix Final The 17th IAAF Grand Prix Final was held at the Olympic Park Stadium in Melbourne, Australia on September 9, 2001.- Men :- Women :- External links :*... |
Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... , Australia |
2nd | 200 metres | 23.00 | |
| 2002 | Commonwealth Games 2002 Commonwealth Games The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester... |
Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... , England |
1st | 100 metres | 10.91 |
| 1st | 200 metres | 22.20 | |||
| 1st | 4×100 m relay | ||||
| IAAF World Cup 2002 IAAF World Cup The 9th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event sponsored by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was hosted by Madrid, September 21–22, 2002, in the Estadio La Peineta... |
Madrid Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... , Spain |
1st | 200 metres | 22.49 | |
| IAAF Grand Prix Final 2002 IAAF Grand Prix Final The 18th IAAF Grand Prix Final was held at the Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris, France on September 14, 2002. This was the last Grand Prix Final to be staged, the competition being replaced by the World Athletics Final in 2003.-Men:- Women :... |
Paris, France | 1st | 100 metres | 10.97 | |
| 2003 | CAC Championships 2003 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics The 2003 Central American and Caribbean Championships in athletics were held in St George's, Grenada, on 5 and 6 July 2003. It was the first time that the country had hosted the competition.-Men's events:-Women's events:† = non-championship event... |
St George's, Grenada | 1st | 4×100 m relay | 43.06 |
| 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... |
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 | 100 metres | 11.16 |
| 3rd | 200 metres | 22.30 | |||
| 4th | 4×100 m relay | 42.69 | |||
| World Athletics Final | Monaco Monaco Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the... |
2nd | 200 metres | 22.66 | |
| 2007 | World Athletics Final | Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany |
2nd | 200 metres | 22.74 |
| 2008 | Summer Olympics 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
7th | 100 metres | 11.19 |
| 7th | 200 metres | 22.61 |
On 16 October 2002, Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie was nominated Goodwill Ambassador
FAO Goodwill Ambassador
The FAO Goodwill Ambassadors Programme was initiated in 1999. The main purpose of the programme is to increase public awareness and to disseminate information on issues related to food security, hunger and poverty in the world...
of the Food and Agriculture Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
of the United Nations (FAO).