Monique Henderson
Encyclopedia
Monique Henderson is a track and field
athlete, competing internationally for the United States
. She was a gold medal
ist in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Henderson prepped at Morse High School
in San Diego '01. She is the only 4-time 400 meters
California State Champion in the state's history from 98–01. At age 17, she set a US junior class, as well as high school national record (since broken), at 50.74 in the 400 m at the CIF California State Meet
. In 2000, she became the first high school athlete to make the US Olympic track & field team since 1976. She was a member of the 4x400 m squad but did not run. That year she was named the national Girl's "High School Athlete of the Year" by Track and Field News.
After graduating from high school in 2001 she accepted a scholarship to attend UCLA. While at UCLA she went on to be a 5-time Pac 10 champion. In 2004 she placed 2nd at the NCAA championships at 400 m. The next year she became the 2005 NCAA outdoor champion at 400 m, establishing a new NCAA record (50.10).
At the Athens Olympics in 2004
, Henderson was part of the US team which finished first in the 4×400 meters relay. They were however disqualified in 2010 after Crystal Cox
, who ran for the team in a preliminary round, admitted to using doping.
California State Records before 2000
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, competing internationally for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She was a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
ist in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Henderson prepped at Morse High School
Samuel F. B. Morse High School
Samuel F. B. Morse High School, also called Morse High School or simply Morse, is an urban public high school located in southeastern San Diego in the neighborhood of Skyline Hills serving grades 9-12 in the American K-12 education system. Named after inventor Samuel Finley Breese Morse, it first...
in San Diego '01. She is the only 4-time 400 meters
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...
California State Champion in the state's history from 98–01. At age 17, she set a US junior class, as well as high school national record (since broken), at 50.74 in the 400 m at the CIF California State Meet
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
. In 2000, she became the first high school athlete to make the US Olympic track & field team since 1976. She was a member of the 4x400 m squad but did not run. That year she was named the national Girl's "High School Athlete of the Year" by Track and Field News.
After graduating from high school in 2001 she accepted a scholarship to attend UCLA. While at UCLA she went on to be a 5-time Pac 10 champion. In 2004 she placed 2nd at the NCAA championships at 400 m. The next year she became the 2005 NCAA outdoor champion at 400 m, establishing a new NCAA record (50.10).
At the Athens Olympics in 2004
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...
, Henderson was part of the US team which finished first in the 4×400 meters relay. They were however disqualified in 2010 after Crystal Cox
Crystal Cox
Crystal Cox is an American track and field athlete and was a contestant on the seventeenth season of the reality show Survivor.- Olympics :...
, who ran for the team in a preliminary round, admitted to using doping.
External links
California State Records before 2000