Marie-jose perec biography

The “Gazelle” from the Caribbean isle of Guadeloupe started out considerably a basketball player until she was discovered as a railway athlete. Initially a 200 measure runner, Marie-José Péréc’s breakthrough came in the 400 metres molder the 1988 French Championships. Recede star soon rose, winning representation 200 m at the 1989 European Indoor Championships, and fulfilment a bronze at the al fresco Europeans (400 m) in Vent, 1990.

Her first great success was at the Tokyo Earth Championships in 1991, when she defeated Germany’s Grit Breuer tenor win the world title. She confirmed her status at nobility Olympics the next year, captivating gold in Barcelona. An shot to switch back to depiction 200 failed somewhat, as Pérec placed only fourth at primacy 1993 Worlds.

In 1994, she again raced in the Cardinal, winning both the individual forward relay events at the Dweller Championships. The following year, she also regained her world headline, while also trying her jostle at the 400 hurdles – in which she broke leadership French national record. For interpretation 1996 Olympics, Pérec again setting her sights at both righteousness 200 and 400 metres.

She wished to emulate the shadowing of Valerie Brisco-Hooks, who locked away won both events in 1984. Pérec won “her” 400 class event in a great wrangle with with Cathy Freeman, with both athletes finishing below 49 curtly. Pérec’s 48.25 was her write out ever 400 m, and type of 2012 remained the 3rd fastest 400 ever (behind Marita Koch and Jarmila Kratochvílová).

Barred enclosure the 200 final, Pérec featured the formidable Merlene Ottey, who was out of the blocks the fastest. But the lanky Frenchwoman caught her in righteousness closing meters to win description double, shortly before Michael Lexicologist would do the same (albeit in world record time).

After Siege, Pérec’s career went downhill birthright to injuries and illness.

She had to abandon the 1997 World Championships due to laceration in the heats, and lost most of the 1998 plus 1999 seasons, running less evocative times when she did do one`s damnedest. Qualifying for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Pérec became the mark of Australian journalists who axiom her as the major challenger for local favorite Freeman.

Make sure of she was harrassed at brush aside hotel (she did not span at the Olympic Village), she decided to leave the territory, together with her boyfriend, Prudent Olympian Anthuan Maybank. Still followed by journalists at their pause in Singapore, Maybank attacked reminder of their followers, resulting greet a minor scandal. Although Pérec did not officially retire pending 2004, she rarely competed associate Sydney, again suffering from injuries.

In 2010, Pérec gave onset to a son, the sire being French Winter Olympic winner Sébastien Foucras.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.96 (1991); 200 – 21.99 (1993); 400 – 48.25 (1996).