Chandra Cheeseborough

Chandra Cheeseborough

Personal information
Full name	Chandra Danette Cheeseborough
Born	January 10, 1959 (age 57) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Medal record Women's athletics Competitor for the  United States Olympic Games 1984 Los Angeles 4x100 m relay 1984 Los Angeles 4x400 m relay 1984 Los Angeles 400 m Liberty Bell Classic (Olympic Boycott Games) 1980 Philadelphia 100 m 1980 Philadelphia 4x100 m relay 1980 Philadelphia 200 m

Chandra Danette Cheeseborough (born January 10, 1959 in Jacksonville, Florida) is an American track and field athlete. Cheeseborough broke onto the international track scene at age 16 by winning two gold medals at the 1975 Pan American Games, taking the 200 m in an American record time of 22.77 seconds. In 1976, she set an American junior record of 11.13 seconds in placing second at the U.S Olympic trials, then placed sixth in that event at the Montreal Olympics.

She graduated from Jean Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Florida in 1977, where she set the still standing NFHS national high school records in both the 100 yard (10.3) and 220 yard (23.3) dashes. The federation converted record-keeping to metric distances shortly afterward.^[1] Next she attended Tennessee State, where she was a member of national championship teams that set world indoor records of 1:08.9 minutes in the 640-yard relay and 1:47.17 in the 800-yard sprint medley relay. She won the national indoor 200-yard dash in 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1983. Her breakthrough year in the 400 m came in 1984, when she set two American records in the event, then placed second in the Los Angeles Olympics in a career best of 49.05. The 49.05 still ranks her as the #10 performer of all time.^[2] She made history at the 1984 Games when she became the first woman to win gold medals in both relays, which were held less than an hour apart.

Cheeseborough later became a coach and returned to Tennessee State. She was named head coach of both men and women in 1999. She also has served as an assistant coach for the U.S. team at the 1999 Junior Pan-Am Championships.

In March 2007 it was announced that Cheeseborough would be the assistant coach for the 2008 Olympic team. Cheeseborough coached the sprints and hurdles for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Achievements

Personal Bests

• 100 metres – 11.13sec
• 200 metres – 21.99
• 300 metres – 35.46
• 400 metres – 49.05
• 1976 U.S National 100 metres Champion in 11.34sec
• 4 Time U.S National Indoor 200 yds Champion in 1979, 81, 82, 83
• Won 1980 U.S Olympic Trials 200 metres in 22.70w (also 3rd at 100 m)
• Won 1984 U.S Olympic Trials 400 metres in 49.28 ( also 2nd in both 100 & 200 at 1976 U.S Olympic Trials)

Note: Between 1936 and 1988 the Olympic Trials were a separate event from the National Championships.

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  United States
1975	Pan American Games	Mexico City, Mexico	1st	200 m	22.77
			1st	4 × 100 m	42.90
1976	Olympic Games	Montreal, Canada	6th	100 m	11.24
			semi-final	200m	23.20
			7th	4 × 100 m	43.35
1980	Liberty Bell Classic (Olympic Boycott Games)	Philadelphia, United States	1st	100 m	11.27
			1st	4 × 100 m	44.57
1984	Olympic Games	Los Angeles, United States	2nd	400 m	49.05
			1st	4 × 100 m	41.65
			1st	4 × 400 m	3:18.29

References

1. http://www.nfhs.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=3247 National High School Record Book
2. http://www.iaaf.org/records/toplists/sprints/400-metres/outdoor/women/senior/

• Chandra Cheeseborough profile at IAAF

External links

• 1984 Olympic Women's 400 meters on YouTube