Evelyn Ashford (born April 15, 1957 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American athlete, the 1984 Olympic champion in the 100 m. April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Shreveport, Louisiana is the third largest metropolitan city in the state of Louisiana, USA. It is located in Caddo Parish, and as of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 200,145. ... Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. ... 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ...

As a 19-year-old, Ashford finished 5th in the 100 m event at the 1976 Summer Olympics. After beating the World Record holders in the 100 m and 200 m in 1979, Ashford was one of the potential gold medalists for the 1980 Summer Olympics, but these Games were boycotted by the United States. The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, were held in 1976 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. ... The Games of the XXII Olympiad were held in 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union. ...

In 1983, she first set the World Record in the 100 meters at 10.79 seconds and wanted to win the 100 meter title at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki. In the final, however, she pulled a hamstring muscle, fell and gave up. 1983 is an integer and composite number that represents a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Helsinki (pronounced with the stress on the first syllable in Finnish: ), or Helsingfors in Swedish  listen, is the capital of Finland. ...

At the 1984 Summer Olympics, Ashford finally had a chance to win a gold medal, especially since the East Germans boycotted the Olympics. But Ashford became injured shortly before the Games and had to withdraw from the 200 m heats. She did compete in the 100 m, and with success, winning the event in a new Olympic Record. As the final runner for the relay team, she won a second gold medal. Later in the season, she defeated the East German women while setting a World Record. The Games of the XXIII Olympiad were held in 1984 in Los Angeles, sports Opening ceremonies July 28, 1984 Closing ceremonies August 12, 1984 Officially opened by Ronald Reagan Athletes Oath Edwin Moses Judges Oath Sharon Weber Olympic Torch Rafer Johnson Highlights After the American-led boycott of... East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR), German Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR), was a Communist state that existed from 1949 to 1990 in the former Soviet occupation zone of Germany. ...

At the 1988 Summer Olympics, she was beaten in the 100 m by Florence Griffith Joyner, who had broken her World Record earlier at the Olympic Trials. In the 4 x 100 m, she again ran the final leg, winning her third Olympic gold medal in spite of a sloppy exchange. The Games of the XXIV Olympiad were held in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. ... Delorez Florence Griffith Joyner (December 21, 1959 - September 21, 1998) was an American athlete, still holder of the World Records in the 100 m and 200 m as of 2004. ...

At her last Olympics, in 1992, Ashford was eliminated in the 100 m semi-finals, but won her third straight Olympic 4 x 100 m relay title. 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Olympic medalists in athletics