Pearson’s Olympic dream is realised

Sally Pearson (Qld) produced the perfect race under enormous pressure from herself, the whole of Australia and an amazing field.

Pearson clocked 12.35 seconds from lane 7 in the rain to add the Olympic title and Olympic record to her world outdoor title, world indoor title and Female Athlete of the Year crown. It was her second fastest time ever behind her 12.28 seconds in warm conditions in Daegu at the 2011 World Championships.

2008 Olympic Champion Dawn Harper ran a sensational race and perfect dip to make it an anxious wait for the 25-year-old Australian and the hundreds of Australians in the Olympic Stadium. Harper’s time of 12.37 was a personal best and her American teammate Kelli Wells won the bronze in a personal best 12.48.

Pearson becomes the 10th Australian female athletics gold medallist and the third sprint hurdler after Shirley Strickland (Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956) and Maureen Caird (Mexico City 1968).

Pearson with her coach Sharon Hannan have been working tirelessly for this day and dreaming of it ever since they started working together in 1999 when she was just 13.

With thanks to the Australian Olympic Committee. More information at Athletics Australia.