Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie

Last updated

Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie
Debbie Ferguson.jpg
Ferguson-McKenzie at the 2009 World Championships
Medal record
Women's Athletics
Representing Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2000 Sydney 4x100 m relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1996 Atlanta 4x100 m relay
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2004 Athens 200 m
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1999 Seville 4x100 m relay
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2001 Edmonton 200 m
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2009 Berlin 4x100 m relay
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2009 Berlin 200 m
Pan American Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1999 Winnipeg 200 m
World Athletics Final
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2004 Monaco 200 m
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2007 Stuttgart 200 m
CAC Championships In Athletics
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1997 San Juan 100 m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1997 Grenada 4x100 m relay
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2003 Grenada 4x100 m relay
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2008 Cali 200 m
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1993 Cali 200 m
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1993 Cali 4x100 m relay
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2008 Cali 4×100 m relay
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2013 Morelia 4×100 m relay
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2002 Manchester 100 m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2002 Manchester 200 m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2002 Manchester 4x100 m relay
Continental Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2002 Madrid 200 m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2002 Madrid4x100 m relay
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2006 Athens 4x100 m relay
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2010 Split 4×100m relay
Goodwill Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1998 Uniondale 4x100 m relay
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2001 Brisbane 200 m
CAC Junior Championships (U20)
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1994 Port of Spain 100 m
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1994 Port of Spain200 m
CAC Junior Championships (U17)
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1990 Havana 4x400 m relay
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1992 Tegucigalpa 100 m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1992 Tegucigalpa200 m
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1990 Havana Pentathlon
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1990 Havana4x100 m relay
CARIFTA Games
Junior (U20)
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1994 Bridgetown 100m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1994 Bridgetown200m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1995 George Town 100m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1995 George Town200m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1995 George Town4x100m relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1992 Nassau 4x100m relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1992 Nassau4x400m relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1993 Fort-de-France 4x100m relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1993 Fort-de-France4x400m relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1994 Bridgetown4x100m relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1994 Bridgetown4x400m relay
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1995 George Town4x400m relay
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1993 Fort-de-France100m
CARIFTA Games
Youth (U17)
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1991 Port of Spain 100m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1992 Nassau 100m
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1992 Nassau200m
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1992 Nassau400m
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1991 Port of Spain200m

Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (born 16 January 1976) is a former Bahamian sprinter who specialised in the 100 and 200 metres. [1] Ferguson-McKenzie participated in five Olympics.

Contents

Ferguson-McKenzie is assistant coach of track and field at University of Kentucky. Previously, she coached for four years at the University of Houston. [2]

In 1995, she was awarded the Austin Sealy Trophy for the most outstanding athlete of the 1995 CARIFTA Games. [3] [4] In total she won 7 gold, 9 silver, and 2 bronze CARIFTA Games medals.

She had her first major successes with the Bahamian 4×100 metres relay team, winning gold at the Pan American Games and World Championships in Athletics in 1999, and taking another gold at the Olympic Games the following year. She won her first individual gold medal at the 2001 World Championships – having initially won silver, gold medallist Marion Jones was later disqualified.

The 2002 season was a career high for Ferguson-McKenzie: she won five gold medals, with victories at the IAAF World Cup and Grand Prix Final, and a 100 m, 200 m and relay gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Her performance in the 100 m remains a personal best, and her time in the 200 m was a commonwealth games record and fastest by any athlete that year. [5] She won her only individual Olympic medal in 2004, taking bronze in the 200 m. Injury ruled her out for the whole of 2005. [6] She failed to reach the finals at the 2007 World Championships, unable to compete with the new generation of American and Jamaican sprinters. [7] However, she managed to reach the 100 and 200 metres finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

She was the previous 200 m national record holder with a best of 22.19 seconds. Her record was broken by Shaunae Miller-Uibo (22.05 seconds) at the 2016 Jamaica Grand Prix. Her 100 m best (10.91) is the second fastest time by a Bahamian after Chandra Sturrup.

In 2014 Ferguson-McKenzie became the women's sprints and hurdles coach for the track and field program at the University of Houston. [8]

Ferguson-McKenzie was coached some part of her professional career by Henry Rolle.

Career

Ferguson attended St Andrew's School in Nassau, Bahamas and graduated in 1994.

Ferguson graduated from University of Georgia from where she launched her senior athletics career since which she has gained medals at the Summer Olympics, IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Commonwealth Games and Pan American Games.

In 2002, she was appointed as an ambassador for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, she set the championship record in the 100 metres and in the 4×100 m relay with the Bahamian team, recording a personal best of 10.91 seconds in the individual event.

Ferguson-McKenzie in competition at the 2007 World Championships. Osaka07 D6A Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie.jpg
Ferguson-McKenzie in competition at the 2007 World Championships.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing she competed at the 100 metres sprint. In her first round heat she placed second behind Oludamola Osayomi in a time of 11.17 to advance to the second round. There she won her series to qualify for the semi-finals in a time of 11.21, this time finishing in front of Osayomi. Despite fellow Bahamian Chandra Sturrup being unable to qualify for the final with a time of 11.22 in the first semi final, Ferguson managed to qualify with the same time as she finished fourth in her race, while Sturrup finished fifth in hers. In the final Ferguson came to 11.19 seconds, which was the 7th position. [1]

She competed at the 2009 Manchester City Games, winning the 150 metres final in 16.54 seconds. [9] She followed this up with a win in the 200 m at the Meeting Mohammed VI d' Athlétisme in Rabat. [10] At the 25th Vardinoyiannia in Rethymno, Greece, she ran a world-leading time of 22.32 seconds to win the 200 m and set a meeting record. [11] [12] Now trains in Clermont, Florida, at the NTC.

Major competition record

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing the Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas
1990 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U-17) Havana, Cuba 3rdPentathlon3015pts
3rd4 × 100 m relay47.66
1st4 × 400 m relay3:47.22
1991 CARIFTA Games (U-17) Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago 1st100 m11.89 w  (2.4 m/s)
3rd200 m24.86
1992 CARIFTA Games (U-17) Nassau, Bahamas 1st100 m11.79
2nd200 m23.97 w
2nd400 m54.68
CARIFTA Games (U-20) 2nd4 × 100 m relay45.61
2nd4 × 400 m relay3:42.37
Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U-17) Tegucigalpa, Honduras 1st100 m12.0   (0.0 m/s)
1st200 m24.2   (-0.1 m/s)
World Junior Championships Seoul, South Korea 21st (qf)100 m 11.92 (wind: +1.9 m/s)
23rd (sf)200 m 24.74 (wind: +0.7 m/s)
1993 CARIFTA Games (U-20) Fort-de-France, Martinique 3rd100 m11.79   (0.3 m/s)
4th200 m24.09   (-1.2 m/s)
2nd4 × 100 m relay45.53
2nd4 × 400 m relay3:39.32
Central American and Caribbean Championships Cali, Colombia 2nd200 m23.32 w
2nd4 × 100 m relay44.28
1994 CARIFTA Games (U-20) Bridgetown, Barbados1st100 m11.58
1st200 m23.53
2nd4 × 100 m relay45.66
2nd4 × 400 m relay3:36.53
Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U-20) Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago 1st100 m11.1   (-1.8 m/s)
2nd200 m23.8   (-1.8 m/s)
World Junior Championships Lisbon, Portugal 5th100m 11.48 (wind: +2.0 m/s)
4th200m 23.59 w(wind: +2.2 m/s)
12th (h)4 × 400 m relay 3:44.67
Commonwealth Games Victoria, Canada 12th (sf)200 m 23.68
5th4×100 m relay 44.89
1995 CARIFTA Games (U-20) George Town, Cayman Islands 1st100 m11.35
1st200 m23.17
1st4 × 100 m relay45.00
2nd4 × 400 m relay3:39.46
World Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 27th (h)200 m 23.33   (0.0 m/s)
4th4 × 100 m relay 43.14
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 13th (sf)100 m 11.28   (0.4 m/s)
2nd4 × 100 m relay 43.14 (h)
1997 Central American and Caribbean Championships San Juan, Puerto Rico 1st100 m11.29
1st4 × 100 m relay44.00
World Championships Athens, Greece 7th (sf)100 m 11.39   (-0.1 m/s)
6th4 × 100 m relay 42.77
1999 World Championships Seville, Spain 9th (sf)100 m 11.12   (-0.1 m/s)
5th200 m 22.28   (0.6 m/s)
1st4×100 m relay 41.92 WL
Pan American Games Winnipeg, Canada 1st200 m 22.83   (0.7 m/s)
2000 Olympic Games Sydney, Australia 8th100 m 11.29   (-0.4 m/s)
4th200 m 22.37   (0.7 m/s)
1st4×100 m relay 41.95 SB
2001 World Championships Edmonton, Canada 5th100 m 11.13   (-0.3 m/s)
1st200 m 22.52
IAAF Grand Prix Final Melbourne, Australia 2nd200 m23.00
2002 Commonwealth Games Manchester, England 1st100 m 10.91 GR
1st200 m 22.20 GR
1st4×100 m relay 42.44 GR
IAAF World Cup Madrid, Spain 1st200 m 22.49 [13]
IAAF Grand Prix Final Paris, France 1st100 m10.97
2003 Central American and Caribbean Championships St. George's, Grenada 1st4×100 m relay 43.06
World Championships Paris, France 10th (sf)100 m 11.27   (0.4 m/s)
12th (qf)200 m 22.98   (-0.2 m/s)
8th (h)4 × 100 m relay 43.64
2004 Olympic Games Athens, Greece 7th 100 m 11.16   (-0.1 m/s)
3rd200 m 22.30
4th4 × 100 m relay 42.69
World Athletics Final Monaco 2nd200 m22.66
2007 World Championships Osaka, Japan 14th (sf)100 m 11.25   (-0.1 m/s)
14th (sf)200 m 23.27   (-0.4 m/s)
World Athletics Final Stuttgart, Germany 2nd200 m22.74
2008 Central American and Caribbean Championships Cali, Colombia 1st200 m 22.78
3rd4 × 100 m relay 44.03
Olympic Games Beijing, China 7th100 m 11.19
7th200 m 22.61
2009 World Championships Berlin, Germany 6th100 m 11.05   (0.1 m/s)
3rd200 m 22.41   (-0.1 m/s)
2nd4 × 100 m relay 42.29 SB
2011 World Championships Daegu, South Korea 6th200 m 22.96   (-1.0 m/s)
17th (h)4 × 100 m relay 50.62
2012 Olympic Games London, United Kingdom24th (h)100 m 11.32
38th (h)200 m 22.61
2013 Central American and Caribbean Championships Morelia, Mexico7th100 m 11.85
3rd4 × 100 m relay 44.08

On 16 October 2002 Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahamas at the 2004 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The Bahamas competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. This was the nation's fourteenth appearance at the Olympics, except the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow because of the United States boycott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veronica Campbell Brown</span> Jamaican sprinter (born 1982)

Veronica Campbell Brown Order of Distinction is a retired Jamaican track and field sprinter, who specialized in the 100 and 200 meters. An eight-time Olympic medalist, she is the second of three women in history to win two consecutive Olympic 200 m events, after Bärbel Wöckel of Germany at the 1976 and 1980 Olympics and fellow countrywoman Elaine Thompson-Herah at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. Campbell Brown is one of only nine athletes to win world championships at the youth, junior, and senior level of an athletic event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandra Sturrup</span> Bahamian sprinter

Chandra Sturrup is a Bahamian track and field sprint athlete.

Pauline Elaine Davis-Thompson is a former Bahamian sprinter. She competed at five Olympics, a rarity for a track and field athlete. She won her first medal at her fourth Olympics and her first gold medals at her fifth Olympics at age 34 in the 4 × 100 m Relay and, after Marion Jones' belated disqualification nine years later, in the 200m.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oludamola Osayomi</span> Nigerian sprinter

Oludamola Bolanle ("Damola") Osayomi is a Nigerian sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres and 200 metres. She is a four-time gold medallist at the African Championships in Athletics and won an Olympic silver medal with Nigeria in the 4×100 metres relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She also won the 100 and 200 m sprints at the 2007 All-Africa Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blessing Okagbare</span> Nigerian track and field athlete

Blessing Oghnewresem Okagbare-Otegheri is a former Nigerian track and field athlete who specialized in long jump and sprints. She is an Olympic and World Championships medallist in the long jump and a world medalist in the 200 metres. Okagbare also holds the women's 100 metres Commonwealth Games record at 10.85 seconds. She is currently serving a 10-year ban for breaching multiple World Athletics anti-doping rules. Her ban expires on 30 July 2032.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerron Stewart</span> Jamaican sprinter

Kerron Stewart is a retired Jamaican sprinter who specialized in the 100 metres and 200 metres. She is the 2008 Jamaican national champion in the 100 m clocking 10.80s. She defeated World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown in the process and now is the 2008 Summer Olympics silver medalist after she tied with Sherone Simpson in a time of 10.98s. She also earned a bronze medal in the 200 metres at the 2008 Summer Olympics with a time of 22.00s. She was born in Kingston and retired after the 2018 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bahamas at the 2008 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The Bahamas sent a delegation of athletes to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics, which were held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from 8 to 24 August 2008. Its Beijing appearance marked its fourteenth time at the Olympics since its début at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. The delegation included 25 athletes across four sports and nineteen distinct events. Its athletes advanced to semifinals in eight events and finals in five events, medaling in two of them. The Bahamian delegation was one of the largest sent between its début and 2008. The country's flag bearer was Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly-Ann Baptiste</span> Trinidad and Tobago sprinter

Kelly-Ann Kaylene Baptiste is a Tobagonian track and field sprint athlete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daria Korczyńska</span> Polish sprinter

Daria Onyśko-Korczyńska is a retired track and field sprint athlete who competed internationally for Poland.

The women's 100 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 16 and August 17. The Jamaican team had three strong contenders for the 100 m title in defending champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser, and Kerron Stewart. The American squad featured Muna Lee, Lauryn Williams, and an in-form Carmelita Jeter. Other medal contenders are Bahamians Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie and Chandra Sturrup, and Kelly-Ann Baptiste, who have all run under eleven seconds prior to the tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natasha Mayers</span>

Natasha Laren Mayers is a professional track and field sprinter who competes internationally for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. She is the national record holder over 60 metres, 100 metres, and 200 metres. She represented her country at the Summer Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004, and had the honour of being the national flag bearer at the latter edition. She has also appeared at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2001 and 2003, as well as taking part in the IAAF World Indoor Championships.

Anthonique Strachan is a Bahamian sprinter, she is the 2012 100m and 200m World Junior Champion. She competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics, 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2020 Summer Olympics, in 200 m. and 4 × 400 m relay

Jura Lanconia Levy is a Jamaican sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres and 200 metres. Her personal bests for the events are 11.10 seconds and 22.76 seconds, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shaunae Miller-Uibo</span> Bahamian sprinter

Shaunae Miller-Uibo is a Bahamian track and field sprinter who competes in the 200 and 400 metres. She is a two-time Olympic champion after winning the women's 400 metres at the 2016 Rio Olympics and again at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Carl Oliver Jr. is a Bahamian former track and field sprinter who specialised in the 400 metres. He is the current secretary of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations. His greatest achievements on the track came with the Bahamian 4×400 metres relay team. He was a bronze medallist in the relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics and was also a finalist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 1999 World Championships in Athletics. He helped set a national record of 3:02.85 minutes at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics.

Michael Sands is a Bahamian former track and field sprinter. During his peak he held the Bahamian records from 100 metres to 400 metres.

Jacqueline "Jackie" Pusey is a Jamaican former track and field sprinter. She competed over distances from 100 metres to 400 metres. She represented Jamaica at the 1976 Summer Olympics and competed a second time at the 1980 Summer Olympics.

V'Alonee Robinson is a Bahamian sprinter was selected for her country in the 4x100 meter relay at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, but did not compete.

This article is about the Athletics in the Bahamas from the early 20th century to onward

References

  1. 1 2 "Athlete biography: Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie". Beijing2008.cn . Archived from the original on 9 September 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2008.
  2. "Five-Time Olympian Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie Loves Being Part Of Kentucky Track". WLEX. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  3. Carifta Games Magazine, Part 2 (PDF), Carifta Games 2011, archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012, retrieved 12 October 2011
  4. Carifta Games Magazine, Part 3 (PDF), Carifta Games 2011, archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012, retrieved 12 October 2011
  5. 200 Metres 2002. IAAF (14 October 2004). Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  6. Saunders, Gerrino (13 July 2006). BAAA Lists Surprising ‘Times’. The Bahama Journal. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  7. 100 Metres 2007. IAAF. (4 April 2008). Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  8. "Cougars Welcome Track and Field Great Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie". Houston Cougars Track & Field. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  9. "Superb Bolt storms to 150m record". BBC Sport. BBC News . 17 May 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  10. Benchrif, Mohammed (24 May 2009). "Lishchynska and Cheshari set world season leads but Jelimo is way below par in Rabat". IAAF . Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  11. Nikitaridis, Michalis (21 July 2009). "Ferguson (22.32) and Jones (12.47) set world season leads in Rethymno". IAAF. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  12. LIVE RESULTS OF 25th VARDINOYANNIA Archived 23 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine . EAR. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  13. Representing the Americas
Sporting positions
Preceded by Women's 200m Best Year Performance
2001 2002
Succeeded by
Olympic Games
Preceded by Flagbearer for Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas
Athens 2004
Beijing 2008
Succeeded by