Sally Pearson delivers gold in the 100m hurdles

Sally Pearson delivers gold in the 100m hurdles - Sally Pearson paid tribute to her family after setting a new Olympic record to win the 100m hurdles and claim Australia’s first athletics gold medal of these Games.

Sally Pearson delivers gold in the 100m hurdles

The world champion clocked 12.35sec to edge out the defending champion, Dawn Harper of the United States, by just two-hundredths of a second. Australia’s poor showing at London 2012 had increased the pressure on Pearson, but she delivered.

“For so many years my mother Anne sacrificed everything,” said Pearson. “I’m not the only one out there whose parents have sacrificed things. My husband Kieran also cops a lot, when I’m going through bad times or I’m frustrated by something.”

Pearson and Harper were so close that neither knew straightaway who had prevailed.

Pearson added: “I was so scared and I was so nervous, but I never let anyone stop me from doing what I want to do. I was saying ‘please don’t let this happen’ in my head.”


@