2000 USATF ATHLETE BIOGRAPHY

DeDee Nathan

DEDEE NATHAN
Event: Heptathlon
Height: 5-11
Weight: 175
PR: Heptathlon: 6577 (1999)
Born: April 20, 1968, in Birmingham, Ala.
Current Residence: Bloomington, Ind.
High School: South Side HS (Fort Wayne, Ind.) '86
College: Indiana '90
Coaches: John Smith (throws); Greg Wilson (running)

Club: Indiana Invaders

Career Highlights: 2000 Olympic Trials Heptathlon champion; Runner-up, 1998 Goodwill Games heptathlon; 2nd in 1997, 1994 and 1993 USA Outdoors; 4th, 1996 and 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials; 2nd in pentathlon, 1999 World Indoor Championships; 1991 Pan-Am Games gold medalist; 7th, 1997 World Championships.

Nathan avenged fourth-place finishes at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Trials to win the 2000 Trials and make her first Olympic Team. In 1998, Dee Dee Nathan finished a scant 23 points behind Jackie Joyner-Kersee in the hepthalon legends' final go at the event at the Goodwill Games. I would have totally been the villain if I had won, Nathan said. In 2000, she has the chance to be the hero and make her first Olympic team...Adept at many sports, Nathan started her track career in 6th grade. A big break came in 1995, when she was called to the World Championships at the last minute when Joyner-Kersee withdrew from the heptathlon. They said, Just have fun. Don't worry about it. That's all I ever do. So I just went out there and had fun. She finished 8th...A religious woman who attends church four times a week, Nathan is studying for a masters degree in Family Studies and says she would like to be a foster mother or group home mother someday: I want to deal with teenagers. I think I'll be good at it worked out with the USA National Bobsled Team last winter.

2000: Won Olympic Trials with score of 6343, defeating Shelia Burrell by four points.

1999: 2nd in pentathlon at World Indoors... 8th at USA Outdoors (5318); no height in high jump...ranked #5 in world (#1 U.S.) by T&FN...best of 6577(PR).

1998: 2nd in Goodwill Games (6479 PR)...3rd in LJ (20-7) at USA Indoor...did not finish USA Outdoors ...10th at Talence (5886)...ranked #8 in world (#3 U.S.) by T&FN... best of 6479.

1997: 2nd in USA Outdoors (6317)...7th in World Champs (6298)...ranked #10 in world (#2 U.S.) by T&FN... best of 6317.

1996: 4th in Olympic Trials (6327 PR); no mark in LJ finals (20-11.75 in qualifying)...ranked #5 U.S. by T&FN... best of 6327.

1995: Bronze in Pan-Am Games (5879)...4th in USA Outdoors (6283w)...8th in World Champs (6258)...ranked #4 U.S. by T&FN... best of 6283w.

1994: 8th in 60mH heats (8.75) at USA Indoor...3rd in USA Outdoors (6189 PR)...ranked #4 U.S. by T&FN... best of 6189.

1993: 3rd in 60mH heats (8.51) at USA Indoor...9th in World Indoor pentathlon (4128)...3rd in USA Outdoors (6038)...17th in World Champs (5785)...ranked #3 U.S. by T&FN... best of 6038.

1992: 4th in Olympic Trials (6162 PR)...ranked #5 U.S. by T&FN...best of 6162.

1991: 5th in USA Outdoors (5955)...6th at World University Games...gold at Pan-Am Games...ranked #5 in U.S. by T&FN... best of 5998w.

1990: 2nd in NCAA heptathlon; 7th in LJ... won 400mH and LJ at Big 10...6th in 400mH heats at USA Outdoors... ranked #8 in U.S. at heptathlon by T&FN... best of 5855.

1989: 4th in LJ, 6th in 400mH at NCAA...5th in LJ at USA Outdoors ...5th in NCAA Indoor LJ...won 400mH at Big 10...ranked #9 U.S. in LJ by T&FN... best of 57.39 (400mH).

1988: 4th in NCAA Indoor LJ...3rd in 400mH heats at NCAA... best of 57.78 (400mH).

1987: False start in 400mH heats at NCAA... best of 58.19 (400mH).

1986: Won Indiana HS state titles in 100mH, 300mH and 4x400m... best of 42.62 (300mH).

1985: Won Indiana HS state titles in 100mH, 300mH and 4x400m... best of 42.85 (300mH).

1984: Won Indiana HS state titles in 300mH and 4x400m... best of 43.50 (300mH).