American hurdles legend Lolo Jones

Lolo Jones, a phenomenal American athlete, has made her mark as a champion in the world of track and field, specializing in the 60-meter and 100-meter hurdles. Her journey to greatness is nothing short of inspiring. During her collegiate years at Louisiana State University (LSU), she truly shined, claiming three NCAA titles and earning the prestigious honor of being an 11-time All-American. Her dominance didn’t stop there and she reigned supreme in the 60-meter hurdles at the indoor national championships in 2007, 2008, and 2009, while also snagging gold medals at the World Indoor Championships in both 2008 and 2010.

Born Lori Susan “Lolo” Jones on August 5, 1982, in Des Moines, Iowa, her early life was far from easy. She faced significant challenges, including a financially unstable childhood and frequent relocations with her family. Despite these obstacles, young Lolo found solace and determination in athletics. She started training diligently at a young age, driven by an unwavering dream to become a professional athlete. Her resilience and perseverance shaped not just her career but also her character, proving that grit and passion can overcome even the toughest beginnings. Today, she’s not just an athlete but an emblem of perseverance and hope for anyone chasing their dreams.

Lolo Jones had high hopes to win the 100-meter hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But she stumbled on the second-to-last hurdle and ended up in seventh place. Later that year, she bounced back strong, taking gold at the 2008 World Athletics Final. Her time of 12.56 beat Dawn Harper, who had just won the Olympic gold. Lolo held the U.S. record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.72. That record stayed hers until 2018 when Kendra Harrison and Sharika Nelvis both ran it faster, clocking in at 7.70.

Fast forward to June 23, 2012—Lolo earned third place in the 100-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic trials. That finish secured her a spot on the team for the 2012 Summer Olympics. On August 6 in London, she shined again, winning her heat in the 100-meter hurdles with an impressive time of 12.68. On August 7, she ran the 100-meter hurdles semi-finals and took third place, moving on to the finals. Later that day, in the finals, Lolo Jones came in fourth, finishing in 12.58 seconds.

In May 2013, Lolo Jones got her first win of the season at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo. She ran the race in 12.92 seconds. This was slower than her Drake Relays time of 12.79 and Queen Harrison’s top time of 12.71 for the year, mostly because of the strong headwind. Still, she held off Wells, who came in second at 13.07 seconds.

In 2015, at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Lolo Jones made it to the finals and earned a spot at the NACAC Championships in Costa Rica. She raced the women’s 100-meter hurdles there and won with a time of 12.63 seconds.

On March 7, 2020, veteran hurdler Lolo Jones returned to outdoor competition for the first time in three years, winning both the 100m Hurdles and 100m Dash events at the Mississippi College Season Opener in Clinton, Mississippi. Jones clocked 13.45 seconds (-0.1 m/s wind) to take the hurdles title, and followed that up with an 11.93 second (1.3 m/s wind) victory in the 100m dash.

In addition to her accomplished track and field career, Lolo Jones also competes as a brakewoman on the U.S. national bobsled team. She won a gold medal in the mixed team event at the 2013 World Championships and represented the U.S. at the 2014 Winter Olympics, making her one of the few athletes to compete in both the Summer and Winter Games.

Lolo Jones in numbers

2x World Indoor champion
1x World Athletics Final winner
1x NACAC champion
6x Diamond League winner
1x Golden League winner
Personal best: 12.29sec (100m hurdles), 7.72sec (60m hurdles)

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