Debbie Dunn (born 26 March 1978) is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 sprinter

Sprint (race)

Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...

, who specializes in the 400 metres

400 metres

The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...

. Originally from Jamaica

Jamaica

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...

, she attended Fairmont Heights High School in Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

, then Norfolk State University

Norfolk State University

Norfolk State University is a four-year, state-supported, coed, liberal arts, historically black university located in Norfolk, Virginia. It is member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and the Virginia High-Tech Partnership.-Academics:...

, and became an American citizen in 2004.

At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics

2009 World Championships in Athletics

The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....

 Dunn set a personal best of 49.95 seconds to qualify for the 400 metres world final

2009 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 400 metres

The women's 400 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on 15, 16 and 18 August. The world-leader prior to the competition, Sanya Richards, was regarded as the favourite in the event, although her previous failure to convert circuit dominance to major...

. She was a little slower in the final, however, and finished in sixth place. In the 4 x 400 m relay

4 x 400 metres relay

The 4 x 400 meters relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams comprise four runners who each complete 400 meters or one lap. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. At top class events, the first 500 meters is run in lanes...

 event she finally outpaced everybody, grabbing the gold medal

Gold medal

A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...

 together with teammates Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix is a track and field sprint athlete, who competes internationally for the United States, primarily in the 200 meters. She also competes at the 100 meters and the 400 meters distances...

, Lashinda Demus

Lashinda Demus

Lashinda Demus is an American hurdler who specialises in the 400 meter hurdles.Her personal best time over 400m hurdles is 52.47 seconds in Daegu, South Korea on September 1, 2011, which is currently the women's 3rd fastest time ever. Also she is the American Record holder in 400m Hurdles...

 and Sanya Richards

Sanya Richards

Sanya Richards-Ross is a track and field athlete who competes internationally for the United States. She won an Olympic gold medal in the 4×400 meters relay at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, an individual bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics for the 400 m, and a gold medal in the 2009...

.

One year later, at the 2010 World Indoor Championships

2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships

The 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics was held between 12 and 14 March at the ASPIRE Dome in Doha, Qatar. The championships was the first of six IAAF World Athletics Series events to take place in 2010.-Bidding and organisation:...

 in Doha

Doha

Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...

, Dunn achieved her first major individual victory by becoming 400 metres world indoor champion. She earned a second gold medal for the 4 x 400 m relay, in which the U.S. team consisting of Dunn, DeeDee Trotter

DeeDee Trotter

De'Hashia Tonnek Trotter is an American athlete.She currently lives in Orlando, Florida, and trains at the University of Central Florida under Head Coach and former University Of Tennessee college coach Caryl Smith Gilbert.In 2007 she won the American championship in the 400m in a personal best...

, Natasha Hastings

Natasha Hastings

Natasha Monique Hastings is an American sprint athlete of Jamaican and Trinidadian descent.Hastings began her track career at a very early age and made a first place win at the USATF Junior Olympics in the 400 metres in the Youth Girls division. She attended A...

 and Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix is a track and field sprint athlete, who competes internationally for the United States, primarily in the 200 meters. She also competes at the 100 meters and the 400 meters distances...

finished in 3:27.34.