Denean Howard
Encyclopedia
Denean Elizabeth Howard-Hill (born October 5, 1964) is an American athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.
At the Olympics she competed as Miss Howard in 1984, as Mrs. Howard-Hill in 1988, and as Mrs. Hill in 1992.
She competed for the United States, winning a Gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics
held in Los Angeles as a member of the 4 x 400 metres relay team, running in the preliminary rounds with her sister Sherri
running in the final. It was a reversal at the 1988 Summer Olympics
held in Seoul
, South Korea in the 4 x 400 metres relay, where both sisters won the Silver medal, but Denean ran in the final with her team mates Diane Dixon
, Valerie Brisco-Hooks
and Florence Griffith Joyner. The team set the current standing American Record
in the event, which is still the second best time ever run behind the winning Soviet team in that race.
She is married to boxer, Virgil Hill; her son Virgil was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2009 MLB Draft, currently playing for the Class-A Batavia Muckdogs
.
Denean Howard and her 3 sisters gained fame in 1979 when the four of them teamed up to set the National High School record in the 4x440 yard relay for San Gorgonio High School
in San Bernardino. That distance is now rarely run as the NFHS converted to metric distances, so the record still stands today. Later teams with Denean broke the record for the slightly shorter 4x400 metres relay, after sister Atra graduated and the rest of the family moved to Kennedy High School (Los Angeles). Denean was the California High School Athlete of the Year at Kennedy in 1982, following in the footsteps of her sister Sherri
. Also following her sister, she was named the named the national Girl's "High School Athlete of the Year" by Track and Field News, two years in a row. Her 1982 52.39 was the NFHS national high school record for eighteen years, before it was beaten by Monique Henderson
. At age 15, she qualified for the ill-fated 1980 U.S. Olympic Team which was part of the 1980 Olympic Boycott finishing behind sister Sherri at the United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
, the first sisters to make the Olympic team simultaneously in the same event.
At the Olympics she competed as Miss Howard in 1984, as Mrs. Howard-Hill in 1988, and as Mrs. Hill in 1992.
She competed for the United States, winning a Gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
held in Los Angeles as a member of the 4 x 400 metres relay team, running in the preliminary rounds with her sister Sherri
Sherri Howard
Sherri Howard is a former American athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres. She is the older sister of 1988 relay teammate Denean Howard.She competed for the United States in the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, U.S...
running in the final. It was a reversal at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
held in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea in the 4 x 400 metres relay, where both sisters won the Silver medal, but Denean ran in the final with her team mates Diane Dixon
Diane Dixon
Diane Lynn Dixon is an American athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.She competed for the United States in the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea in the 4 x 400 metres where she won the Silver medal with her team mates Denean Howard, Valerie Brisco-Hooks and Florence Griffith...
, Valerie Brisco-Hooks
Valerie Brisco-Hooks
Valerie Ann Brisco-Hooks won three gold medals as an Olympic track and field athlete at the 1984 Olympics at Los Angeles, California, making her the first Olympian to win gold medals in both the 200- and 400-meter races at a single Olympics. She also won a gold medal for the 4x400 m...
and Florence Griffith Joyner. The team set the current standing American Record
United States records in track and field
The following are the national records in track & field in the United States maintained by USA Track & Field .Key:-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratified by IAAF...
in the event, which is still the second best time ever run behind the winning Soviet team in that race.
She is married to boxer, Virgil Hill; her son Virgil was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the sixth round of the 2009 MLB Draft, currently playing for the Class-A Batavia Muckdogs
Batavia Muckdogs
The Batavia Muckdogs are a minor league baseball team based in Batavia, a city in Genesee County, New York, United States. The Muckdogs are the current Short-Season A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals...
.
Denean Howard and her 3 sisters gained fame in 1979 when the four of them teamed up to set the National High School record in the 4x440 yard relay for San Gorgonio High School
San Gorgonio High School
San Gorgonio High School is a comprehensive senior high school in the San Bernardino City Unified School District. Its campus is located at the corner of Pacific Street and Arden Avenue on the border between San Bernardino and Highland, California.-Alumni:...
in San Bernardino. That distance is now rarely run as the NFHS converted to metric distances, so the record still stands today. Later teams with Denean broke the record for the slightly shorter 4x400 metres relay, after sister Atra graduated and the rest of the family moved to Kennedy High School (Los Angeles). Denean was the California High School Athlete of the Year at Kennedy in 1982, following in the footsteps of her sister Sherri
Sherri Howard
Sherri Howard is a former American athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres. She is the older sister of 1988 relay teammate Denean Howard.She competed for the United States in the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, U.S...
. Also following her sister, she was named the named the national Girl's "High School Athlete of the Year" by Track and Field News, two years in a row. Her 1982 52.39 was the NFHS national high school record for eighteen years, before it was beaten by Monique Henderson
Monique Henderson
Monique Henderson is a track and field athlete, competing internationally for the United States. She was a gold medalist in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China....
. At age 15, she qualified for the ill-fated 1980 U.S. Olympic Team which was part of the 1980 Olympic Boycott finishing behind sister Sherri at the United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
, the first sisters to make the Olympic team simultaneously in the same event.