Hazel Clark
Encyclopedia
Hazel Mae "Peachy" Clark-Riley (born October 3, 1977), née Hazel Mae Clark, is an American middle-distance runner
who specializes in the 800 meters middle distance race. Clark was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 2000, 2004 and 2008. She has won six national titles and two USA Olympic trials during her career.
Clark was born in Livingston, New Jersey
. She is the daughter of inner-city educator Joe Louis Clark
, who inspired the film Lean on Me
, and the sister-in-law of fellow Olympian Jearl Miles-Clark
. Joetta Clark Diggs
is her older sister. Clark, her sister, and her sister-in-law made history when they swept the 2000 Olympic trials
800 meters. Known as the first family of track and field, a member of the Clark family has been on the last seven U.S Olympic teams.
Clark attended Columbia High School
. She receive an athletic scholarship
to attend the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where she was coached by her brother J.J. While at Florida, she was undefeated in SEC competition and won five NCAA titles. Clark graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
in sociology
in 2001. Clark will be honored for her college athletic record when she is inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in Spring 2012.
She finished seventh at the 2000 Olympic Games. At the 2001 World Championships
, she did not progress past the first round due to injury. In 2001, she was given a warning for using pseudoephedrine
.
At the 2004 Olympics, Clark was eliminated from her first-round heat in the 800 meters after a freak accident where she was burned severely. She then had two good seasons with an eighth place at the 2005 World Championships
, seventh place at the 2005
and 2006 World Athletics Final
, and a sixth place at the 2006 World Cup
.
In 2008, she won the U.S. Olympic Trials 800 meters final held in Eugene, Oregon
and competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
. She finished her 800 meters Olympic heat in fifth place with a time of 2:01.59, and did not advance to the semifinals.
Her personal best time is 1:57.99 minutes, achieved in July 2005 at the Bislett Games
in Oslo
.
Clark has appeared in three global Nike ads appearing in fashion magazines, stores, and billboards. She has been marketed by Nike as a spokesmodel throughout her career. She is also considered a favorite of the media due to her engaging personality. Her husband, Wenston Riley, proposed to her on national TV in 2004.
Middle distance track event
Middle distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the...
who specializes in the 800 meters middle distance race. Clark was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 2000, 2004 and 2008. She has won six national titles and two USA Olympic trials during her career.
Clark was born in Livingston, New Jersey
Livingston, New Jersey
Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 29,366.Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township and Springfield...
. She is the daughter of inner-city educator Joe Louis Clark
Joe Louis Clark
Joe Louis Clark is the former principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, one of New Jersey's toughest inner city schools. He is also the subject of the 1989 film Lean on Me, starring Morgan Freeman. Clark gained public attention in the 1980s for his unconventional and controversial...
, who inspired the film Lean on Me
Lean on Me (film)
Lean on Me is a 1989 dramatized biographical written by Michael Schiffer, directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Morgan Freeman. Lean on Me is loosely based on the story of Joe Louis Clark, a real life inner city high school principal in Paterson, New Jersey, whose school is at risk of being...
, and the sister-in-law of fellow Olympian Jearl Miles-Clark
Jearl Miles-Clark
Jearl Atawa Miles Clark is an American athlete who competed mainly in the 400 and 800 meters.She holds the American record in the women's 800m at 1:56.40....
. Joetta Clark Diggs
Joetta Clark Diggs
Joetta Clark Diggs is an American track and field athlete specializing in the 800 metres. She is the daughter of Joe Louis Clark, the older sister of Hazel Clark Riley and the sister-in-law of Jearl Miles-Clark, who married Joe Clark, Jr., who is the coach to all three girls...
is her older sister. Clark, her sister, and her sister-in-law made history when they swept the 2000 Olympic trials
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,...
800 meters. Known as the first family of track and field, a member of the Clark family has been on the last seven U.S Olympic teams.
Clark attended Columbia High School
Columbia High School (New Jersey)
Columbia High School is a four-year comprehensive regional public high school located at 17 Parker Avenue in Maplewood, New Jersey, which serves students in grades nine through twelve within the South Orange-Maplewood School District, which includes Maplewood and South Orange Townships...
. She receive an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where she was coached by her brother J.J. While at Florida, she was undefeated in SEC competition and won five NCAA titles. Clark graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
in 2001. Clark will be honored for her college athletic record when she is inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in Spring 2012.
She finished seventh at the 2000 Olympic Games. At the 2001 World Championships
2001 World Championships in Athletics
The 8th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada between 3 August and 12 August and was the first time the event had visited North America...
, she did not progress past the first round due to injury. In 2001, she was given a warning for using pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a sympathomimetic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine chemical classes. It is used as a nasal/sinus decongestant and stimulant, or as a wakefulness-promoting agent....
.
At the 2004 Olympics, Clark was eliminated from her first-round heat in the 800 meters after a freak accident where she was burned severely. She then had two good seasons with an eighth place at the 2005 World Championships
2005 World Championships in Athletics
The 10th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland , the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic sports, some of...
, seventh place at the 2005
2005 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 3rd IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on September 9, and September 10, 2005.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary on September 3 as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.- Medal...
and 2006 World Athletics Final
2006 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 4th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 9 and September 10, 2006.-Results:-External links:*...
, and a sixth place at the 2006 World Cup
2006 IAAF World Cup
The 10th IAAF World Cup in Athletics was an international track and field sporting event, held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which took place on 16 and 17 September 2006 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece....
.
In 2008, she won the U.S. Olympic Trials 800 meters final held in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
and competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. She finished her 800 meters Olympic heat in fifth place with a time of 2:01.59, and did not advance to the semifinals.
Her personal best time is 1:57.99 minutes, achieved in July 2005 at the Bislett Games
Bislett Games
The Bislett Games is an annual track and field event at the Bislett Stadion in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. It is sponsored by ExxonMobil and officially known as the ExxonMobil Bislett Games.-History:The first...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
Clark has appeared in three global Nike ads appearing in fashion magazines, stores, and billboards. She has been marketed by Nike as a spokesmodel throughout her career. She is also considered a favorite of the media due to her engaging personality. Her husband, Wenston Riley, proposed to her on national TV in 2004.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Olympians