Tonja Buford-Bailey
Encyclopedia
Tonja Buford-Bailey (born December 13, 1970 in Dayton, Ohio
) is a former American
athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metre hurdles. She competed as Tonja Buford until marrying Victor Bailey
on October 28, 1995. In 1982, (When she was 12 years old) she met former track runner Wilma Rudolph
Her best result came in the 1995 World Championships
held in Gothenburg
, Sweden
where she won the silver medal in the 400 metre hurdles, losing to compatriot Kim Batten
by only 0.01 seconds. With times of 52.61 and 52.62, both athletes went under Sally Gunnell
's old world record of 52.74 from the previous edition of the World Championships. That time would remain Buford's personal best, and is still the fourth quickest of all time.
The following year she competed for the United States in the 1996 Summer Olympics
held in Atlanta, U.S.
, where she won the bronze medal in the 400 metre hurdles behind Jamaica's Deon Hemmings
and Batten.
She went on to have some further successes, only just missing out on a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships
and winning her event at the IAAF Grand Prix Final
that year.
Buford-Bailey is currently the head women's track and field coach at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. With her two kids and her husband Victor Bailey
. A former American Football Player.
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
) is a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metre hurdles. She competed as Tonja Buford until marrying Victor Bailey
Victor Bailey (American football)
Victor L. Bailey is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for three seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. He is currently living with his wife Tonja Buford-Bailey and his two kids....
on October 28, 1995. In 1982, (When she was 12 years old) she met former track runner Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Glodean Rudolph was an American athlete. Rudolph was considered the fastest woman in the world in the 1960s and competed in two Olympic Games, in 1956 and in 1960....
Her best result came in the 1995 World Championships
1995 World Championships in Athletics
The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
held in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
where she won the silver medal in the 400 metre hurdles, losing to compatriot Kim Batten
Kim Batten
Kim Batten is a retired female American 400 meter hurdles champion. She was the 1995 world record holder in the women's 400-meter hurdles....
by only 0.01 seconds. With times of 52.61 and 52.62, both athletes went under Sally Gunnell
Sally Gunnell
Sally Jane Janet Gunnell OBE is a former British Olympic champion in the 400 m hurdles...
's old world record of 52.74 from the previous edition of the World Championships. That time would remain Buford's personal best, and is still the fourth quickest of all time.
The following year she competed for the United States in the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
held in Atlanta, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she won the bronze medal in the 400 metre hurdles behind Jamaica's Deon Hemmings
Deon Hemmings
Deon Hemmings is a former female 400 metres hurdler.Hemmings was the first ever Jamaican woman to win an Olympic Gold when she won the 400m Hurdles at the 1996 Olympics breaking the Olympic record which stood to 2004...
and Batten.
She went on to have some further successes, only just missing out on a bronze medal 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...
and winning her event at the IAAF Grand Prix Final
IAAF Grand Prix Final
The IAAF Grand Prix Final was an athletics competition featuring track and field events staged by the International Association of Athletics Federations...
that year.
Buford-Bailey is currently the head women's track and field coach at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. With her two kids and her husband Victor Bailey
Victor Bailey
Victor Bailey is an American bass guitar player. He was the bass player for Weather Report during their final years from 1982 to 1986, and launched a solo career in 1988....
. A former American Football Player.