Tori Bowie Biography
In the world of track and field, Tori Bowie’s name has come to represent quality and tenacity. Bowie’s path is a monument to the strength of perseverance and hard work—from modest beginnings in Mississippi to becoming one of the fastest women in the world.
Tori Bowie Early Life and Athletic Beginnings
Bowie, who was born in 1990 in Sandhill, Mississippi, grew up in a small community with minimal resources. Bowie’s family had financial hardship, and she was forced to rely on government aid and food stamps to make ends meet. Bowie’s parents instilled in her a strong work ethic and a conviction in the value of education despite these obstacles.
Bowie started competing in track in middle school and quickly realized she was a natural at it. She competed in high school and took home a number of state titles, but it wasn’t until she enrolled in the University of Southern Mississippi that she started to shine on a national stage. Bowie won two NCAA 200-meter sprint championships while in college and was named All-American seven times.
Tori Bowie Career
In 2013, Tori Bowie began her professional track and field career. She participated in the 2013 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and placed as a semifinalist in the 100-meter race. She competed in the championship’s long jump event as well, but her fourth-place performance prevented her from earning a spot on the long jump team for the 2013 World Championships in Athletics. She then participated in long jump competitions at the Herculis and Adidas Grand Prix meets. She participated in the 100-meter and 200-meter events for the first time in 2014 when she raced on the IAAF Diamond League circuit.
After she graduated in 2014, Tori focused on sprinting and avoided long jump competitions. She continued to improve, setting indoor records of 7.14 seconds for the 60-meter sprint and 6.95 meters (22 feet 9+12 inches) for the long jump in 2014 in Naperville, Illinois. She eventually became victorious at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. She earned a spot on the roster for the 2014 IAAF World Indoor Championships after placing second in the long jump at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships. But she changed her mind during the preliminary round, was disqualified from the competition, and received rank 14.
She soon took part in the Adidas Grand Prix competition on Randall’s Island in New York. With a time of 11.07 seconds, she won the BMW Women’s 100 m competition. She finished second to Elaine Thompson in Rio two years later in a time of 10.83 seconds, denying a Jamaican clean sweep of the 100-meter titles. In the race, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finished third.
At the Olympics, Tori won a bronze in the 200-meter race as well. Together with her teammates Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, and English Gardner, Tori ran the anchor leg in the 4100 m team challenge. They gave an energetic performance at the competition, winning gold. won gold for the United States in the 100-meter relay and the 100-meter event at the IAAF World Championships in London a year later.
In her final outing on the international scene, Tori returned to the long jump in 2019 and finished fourth in the global championships in Doha. She also took part in the 2019 World Championship’s 100-meter race. She nevertheless came in 22nd place overall. Tori didn’t try to make the US Olympic team for the Tokyo Games in 2021. In June 2022, she participated in her final official competition.
Tori Bowie Achievements
Personal Bests
- 60 meters indoor – 7.11 (Portland, OR 2016)
- 100 meters – 10.78 (+1.0 m/s, Eugene, OR 2016)
- 200 meters – 21.77 (+1.5 m/s, Eugene, OR 2017)
- Long jump – 6.91 m (22 ft 8 in) (+1.0 m/s, Los Angeles, CA 2013)
- Long jump indoor – 6.95 m (22 ft 9+1⁄2 in) (Naperville, IL 2014)
- Triple jump – 12.65 m (41 ft 6 in) (0.0 m/s, New Orleans, LA 2012)
- Triple jump indoor – 13.09 m (42 ft 11+1⁄4 in) (Birmingham, AL 2012)
Circuit Wins (Diamond League)
- 2014: Eugene Prefontaine Classic (200 m), Rome Golden Gala (100 m), New York Grand Prix (100 m), Monaco Herculis (100 m)
- 2015: New York (200 m)
- 2016: Doha Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix (100 m), Eugene (200 m)
- 2017: Eugene (200 m)
National and NCAA Titles
- USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships: 100 meters (2015, 2017)
- USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships: 200 meters (2016)
- NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships: Long jump (2011)
- NCAA Division I Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships: Long jump (2011)
Medals
Olympic Games
- Gold in 2016 Rio de Janeiro (4×100 m relay)
- Silver in 2016 Rio de Janeiro (100 m)
- Bronze in 2016 Rio de Janeiro (200 m)
World Championships
- Gold in 2017 London (100 m)
- Gold in 2017 London (4×100 m relay)
- Bronze in 2015 Beijing (100 m)
The Road to the Olympics
Bowie kept up her training and competition when she finished college, but she had a difficult time qualifying for the Olympics. She finished fourth in the 100-meter dash in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2012, barely missing out on a position on the American Olympic team by one place. Unfazed, Bowie persisted in training and competing, and in 2015, at the World Championships, she won her first international medal, bringing home a bronze in the 100-meter dash.
At the Olympic Trials the following year, Bowie achieved her breakthrough performance by winning the 100-meter dash and earning a spot on the American Olympic team. She went on to win three medals at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics: a gold in the 4100-meter relay, a silver in the 100-meter dash, and a bronze in the 200-meter dash.
Continued Success and Overcoming Adversity
Bowie has continued to compete at the highest level since her breakthrough at the 2016 Olympics and has won numerous national and international titles. She has, however, also experienced hardship off the track. Bowie was hurt severely in a vehicle accident in 2019 and required many surgeries to treat her wounds, including a fractured arm and facial cuts. Bowie was motivated to compete again despite the loss, and less than a year later, in the 4100-meter relay, she won her fourth medal at the World Championships.
Along with her accomplishments on the track, Bowie has also used her platform to promote racial and social equality. After the George Floyd demonstrations in 2020, she made a point of emphasizing the value of using her voice to bring about change.
Facts/Trivia
Adidas provided sponsorship for Tori Bowie.
Her grandma Bobbie Smith, she says, is the reason for her success.
She appeared in a few fashion shows as a model.
Tori was a fitness enthusiast and adhered to a rigid workout schedule.
Tori was quiet and reserved, according to her family and acquaintances.
Tori was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2017.
The lane at Tori Bowie’s former school, Pisgah High School in Mississippi, has been given her honor.
Several magazines, including Eastbay, Valentino, Track & Field News, and Vogue, all featured her on their covers. She also appeared on the front cover of Talon magazine, The University of Southern Mississippi’s student publication.
After she brought home three medals from the 2016 Olympics, Mississippi proclaimed November 25 to be “Tori Bowie Day” in Tori’s honor.
After Carmelita Jeter in 2011, she became the only American woman to accomplish the feat after winning a 100-meter track and field event at the Olympics in 2016 and the World Championship in 2017.
How old is Tori Bowie?
Tori Bowie was a sprinter who competed in the 100-meter dash and won three medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The following year, she made an incredible return to win the world title. She was 32 years old. U.S.A. released a statement on Wednesday confirming her death.
Did Tori Bowie have kids?
The track and field athlete, 32, was not a parent. She didn’t have any biological or adopted children at the time of her death.
Is Tori Bowie retired?
Bowie, who left international competition in 2019, was one of the sport’s biggest names.
Where did Tori Bowie live?
Bowie, who was raised in Sandhill, Mississippi, was persuaded to join track as a youngster and swiftly advanced as a sprinter and long jumper. She was a student at Southern Mississippi, and in 2011 she won both the indoor and outdoor long jump NCAA championships.
What age did Bowie marry?
Iman, who was born Iman Abdulmajid, married Bowie, who was 53 at the time, when she was 45 and already well-known and a household name.
