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A Little Bit About LaTanya...

 

Olympian, LaTanya Sheffield has taken her coaching expertise to Southern California and is the Men and Women’s Sprint & Hurdle Coach for Long Beach State University. She has been named Women’s Sprint & Hurdle Coach to several USA Teams including the World Outdoor Championships in 2013

 

As a collegiate at San Diego State University, LaTanya Sheffield earned athletic prominence. Her brother and coach, Rahn Sheffield, introduced her to the 400 hurdles. Their unique relationship proved to be a perfect match as coach and athlete. She captured an American Record at the 1985 NCAA Championships.

 

That stellar performance catapulted her into the limelight of international track and field. Sharing the stage with greats such as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Florence Griffith Joyner, and Carl Lewis, Sheffield was groomed in an atmosphere of America’s best athletes. She earned a position to represent the USA at the 1987 World Championships.

 

That same year she raced to a Bronze Medal in the Pan American Games and a Gold Medal at the Olympic Sports Festival. Her philosophy, “catch me if you can”, resulted in the berth to the 1988 Olympic Games. There, she had another excellent performance. She was the first American to run under the Olympic Record.

As her athletic career matured, Sheffield did also. She married and started a family. Continuing her thirst for competition, Sheffield, now a mother, returned to the track. Her test of fitness and perseverance would come at the 1993 Olympic Sports Festival. In an amazing come from behind victory, Sheffield’s performance announced that she remained a hurdler to be reckoned with.

 

Sheffield continued to increase her family. After the birth of her second child, she relocated to the dry heat of Arizona. A family in tow, new training ground and a major climate adjustment, Sheffield had challenging hurdles to overcome. But her determination, hard work and veteran experience would be enough to earn her a position on the 1998 Goodwill Games Team.

 

Finally after the 2000 Olympic Trials and an illustrious career, LaTanya Sheffield announced her retirement.