Suzy Favor-Hamilton

Suzy Favor-Hamilton (born August 8, 1968) is a former American professional middle distance runner.

Biography

Suzy Favor-Hamilton was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin to Conrad and Rachel Favor. She began running at age nine, and then attended and competed at Stevens Point Area Senior High, graduating in 1986. She attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, receiving a bachelor of science degree in graphic arts in 1991. While a freshman there, she met Mark Hamilton, then a pitcher on the University baseball team. The two married a week after she graduated. Residing in New Glarus, Wisconsin, Favor-Hamilton was coached by Peter Tegen.

High school competition

• U.S. Junior record in the 1500 m
• Three times held the U.S. Junior title in the 1500 m
• Twice the Pan American Juniors gold medalist (1984, 1986)
• Won 11 state high school titles
• Named one of the 100 High School Athletes of the Century by Scholastic Sports Magazine

Collegiate

At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Favor won nine NCAA individual titles which, while now tied by Sally Kipyego, still stands as the most in NCAA history. Favor's other collegiate accomplishments include:

• NCAA Championships record holder in the 800 m and 1500 m
• Two NCAA Cross-Country Championships runner-up awards
• NCAA Top Six Award
• NCAA Woman of the Year
• 23 Big Ten Conference championships
• Four Big Ten Athlete of the Year Awards, which is now called the "Suzy Favor Award"
• Big Ten Athlete of the Decade for the 1990s
• World University Games silver medalist
• Jumbo Elliot Award
• Honda-Broderick Cup Award
• Babe Zaharias Award
• 14 All-American awards

Professional

After graduating, Favor-Hamilton competed extensively, with the following results:

• Competed three times for the U.S. in the Olympic Games, 1992, 1996 and 2000
• Competed seven times in the U.S. National Championships
• Held the U.S. record for the 1000 m
• Held the U.S. indoor record for the 800 m
• Won the bronze medal at the 1998 Goodwill Games
• Finished 5th at the 2002 World Cross-Country Championships (short course), the best-ever finish by a U.S. woman
• Five sub-four minute 1500 m, which are five of the nine fastest times ever run by an American
• Only U.S. woman to have the fastest seasonal 1500 m time in the world. In 2000, she was ranked number one in the world based on time, at 3:57.40.
• Named USA Track and Field Distance Runner of the Year, 2000
• Ranked number one in the U.S. in 1989, 1990, 2000, 2001 and 2002

Exposure

Includes:

• Featured in national ads for Nike, Reebok, Pert Plus Shampoo, Nordic Track, Clairol, Oakley and Kikkoman Foods
• Featured in the magazines Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Rolling Stone, Runner's World, Harper's Bazaar, Men's Journal, Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Track & Field News, Women's Sports & Fitness, Running Times
• Appeared in the 1997 Suzy Hamilton Swimsuit Calendar
• In 2004, Suzy wrote the book Fast Track: Training and Nutrition Secrets from America's Top Female Runner with Dr. Jose Antonio.

Commercial controversy

During the 2000 Summer Olympics, Hamilton was featured in a Nike TV commercial. It portrayed her living in a big house near a forest on a dark, creepy night when a chainsaw-wielding masked killer appears behind her and attempts to kill her, reminiscent of classic horror films. She manages to outrun him thanks to her Nike sneakers, and the ad closes with the message, "Why sport? You'll live longer." NBC aired it for only a short period of time when protestors called demanding that the ad be pulled off. Most protestors argued that it made light of violence against women, while others claimed it was just too scary to watch, especially for children. Nike spokespeople retorted it was meant to be humorous, and Hamilton herself stated the ad was inspirational, since it is the woman who defeats the man.

Personal statistics

• Height: 5 ft 4 in
• Weight: 108 lb

Sources and references

• Favor-Hamilton, Suzy and Antonio, Jose: Fast Track: Training and Nutrition Secrets from America's Top Female Runner, Rodale Books, 2004. ISBN 1-59486-013-0

External links

• Suzy Favor Hamilton website
• "Suzy Favor Hamilton's Main Event" A Profile from Madison Magazine
• 'Horror' Nike Ad Campaign 2000 The controversial ad