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| Human Interest | |
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Further Personal Information | |
| Residence | Gold Coast, QLD, AUS |
Sport Specific Information | |
| Club / Team | Maroochy Athletics: Australia |
General Interest | |
| Injuries | In early 2016 she suffered an Achilles tendon injury that meant she would miss the 2016 World Indoor Championships in Portland, OR, United States of America. (lequipe.fr, 02 Feb 2016; smh.com.au, 31 Jan 2016) In June 2015 she suffered a minor tear in her calf muscle during the 100m hurdles of the Diamond League event in Rome, Italy. The injury caused her to fall and she broke and dislocated her left wrist. She required wrist surgery and was forced to miss the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, People's Republic of China. (smh.com.au, 15 Jun 2015; smh.com.au, 05 Jun 2015) In 2014 she missed Diamond League events in Rome, Italy, and New York City, NY, United States of America, after suffering a strained hamstring. (hattiesburgamerican.com, 05 Jul 2014) She missed the 2013 Australian domestic season with a torn hamstring. She suffered a recurrence of the injury at the Asian Grand Prix Championships in Sri Lanka that May, but returned to action in time for the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Russian Federation. (punchng.com, 06 Jul 2013) In December 2011 she suffered a quadriceps [thigh] muscle injury at the Gippsland Gift in Australia. She returned to competitive action the following month. (athletics.com.au, 13 Jan 2012) She tore a disc in her back two weeks before the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany. Despite the injury she finished fifth in the 100m hurdles. (IAAF, 11 May 2015) In 2002 she suffered a stress fracture in her foot. (Athletics Australia, 07 Aug 2007) |
Sport Specific Information | |
| Why this sport? | She was competing in the Queensland Little Athletics Championships in 1999, at age 12, when she was noticed by coach Sharon Hannan who invited her to join her squad. |
General Interest | |
| Hero / Idol | Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman, Ethiopian long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie. (IAAF, 11 May 2015; sallypearson.com.au, 26 Sep 2013) |
| Ambitions | To win a gold medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (olympics.nbcsports.com, 31 Jan 2016) |
| Awards and honours | She received the Don Award from the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2012 and 2014. It is given to an Australian athlete who has inspired the nation during the year. (smh.com.au, 14 Oct 2014; sahof.org.au, 2014) She received the Medal of the Order of Australia [OAM] in the 2014 Australia Day Honours list. (insidethegames.biz, 26 Jan 2014) She received the 2012 Athletics Australia Outstanding Performance Award. (IAAF, 06 Dec 2012) She was named Female Athlete of the Year by Athletics Australia in 2011 and 2012. (IAAF, 06 Dec 2012; athletics.com.au, 18 Apr 2011) She was named 2011 Female Athlete of the Year by the International Association of Athletics Federations [IAAF], becoming the first Australian to win the award. (smh.com.au, 13 Nov 2011) |
Sport Specific Information | |
| Name of coach | Ashley Mahoney [personal], AUS, from 2014 |
| When and where did you begin this sport? | She began athletics as a young girl when her family moved from Sydney, NSW, to the Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. Her mother signed her up to an athletics club. |
Further Personal Information | |
| Occupation | Athlete |
| Languages | English |
General Interest | |
| Sporting philosophy / motto | "Whatever competition you go to, you are there because you deserve to be." (Queensland Academy of Sport, 07 Aug 2007) |
| Other information | BOOK In 2013 she released her autobiography 'Believe'. (goldcoastbulletin.com.au, 13 Nov 2013) NATIONAL FIRSTS In 2005 she became the first athlete to win both the 100m and 100m hurdles at the Australian championships. In 2003, at age 16, she became the youngest Australian [at the time] to be selected for the world championships. (athletics.org.au, 19 Feb 2006; Athletics Australia, 09 Sep 2003) |
Further Personal Information | |
| Family | Husband Kieran |
| Other names | Sally McLellan |
International Debut | |
| Year | 2003 |
| Tournament | World Championships |
| Competing for | Australia |
| Location | Paris Saint-Denis |
General Interest | |
| Memorable sporting achievement | Winning a gold medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, Republic of Korea. (IAAF, 11 May 2015) |
| Nicknames | Sal (corporate.olympics.com.au, 27 Sep 2012) |