Two good

In the 1990s, Gail Devers covered 100 meters -- both in the flat sprint and high hurdles -- with remarkable success. She captured back-to-back gold medals in the 100-meter dash at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Games, becoming only the second woman to win the prestigious event at two Olympics (Wyomia Tyus, 1964-1968). At the 1993 World Championships, Devers completed the sprint/hurdles double; she then repeated as hurdles world champion in 1995. Devers was hoping to become the first person to be crowned Olympic 100-meter champion three times, but she failed to qualify for Sydney in that event, placing fifth at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials. Devers recovered at the trials, though, blazing to victory in the 100-meter hurdles in 12.33 seconds, lowering her American record and posting the event's fastest time in eight years. That performance secured for Devers a berth in the Sydney Games and a shot at her first Olympic medal in the hurdles.

Fallen star

For all her triumphs, Devers is perhaps best known for her dramatic fall in the 100-meter hurdles final at the 1992 Games. Favored to win, she was in contention late in the race, but then clipped the final hurdle, fell to her knees, and bounded across the line in fifth. As the defending world champion in the high hurdles entering the 1996 Atlanta Games, Devers again surprisingly failed to earn a medal, this time placing fourth. In Sydney, the high hurdles will be her only individual event; after winning the event at the U.S. Olympic Trials in July, she said, "This is my year in the hurdles. This is meant to be."

Out in ’98, back in ’99

Devers pulled out of the 1998 Prefontaine Classic with a strained Achilles’ tendon, and she didn’t compete again until spring of 1999. When she came back, though, she was in top form. She finished second in the 60-meter dash at the 1999 World Indoor Championships in Maebashi, Japan, and second in the 100-meter dash at the 1999 nationals. She then capped her return by winning the 100-meter hurdles titles at the 1999 World Championships, running an American record time of 12.37 seconds in the final. Devers had not practiced or raced in the hurdles between the fall of 1996 and spring of 1999. Also at the 1999 worlds, Devers finished fifth in the 100 meters.

The nails are gone

When Devers returned to competition in 1999, one thing was different -- her famous fingernails were several inches shorter. At times as long as 4 1/4 inches, her flashy painted nails had been somewhat of a trademark, and they were so long that she had to tape them back to keep from injuring teammates when she passed the baton in the relay. During her year off in 1998, she finally decided to cut them off. She did it herself, but it wasn’t easy. “I had to cut them off with pliers,” she says.

Devastating disease

Devers' battle with Graves’ disease, a thyroid gland disorder that she overcame to become the world's fastest woman in Barcelona, was the subject of the movie "Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story." Devers was portrayed by Charlene Woodard, and Lou Gossett Jr. played the role of Bobby Kersee, Devers' coach. The first effects of Devers' illness came when she was struck with a migraine headache on the eve of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. She failed to make the hurdles final and went home to seek medical attention. It was almost two years before she was diagnosed with Graves' disease. She was treated with radiation therapy, which stemmed the thyroid problem but caused severe burns and infections on her feet. She says a doctor told her that her feet almost were at the point of amputation.

Back on track

In May 1991, following drug therapy that healed her feet, Devers looked impressive enough in a low-key hurdles workout to prompt Kersee to enter her in a race three days later in Modesto, California. She ran a 13.28 and qualified for the U.S. championships. A month later, she won her first national title with a victory in the 100-meter hurdles. Later that summer, with just three months of training, Devers won a silver medal at the World Championships in Tokyo, becoming the first U.S. woman to win a sprint hurdles medal in a non-boycotted Olympics or World Championships since 1932.

A team by herself

Devers got her start in neighborhood races organized by her brother, whom she calls the "Don King of track and field." In high school, Devers was an 800-meter runner before finding her niche in the sprints. She once took fourth place in the team standings singlehandedly at the California state championships with victories in the 100-meter sprint and 100-meter hurdles to go with her second-place finish in the long jump.