Origins & Early Life

Merlene Joyce Ottey (born 10 May 1960) is a Jamaican-Slovenian former track and field sprinter. She began her career representing Jamaica in 1978 and continued to do so for 24 years before representing Slovenia from 2002 to 2012. She is ranked sixth on the all-time list over 60 metres (indoor), eleventh on the all-time list over 100 metres and seventh on the all-time list over 200 metres. She is the current world indoor record holder for 200 metres with 21.87 seconds, set in 1993.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

She was named Jamaican Sportswoman of the Year 13 times between 1979 and 1995. Ottey had the longest career as a top-level international sprinter appearing at the 1979 Pan American Games as a 19-year-old fresh from U-20 and Junior competitions, and concluding her career at age 52 when she anchored the Slovene 4 × 100 m relay team at the 2012 European Championships. A nine-time Olympic medalist, she holds the record for the most Olympic appearances (seven) of any track and field athlete. Although gold medal success at the Olympics eluded Ottey, she was able to bring home three silvers and six bronze medals. She won 14 World Championship medals, and still holds the record (as of 2017) for most medals in individual...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adam Clayton — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Irish-English bassist and founding member of the globally renowned rock band U2.
• Adam Schiff — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Long-serving Democratic politician, former Congressman, and current U.S. Senator from California.
• Albert Camus — Contemporary (Died in 1960) (1960): Philosopher and writer known for Absurdism, The Stranger, and The Plague.
• Adriano Giannini — Shared historical date (05-10 · Born) (1971): Italian actor known for dubbing and roles in film and television.
• Alfred Jodl — Shared historical date (05-10 · Born) (1890): German general and war criminal, known for his role in the Wehrmacht High Command.
• Alex Gorsky — Historical peer (Born in 1960) (1960): American businessman, former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson.
• Amity Shlaes — Historical peer (Born in 1960) (1960): American conservative author, columnist, and scholar focusing on geopolitics and economics.
• Adolf Dassler — Historical peer (Died in 1978) (1978): Pioneering German cobbler and inventor who founded the sportswear giant Adidas.
• Ayumi Hamasaki — Historical peer (Born in 1978) (1978): Japanese Pop Icon, 'Empress of Pop,' best-selling solo artist in Japan.
• Abba Eban — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• 1960 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1960
• May 10 (05-10) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 10