Sept. 25, 2001
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky track and field program has filled its assistant coaching vacancy with 2000 Olympic bronze medallist Passion Richardson, Coach Don Weber announced on Monday.
Richardson, who claimed Olympic glory at last summer’s games in the 4×100 relay, was a four-time NCAA All-American at Kentucky from 1994-97. After college, Richardson claimed several honors en route to her medal-winning run in Sydney, Australia, last summer. Track & Field News ranked her ninth in the country in the 100 meters, while she posted a personal best time of 11.29.
Richardson also competed in the 2000 USA Indoor National Championships, earning a second place finish in the 60m. The Parrish, Fla., native was a gold medallist at the 1997 World University Games in the 4×100 relay and a silver medallist in the same event at the 1999 Pan American Games.
At Kentucky, Richardson earned NCAA honors in three events over her four-year career. In 1994 and 1996, she earned All-America status in the 55 meters, while she also earned the same honor for the 4×100 relay in 1996. Richardson closed out her career in 1997 with an All-America performance in the 100 meters.
“As a freshman at UK, Passion brought a maturity, self-sufficiency, commitment and competitiveness to UK that matched that of the best athletes I have ever known at any stage in their career,” Weber said. “Those personal qualities enabled her to have one of the most successful careers of any Kentucky track athlete.
“Following her UK career, her commitment to her professional athletic career grew even more, enabling her to achieve the pinnacle of success in track, an Olympic medal,” Weber continued. “Passion will bring that same enthusiasm and commitment to her coaching, and I expect she will be equally as successful.”
Richardson previously coached at the Nike Central Track Club and Kansas City (Kan.) Community College. She will coach sprints and horizontal jumps and fills the position vacated by Audrey Dempsey, who left UK earlier this summer for Clemson. Richardson will begin her new position immediately.
