Tahesia Gaynell Harrigan-Scott (born 15 February 1982) is a sprinter from the British Virgin Islands. She was the first woman to represent the British Virgin Islands at the Olympics.
Career Harrigan was born in the Virgin Islands to Doris Harrigan. Harrigan's track and field career began in Tallahassee, Florida. As a 14-year-old 9th grader, she brought Florida A&M University's Developmental and Research High School female track team to its first Class 1-A Florida High School Athletic Association state track and field championship win in over ten years by sweeping the 100 metres, 200 metres, the long jump and triple jump.
Some other highlights of her prep career include 13 FHSAA State Championship Track and Field victories as an individual or part of a relay team in high school ( 8 of those victories being going undefeated all four years in the 100 and 200 metres, 3 in the long jump, 2 in the triple jump,).
After graduating from high school as salutatorian in the spring of 2000, she was approached by several reputable Florida collegiate track and field programs, but chose the University of Minnesota for its medical program. She red shirted her first year due to a fractured tibia, Harrigan entered the university's conference scene setting school and conference records in the women's 60 m, 100 m, 200 m, and the long jump in 2002. She went on that year to compete as a representative of her country (BVI) in the Central American and Caribbean Games.
In 2004, Harrigan transferred to the University of Alabama where she honed her athletic prowess even further becoming a SEC powerhouse and an NCAA finalist. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology in 2005 and a Masters in Speech Pathology in 2007 from Alabama. She was an All American at the University of Alabama and the University of Minnesota. She won the 100 metres race at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, and finished fifth at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The OECS sports desk named her most outstanding female athlete in 2006 for her top performances in international meets.
Harrigan began her career as a professional sprinter in the spring of 2007. She has competed in several professional track meets in the US and abroad. Her current personal record in the 100 metres is 11.13 seconds.
At the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, Harrigan finished third in the final of the Women's 60m posting a new BVI national record of 7.09 sec. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing she competed at the 100 metres sprint. In her first round heat she placed third behind Christine Arron and Lauryn Williams in a time of 11.46 to advance to the second round. There she failed to qualify for the semi-finals as her time of 11.36 was only the fifth time of her heat, causing elimination.
Harrigan-Scott tested positive for the stimulant methylhexaneamine in 2011, and was subsequently handed a 6-month ban from sports.UPDATE: Harrigan-Scott apologises for being suspended – says illegal substance was used unintentionally, Virgin Islands News Online, 9 November 2011
Personal bests Event Result Venue DateOutdoor 100 m 11.12 s (wind: +1.6 m/s) Miramar, United States 11 June 2011 200 m 22.98 s (wind: +0.9 m/s) Donnas, Italy 15 July 2007 400 m 54.06 s Coral Gables, United States 29 March 2014 Long jump 6.06 m (wind: +1.8 m/s) Walnut, United States 16 April 2005Indoor 60 m 7.09 s Valencia, Spain 7 March 2008 200 m 24.10 s State College, United States 24 February 2002 400 m 57.88 s Minneapolis, United States 20 January 2001 Long jump 6.17 m Gainesville, United States 24 February 2006 Triple jump 11.93 m Clemson, United States 21 January 2006
Achievements Representing the 1998Central American and CaribbeanJunior Championships (U17)George Town, Cayman Islands5th100 m12.22 w (wind: +2.4 m/s)5th200 m25.35 (wind: 0.0 m/s)1999Pan American Junior ChampionshipsTampa, United States6th100 m11.96 (wind: 0.0 m/s)5th (h)200 m25.08 (wind: -0.9 m/s)8thLong jump5.54 m (wind: NWI)2002Commonwealth GamesManchester, United Kingdom15th (sf)100m11.62 (wind: +0.3 m/s)2005Central American and Caribbean ChampionshipsNassau, Bahamas2nd100 m11.29 (wind: +1.1 m/s)World ChampionshipsHelsinki, Finland19th (qf)100 m11.47 (wind: -0.8 m/s)2006Commonwealth GamesMelbourne, Australia5th100 m11.48 (wind: +0.2 m/s)Central American and Caribbean GamesCartagena, Colombia1st100 m11.15 w (wind: +0.5 m/s)2007Pan American GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil4th100 m11.34 (wind: +0.8 m/s)World ChampionshipsOsaka, Japan6th (qf)100 m11.33 (wind: -0.2 m/s)6th (qf)200 m23.52 (wind: +0.7 m/s)2008World Indoor ChampionshipsValencia, Spain3rd60 m7.09Olympic GamesBeijing, China16th (qf)100 m11.36 (wind: +0.4 m/s)2009Central American and Caribbean ChampionshipsHavana, Cuba1st100 m11.21 (wind: +0.8 m/s)World ChampionshipsBerlin, Germany7th (sf)100 m11.34 (wind: -0.1 m/s)2010World Indoor ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar6th60 m7.17Central American and Caribbean GamesMayagüez, Puerto Rico1st100 m11.19 (wind: 0.0 m/s)Commonwealth GamesDelhi, India5th100 m11.56 (wind: +0.2 m/s)2012Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom7th (h)100 m11.59 (wind: +0.4 m/s)2013World ChampionshipsMoscow, Russia31st (h)100 m11.61 (wind: -0.4 m/s)2014World Indoor ChampionshipsSopot, Poland8th (sf)60 m7.17Central American and Caribbean GamesXalapa, Mexico8th100m11.93 A (wind: +1.5 m/s)2015NACAC ChampionshipsSan José, Costa Rica4th100m11.28 (wind: -0.1 m/s)World ChampionshipsBeijing, China33rd (h)100 m11.472016World Indoor ChampionshipsPortland, United States15th (sf)60 m7.23Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil37th (h)100 m11.542017IAAF World RelaysNassau, Bahamas10th (h)4 × 100 m relay44.787th4 × 200 m relay1:35.352018World Indoor ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom39th (h)60 m7.50Commonwealth GamesGold Coast, Australia13th (sf)100 m11.63Central American and Caribbean GamesBarranquilla, Colombia7th100 m11.69NACAC ChampionshipsToronto, Canada7th100 m11.61
References
External links
Tilastopaja biography