View source for Don Quarrie

{{Short description|Jamaican sprinter (born 1951)}}
{{Use Jamaican English|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| honorific_prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| name             = 
| honorific_suffix = [[Order of Distinction|CD]]
| image            = Don Quarrie.jpg
| image_size       = 235px
| alt              = 
| caption          = 
| headercolor      = 
| textcolor        = 
| <!-- Personal information -->
| native_name      = 
| native_name_lang = 
| birth_name       = 
| fullname         = Donald O'Reilly Quarrie
| nickname         = 
| nationality      = <!-- will not display if national_team is defined -->
| national_team    = <!-- only for the country represented in international competition -->
| ethnicity        = 
| citizenship      = 
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1951|2|25}}
| birth_place      = [[Kingston, Jamaica]]
| death_date       = <!-- {{death date and age|df=yes|death year|death month|death day|birth year|birth month|birth day}} -->
| death_place      = 
| resting_place    = 
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| monuments        = 
| residence        = 
| education        = 
| alma_mater       = 
| occupation       = 
| years_active     = 
| employer         = 
| agent            = 
| height           = 175 cm
| weight           = 70kg
| spouse           = 
| life_partner     = 
| other_interests  = 
| website          = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} -->
| module           = 
| <!-- Sport -->
| country          = 
| sport            = Track and field
| position         = 
| disability       = 
| disability_class = 
| weight_class     = 
| weight_class_type = 
| rank             = 
| event            = 100 m, 200 m
| event_type       = 
| collegeteam      = 
| universityteam   = 
| league           = 
| league_type      = 
| club             = 
| team             = 
| turnedpro        = 
| turnedpro_type   = 
| partner          = 
| former_partner   = 
| coach            = 
| retired          = 
| coaching         = 
| module2          = 
| <!-- Achievements and titles -->
| worlds           = 
| regionals        = 
| nationals        = 
| olympics         = 
| paralympics      = 
| commonwealth     = 
| highestranking   = 
| pb               = 100 m – 9.99 (1976)<br>200 m – 19.86 (1971)<ref name=sr>{{cite web |title=Don Quarrie |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/qu/don-quarrie-1.html |publisher=[[Sports Reference]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226123928/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/qu/don-quarrie-1.html |archivedate=26 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=tf>[http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=5421&Gender=M Don Quarrie]. trackfield.brinkster.net</ref>
| <!-- Medal record -->
| show-medals      = 
| medaltemplates   = 
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{JAM}} }}
{{Medal|Competition | [[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976 Montreal]] | [[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|200 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Silver | [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976 Montreal]] | [[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres|100 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Bronze | [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980 Moscow]] | [[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|200 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Silver | [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]] | [[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 m relay]] }}
{{Medal|Competition | [[Pan American Games]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1971 Pan American Games|1971 Cali]] | [[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games|100 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1971 Pan American Games|1971 Cali]] | [[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games|200 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1971 Pan American Games|1971 Cali]] | [[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games|4 × 100 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Competition | [[Commonwealth Games]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1970 Commonwealth Games|1970 Edinburgh]] | [[Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games|100 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1970 Commonwealth Games|1970 Edinburgh]] | [[Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games|200 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1970 Commonwealth Games|1970 Edinburgh]] | [[Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games|4 × 100 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1974 Commonwealth Games|1974 Christchurch]] | [[Athletics at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games|100 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1974 Commonwealth Games|1974 Christchurch]] | [[Athletics at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games|200 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1978 Commonwealth Games|1978 Edmonton]] | [[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games|100 metres]] }}
{{Medal|Country|[[File:Americas (orthographic projection).svg|20px]] Americas}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[IAAF World Cup]]}}
{{MedalBronze| [[1977 IAAF World Cup|1977 Düsseldorf]]| [[1977 IAAF World Cup – Results#Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 metre relay]]}}
| medaltemplates-title = 
| module3          = 
| updated          = 28 December 2015
}}

'''Donald O'Riley Quarrie''' [[Order of Distinction|CD]] (born 25 February 1951) is a Jamaican former [[track and field]] athlete, one of the world's top [[Sprint (running)|sprinters]] during the 1970s. At the [[1976 Summer Olympics]] he was the gold medallist in the [[200 metres at the Olympics|Olympic 200 meters]] and silver medallist in the [[100 metres at the Olympics|Olympic 100 meters]]. In all, he competed in five [[Olympic Games]] and won four Olympic medals during his career.

He nearly equalled the [[Men's 200 metres world record progression|200 meters world record]] in 1971, coming within .03 seconds of the time set by Tommie Smith in 1968. He has a personal best of 19.86 seconds set in Cali, Colombia on 3 August 1971. As of 2024, this remains the track record.

He won [[100 metres]]/[[200 metres]] sprint doubles at the [[1970 Commonwealth Games]], [[1971 Pan American Games]], and [[1974 Commonwealth Games]]. He was the first male to defend either the 100&nbsp;m or 200&nbsp;m title at the Commonwealth Games and a 100&nbsp;m win at the [[1978 Commonwealth Games]] makes him the only person to have won that title three times. He won nine gold medals in the sprints at the [[Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics]] from 1971 to 1981.

He has received recognition both on and off the field. He was a five-time winner at the [[Jamaican Sportsperson of the Year]] and a statue of him is positioned at the entrance to [[Independence Park (Jamaica)|Jamaica's National Stadium]]. There is also a school (Donald Quarrie High School) that bears his name in Eastern Kingston. Reggae artists have paid respect to his achievements with songs including "Tribute to Donald Quarrie", one by [[Joe Gibbs (record producer)|Joe Gibbs]] and The Guerrillas and one by [[Bongo Herman]].

==Athletics career==
Quarrie made the Jamaican 100 m team for the [[1968 Summer Olympics]] as a 17-year-old, but he injured himself in training, and could not take part. He moved to the [[United States]] and attended the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]] and later the [[University of Southern California]], where he graduated with a degree in Business and Public Administration.<ref name="Nebraska-LincolnHachiya2019">{{cite book|author1=University of Nebraska-Lincoln|author2=Kim Hachiya|title=Dear Old Nebraska U: Celebrating 150 Years|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IwmDDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA215|date=February 2019|publisher=U of Nebraska Press|isbn=978-1-4962-1629-8|pages=215–}}</ref><ref name=JAAAbio>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080905121222/http://www.jaaaltd.com/IAAA_Execs.htm Jamaican Amateur Athletic Association – Executives]. jaaaltd.com</ref><ref name=USColympians>[http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/usc/genrel/auto_pdf/uscolympians.pdf USC OLYMPIANS: 1904–2004] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916190511/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/usc/genrel/auto_pdf/uscolympians.pdf |date=16 September 2018 }}, USC Trojans Athletic Department, Accessed 13 August 2008.</ref> There, his sprinting capabilities gradually increased. At the 1970 [[Commonwealth Games]], Quarrie won the gold medal in both the 100 and 200 m, surprising his more experienced competitors. Anchoring the Jamaican 4 × 100 m relay team, he pocketed a third Commonwealth title.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}

Quarrie repeated his sprint double the following year at the [[Pan American Games]] in [[Cali]] and his time in the 200 meters was a hand-timed 19.8. One of the favourites for the upcoming [[1972 Summer Olympics|Munich Olympics]], Quarrie again suffered from injuries at the Olympic Games. He did compete in the 200 m but had to abandon his 200 m semi-final after pulling a muscle.<ref name=sr/>

In 1974 Quarrie repeated his 1970 performance by grabbing the 100 and 200 m titles at the Commonwealth Games in [[Christchurch]], becoming the first athlete to retain the title in either event. The next season, he again tied the 200 m world record, 19.8. He also tied the 100 m record with a hand-timed mark (9.9) in 1976 at the [[Modesto Relays|California Relays]] at [[Modesto Junior College]], one of only a few athletes to have held these records simultaneously. This time was actually 10.07 seconds.<ref name=sr/>

In 1976 after winning both the 100 and 200 [[AAA Championships]] titles at the [[1976 AAA Championships]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19760816/343/0011 |title=Weekend sport |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=16 August 1976 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19760814/365/0016 |title=Wells is top UK Sprinter |work=The Scotsman |date=14 August 1976 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref> Quarrie could finally compete at the [[1976 Summer Olympics|Olympics]] without injuries. He first made the 100 m final, which he led until overtaken by Trinidadian [[Hasely Crawford]]. In the 200 m Quarrie led the pack coming out of the turn and held off all challenges to take the title in 20.22.<ref name=sr/>

At the 1978 Commonwealth Games he won his third consecutive 100 m title but was eliminated in the 200 m after a cramp attack. Quarrie's participation in his fourth [[1980 Summer Olympics|Olympics]] in [[Moscow]] was in doubt after he was involved in a car crash the previous year. He recovered in time to compete but was eliminated in the 100 m semi-finals. His title defense failed in the 200 m but he did make the final and finished third, adding a bronze medal to his collection.<ref name=sr/>

Quarrie won two more British AAA Championships over 200 metres in 1978 and 1982.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=30 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>

By 1984 Quarrie was no longer among the world's best in the individual sprint events and it was therefore no surprise he was eliminated in the heats of the 200 m event at the [[1984 Summer Olympics|Los Angeles Olympics]]. However, he won a fourth Olympic medal with the Jamaican 4 × 100 m relay team, which finished second behind the United States. His final competitive race was a 200 m in London in September 1984, in which he finished 3rd.<ref name=sr/>

==International competitions==
{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}}
|-
!colspan="6"|Representing {{JAM}}
|-
|rowspan=3|1970
|rowspan=3|[[Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|rowspan=3|[[Edinburgh, United Kingdom]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|100 m
|[[Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games – Men's 100 metres|10.24]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games – Men's 200 metres|20.56]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|39.46]]
|-
|rowspan=6|1971
|rowspan=3|[[1971 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics|Central American and Caribbean Championships]]
|rowspan=3|[[Kingston, Jamaica]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|100 m
|[[1971 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics – Results#100 metres|10.2]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|200 m
|[[1971 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics – Results#200 metres|20.6]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[1971 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics – Results#4 × 100 m relay|39.2]]
|-
|rowspan=3|[[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games|Pan American Games]]
|rowspan=3|[[Cali, Colombia]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|100 m
|[[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games – Men's 100 metres|10.29]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games – Men's 200 metres|19.86]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|39.28]]
|-
|1972
|[[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|[[Munich, West Germany]]
|3rd (qf)
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|20.43]]<sup>1</sup>
|-
|rowspan=3|1973
|rowspan=3|[[1973 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics|Central American and Caribbean Championships]]
|rowspan=3|[[Maracaibo, Venezuela]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|100 m
|[[1973 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics – Results#100 metres|10.2]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|200 m
|[[1973 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics – Results#200 metres|20.1]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[1973 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics – Results#4 × 100 m relay|39.9]]
|-
|rowspan=3|1974
|rowspan=3|[[Athletics at the 1974 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|rowspan=3|[[Christchurch, New Zealand]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|100 m
|[[Athletics at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games – Men's 100 metres|10.38]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games – Men's 200 metres|20.73]]
|-
|4th
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|39.77]]
|-
|rowspan=2|1975
|rowspan=2|[[1975 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics|Central American and Caribbean Championships]]
|rowspan=2|[[Ponce, Puerto Rico]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|200 m
|21.5
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|4 × 100 m relay
|40.6
|-
|rowspan=3|1976
|rowspan=3|[[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|rowspan=3|[[Montreal, Canada]]
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|100 m
|[[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres|10.08]]
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|20.23]]
|-
|5th
|4 × 400 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|3:02.84]]
|-
|1977
|[[1977 IAAF World Cup|World Cup]]
|[[Düsseldorf, West Germany]]
|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[1977 IAAF World Cup – Results#Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|38.66]]<sup>2</sup>
|-
|rowspan=2|1978
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Edmonton, Canada]]
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|100 m
|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games – Men's 100 metres|10.03]]
|-
|12th (sf)
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1978 Commonwealth Games – Men's 200 metres|21.49]]
|-
|1979
|[[Athletics at the 1979 Pan American Games|Pan American Games]]
|[[San Juan, Puerto Rico]]
|4th
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1979 Pan American Games – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|39.83]]
|-
|rowspan=3|1980
|rowspan=3|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|rowspan=3|[[Moscow, Soviet Union]]
|13th (sf)
|100 m
|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres|10.55]]
|-
|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|20.29]]
|-
|9th (h)
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|39.71]]
|-
|rowspan=4|1981
|rowspan=2|[[1981 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics|Central American and Caribbean Championships]]
|rowspan=2|[[Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic]]
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|200 m
|20.93
|-
|bgcolor=gold|1st
|4 × 100 m relay
|39.30
|-
|rowspan=2|[[1981 IAAF World Cup|World Cup]]
|rowspan=2|[[Rome, Italy]]
|4th
|200 m
|[[1981 IAAF World Cup – Results#200 m|20.66]]<sup>2</sup>
|-
|5th
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[1981 IAAF World Cup – Results#4 × 100 m relay|39.13]]<sup>2</sup>
|-
|rowspan=2|1982
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1982 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Brisbane, Australia]]
|12th (sf)
|100 m
|[[Athletics at the 1982 Commonwealth Games – Men's 100 metres|10.43]]
|-
|18th (sf)
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1982 Commonwealth Games – Men's 200 metres|22.04]]
|-
|rowspan=2|1984
|rowspan=2|[[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
|rowspan=2|[[Los Angeles, United States]]
|11th (sf)
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|20.77]]
|-
|bgcolor=silver|2nd
|4 × 100 m relay
|[[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|38.62]]
|}
<sup>1</sup>Did not finish in the semifinals<br>
<sup>2</sup>Representing the Americas

==See also==
* [[Athletics in Jamaica]]
* [[Jamaica at the Olympics]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Don Quarrie}}
* {{sports links}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{Succession box
| before = [[John Carlos]]<br />[[Steve Williams (athlete)|Steve Williams]]
| title = [[200 metres#Men's Seasons Best|Men's 200 m world leading performance]]
| years = 1971<br />1974–1975
| after = [[Valeriy Borzov]]<br />[[Millard Hampton]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Jamaican Sportsman of the Year}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 200 m Men}}
{{Footer Pan American Champions 100m Men}}
{{Footer Pan American Champions 200m Men}}
{{Footer Pan American Champions 4x100m Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 100 metres Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 200m Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 4x100 m Men|1970}}
{{Footer US NC 100m Men}}
{{Footer US NC 200m Men}}
{{Footer WBYP 200m Men}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Quarrie, Don}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Jamaican men sprinters]]
[[Category:Jamaican athletics coaches]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Athletes from Kingston, Jamaica]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1982 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for Jamaica]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1971 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:USC Trojans men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1971 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1978 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of Distinction]]
[[Category:20th-century Jamaican sportsmen]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in athletics]]