Angela Bailey

Angela Bailey
Personal information
NationalityCanadian
Born(1962-02-28)28 February 1962
Coventry, Warwickshire, England
Died31 July 2021(2021-07-31) (aged 59)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Sport
CountryCanada
SportAthletics
EventSprinting
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1984 Los Angeles 4x100m Relay
World Indoor Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Indianapolis 60m
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 1978 Edmonton 4x100 metres
Silver medal – second place 1982 Brisbane 4x100 metres
Silver medal – second place 1986 Edinburgh 4x100 metres
Pacific Conference Games
Gold medal – first place 1981 Christchurch 100 metres
Gold medal – first place 1981 Christchurch 200 metres
Gold medal – first place 1981 Christchurch 4x100 metres
Pan American Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1980 Sudbury 100 metres
Gold medal – first place 1980 Sudbury 200 metres

Angela Bailey (28 February 1962 – 31 July 2021) was a Canadian track and field athlete. She was the Canadian record holder in the 100 metres with her personal best of 10.98 seconds in 1987. She also holds the 200 metres indoor national record with 23.32 seconds in 1984.[1] She won an Olympic silver medal in the 4×100 metres relay in 1984, three relay silver medals at the Commonwealth Games, and a bronze medal in the 60 metres at the 1987 World Indoor Championships.

Career

Bailey was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. She first came to international attention at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton in 1978. In 1980, she won gold in both 100 metres and 200 metres at the first Pan American Junior Track and Field Championships in Sudbury, defeating the favoured American sprinter Michele Glover decisively in both distances. She was selected for the 1980 Olympic team but Canada boycotted the Moscow event.

Bailey won all her races on a tour of New Zealand in late 1981, which included three gold medals at the Pacific Conference Games in the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay. She placed fourth in the 100 meters and seventh in the 200 metres at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, and was again fourth in the 100 metres in 1986. She won a silver medal for the 4×100 m relay at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, and did so again in both the 1982 and 1986 games.

At the 1983 World Championships, Bailey placed fifth in the 100 metres, seventh in the 200 metres and fifth in the 4×100 m relay. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, she came in sixth in the 100 metres and won a silver medal in the 4×100 metres relay with Marita Payne, Angella Taylor and France Gareau.

Originally fourth in the 60 metres final at the 1987 World Indoor Championships, Bailey was promoted to the bronze medal in 1989, due to the disqualification of Canadian team-mate Angella Issajenko after the Dubin Inquiry. She set the Canadian 100 metres record with 10.98 secs on 6 July 1987 in Budapest, and went on to finish seventh in the 100 metres final at the 1987 World Championships in Rome. She was a quarter-finalist in the 100 metres at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Death

Diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in the fall of 2020, Bailey died of cancer in Toronto on 31 July 2021, aged 59.[2][1][3] A statement from the family read, in part, that Bailey "persevered with amazing strength and resilience as she battled cancer alongside her five year struggle with mental illness."[2]

National titles

International competitions

Representing  Canada
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
1978 Commonwealth Games Edmonton, Alberta, Canada semi-final 100 m 11.63
heats 200 m 23.91
2nd 4x100 m 44.26
1980 Pan American Junior Championships Sudbury, Ontario, Canada 1st 100 m 11.55
1st 200 m 23.44w
1981 Pacific Conference Games Christchurch, New Zealand 1st 100 m 11.46
1st 200m 23.37
1st 4x100m 44.50
World Cup Rome, Italy 4th 4x100 m 43.06
1982 Commonwealth Games Brisbane, Australia 4th 100 m 11.30
8th 200 m 23.42
2nd 4x100 m 43.66
1983 World Championships Helsinki, Finland 5th 100 m 11.20
7th 200 m 22.93 (wind 1.5)
5th 4x100 m 43.05
1984 Olympic Games Los Angeles, United States 6th 100 m 11.40
semi-final 200 m 22.75
2nd 4x100 m 42.77
1986 Commonwealth Games Edinburgh, Scotland 4th 100 m 11.35w
2nd 4x100 m 43.83
1987 World Indoor Championships Indianapolis, United States 3rd 60 m 7.12
World Championships Rome, Italy 7th 100 m 11.18
semi-final 200 m 22.97
6th 4x100 m 43.26
1988 Olympic Games Seoul, South Korea quarter-final 100 m 11.29
semi-final 4x100 m 43.82
1999 World Championships Seville, Spain 6th 4x100 m 43.39

Note: At the 1987 World Indoor Championships, Bailey originally finished fourth. She was promoted to the bronze medal position in 1989 after her Canadian teammate Angella Issajenko, who had won the silver medal, was disqualified after admitting long term drug use at the Dubin Inquiry.
Note: At the 1981 World Cup, Bailey was representing the Americas continent.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Record-holding Canadian sprinter, Olympic medallist Angela Bailey dies at 59". CBC News. The Canadian Press. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Canadian Olympian, sprinter Angela Bailey dies". Microsoft News. The Canadian Press. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  3. ^ Buffery, Steve (2 August 2021). "'AWESOME ATHLETE': Canadian sprint legend Angela Bailey dies". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2 August 2021.