MIAMI, FL – Former FIU Track and Field star Tanya Lawrence has been inducted into the 2025 FIU Athletics Hall of Fame.
She had notable achievements at Florida International University. This includes being the first FIU Panther to win a gold medal at the Olympics and the school’s record holder in 10 different events. Throughout her career, Lawrence is a three-time Olympic medalist and a three-time World Continental Cup medalist.
Background
Tanya Lawrence was born on September 17, 1975, in Spanish Town, Jamaica. The North Miami Beach native has represented her home country twice internationally in the Olympics.
In 1998, she won a 4 x 100-meter relay silver medal at the World Continental Cup in Johannesburg. Lawrence’s personal best in the 200-meter short track was 23.18 in 1999. At the 2000 Sidney Summer Olympics, she won two silver medals in the 400-meter relay and the 100-meter dash. Her abilities to compete were hindered in 2001 when a sequence of stress fractures inhibited her. As a result, Lawrence was ruled out of the World Championships in Edmonton.
Tanya Lawrence would go on to bounce back in 2002, recording a career best of 22.09 in a 200-meter relay and 10.93 in a 100-meter relay. At the World Continental Cup in Madrid, she garnered gold medals in the 100m and 4 x 100 m relay races. Setbacks would come around in 2003, though, when she suffered a leg injury and had to go through surgery. Once again, Tanya Lawrence was unable to participate in the World Championships in Paris.
At the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, Lawrence was a gold medalist in the 4 x 100 m relay, posting a personal best of 41.73. In 2005, she sprinted in a 60-meter relay with a time of 7.93.
These achievements helped lift Jamaica’s presence in international athletics, contributing to the country’s superiority in sprinting.
Legacy at FIU
Before being known as a distinguished sprinter, Tanya Lawrence attended FIU from 1994 to 1998. She is a five-time Division I All-American. As a junior, she earned three honors outdoors in the 100m and both indoors and outdoors in the 200m. As a senior, she earned two indoor honors in the 55m and 200m relays. Unfortunately, Lawrence had to withdraw from the NCAA Outdoor Championships after suffering a back injury.
To date, she still holds program indoor records in the 60m (7.21 in 1999) and 200m (23.18 in 1999), as well as part of the 4 x 400 relay team. Lawrence still holds FIU outdoor records in the 100 m (11.21 in 1998), and as a member of the 4 x 100 m, 4 x 200 m, and 4 x 400 m relay teams.
AD Scott Carr informs @FIUTrackXC legend Tayna Lawrence that she’ll be a member of our 2025 HOF Class 😸 https://t.co/FNZRfX48Qv pic.twitter.com/rHBzOcN3cK
— FIU Athletics (@FIUAthletics) July 17, 2025
Being inducted into the FIU Athletics Hall of Fame is an honor that reflects not only my journey, but the incredible mentors, teammates and supporters who believed in me every step of the way. FIU helped shaped the athlete – and the woman – I became, and I carry this recognition with deep gratitude and pride. This moment belongs to everyone who lifted me up and reminded me that no dream is ever too big.
– Tanya Lawrence
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