# Michelle Carter (athlete)

Michelle Denee Carter (born October 12, 1985) is an American retired track and field athlete who competed in shot put. She won a gold medal in the event at the 2016 Rio Olympics, making her the first American woman to win Olympic gold in shot put and only the second to win a medal of any color. Carter is the former American record holder in the event with a distance of 20.63 m (67 ft 8 in) set at the 2016 Olympic Games. She was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.

## Early life

Carter was born on October 12, 1985, in San Jose, California, and grew up in Red Oak, Texas. Her parents are Sandra and Michael Carter, the latter of whom won a silver medal in shot put at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and went on to play American football for the San Francisco 49ers. She has one brother, Michael Jr., and one sister, D’Andra.
Carter is a 2003 graduate of Red Oak High School in Red Oak, Texas, where she was a four-time state champion in shot put and held the girls’ national record in the event from 2003 to 2014. She earned an athletic scholarship to University of Texas, where she competed in shot put, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in youth and community studies, with a minor in kinesiology, in 2007.

## Career

Carter won the 2016 gold medal at the Rio Olympics on the last of her six throws, edging two-time defending champion Valerie Adams of New Zealand. In doing so, Carter became the first United States women's athlete to win the event since the women's competition began at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games in London, and only the second American to win any medal in the event (Earlene Brown, bronze, 1960). Carter broke her own American record with an Olympic gold medal-winning toss of 20.63 m (67 ft 8 in).
She finished fifteenth at the 2008 Olympic Games and fourth at the 2012 Olympic Games.
A bronze medalist at the 2015 and 2017 IAAF World Championships, Carter also won the gold medal at the 2016 World Indoor Championships after winning the bronze in 2012.
She won the silver medal at the 2001 World Youth Championships and the gold medal at the 2004 World Junior Championships.
In addition to winning the 2008 United States Olympic Team Trials, she was the 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 national champion. While competing for the University of Texas, she won the NCAA collegiate national championship in 2006. In college, she was a seven-time All-American, and also won the Big 12 Conference title five times. In 2006, she won the NCAA indoor title to also help the University of Texas women claim the NCAA team title. With a runner-up finish in the shot put at the 2005 outdoor meet, Carter helped the Longhorns win the NCAA championship.
In June 2022, Carter announced her retirement from competition.

## Awards and recognitions

Carter was inducted into the Texas Longhorns Hall of Honor in 2016, the Texas Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2018, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.

## Personal life

Carter is a Christian. She has said, "Through faith and sports, I've learned discipline and self-control. In the Bible, God tells us we have to work, even if what we want is not going to happen right away. People want a platform, but with that comes responsibility. Before winning the gold medal, I needed to be in a mature place to handle the opportunities that were going to come my way, to make sure I didn't use them for my advantage. You have to put your pride aside and let God's plan come through. He has given me this platform for Him to shine." She has also said "I know God allowed me to have this medal, and with it I want to glorify Him and point others to Him."
As a child, Carter was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia.
Carter is a certified professional make-up artist.
Carter has focused on body image both on and off the field, talking to young women about confidence through her program You Throw Girl. "You have to understand everyone's body was built to do something. I was built to do something, and that's how I was built. I think the world is realizing we were promoting one body type and there have always been many."
Carter married husband Courtney Elder in 2019. They first met as children at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship church, when Carter was 5 years old, and reconnected as adults in 2016.
Carter lives in Grand Prairie, Texas.

## Competition history
### International competitions

Representing the  United States :
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result | Notes |
| 2001 | World Youth Championships | Debrecen, Hungary | 2nd | Shot put | 15.23 m (49 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | SB |
| 2003 | Pan American Junior Championships | Bridgetown, Barbados | 1st | Shot put | 16.23 m (53 ft 2+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2004 | World Junior Championships | Grosseto, Italy | 1st | Shot put | 17.55 m (57 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | SB |
| 2006 | NACAC U23 Championships | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 2nd | Shot put | 16.74 m (54 ft 11 in) | — |
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, China | 13th | Shot put | 17.74 m (58 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 5th | Shot put | 18.96 m (62 ft 2+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2010 | World Indoor Championships | Doha, Qatar | 10th | Shot put | 18.20 m (59 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2011 | World Championships | Daegu, South Korea | 8th | Shot put | 18.76 m (61 ft 6+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2011 | Pan American Games | Guadalajara, Mexico | 3rd | Shot put | 18.09 m (59 ft 4 in) | — |
| 2012 | World Indoor Championships | Istanbul, Turkey | 2nd | Shot put | 19.58 m (64 ft 2+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 4th | Shot put | 19.42 m (63 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2013 | World Championships | Moscow, Russia | 4th | Shot put | 19.94 m (65 ft 5 in) | — |
| 2014 | World Indoor Championships | Sopot, Poland | 4th | Shot put | 19.10 m (62 ft 7+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2015 | World Championships | Beijing, China | 3rd | Shot put | 19.76 m (64 ft 9+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, Oregon | 1st | Shot put | 20.21 m (66 ft 3+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 1st | Shot put | 20.63 m (67 ft 8 in) | PB |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 3rd | Shot put | 19.14 m (62 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2019 | World Championships | Doha, Qatar | 9th | Shot put | 18.41 m (60 ft 4+3⁄4 in) | — |

### Circuit wins and titles

* Diamond League
** Memorial Van Damme (Final): 2016
** Doha Diamond League: 2017
** London Anniversary Games: 2015

### National competitions

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Result | Notes |
| 2000 | USA Junior Olympics | Amherst, Massachusetts | 1st | Shot put | 14.44 m (47 ft 4+1⁄2 in) | SB |
| 2001 | USA Junior Olympics | Sacramento, California | 1st | Shot put | 15.19 m (49 ft 10 in) | — |
| 2002 | USA Junior Championships | Palo Alto, California | 3rd | Shot put | 16.24 m (53 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2002 | USA Junior Olympics | Miami, Florida | 1st | Shot put | 15.59 m (51 ft 1+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2003 | USA Junior Championships | Palo Alto, California | 1st | Shot put | 16.05 m (52 ft 7+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2003 | USA Junior Olympics | Miami, Florida | 1st | Shot put | 15.82 m (51 ft 10+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2004 | USA Junior Championships | College Station, Texas | 1st | Shot put | 16.33 m (53 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2005 | USA Championships | Carson, California | 2nd | Shot put | 18.26 m (59 ft 10+3⁄4 in) | SB |
| 2006 | USA Championships | Indianapolis, Indiana | 5th | Shot put | 17.45 m (57 ft 3 in) | — |
| 2007 | USA Championships | Indianapolis, Indiana | 5th | Shot put | 17.57 m (57 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2008 | United States Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | Shot put | 18.85 m (61 ft 10 in) | SB |
| 2009 | USA Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | Shot put | 18.03 m (59 ft 1+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2010 | USA Indoor Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 2nd | Shot put | 18.03 m (59 ft 1+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2010 | USA Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 2nd | Shot put | 18.46 m (60 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2011 | USA Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | Shot put | 19.86 m (65 ft 1+3⁄4 in) | SB |
| 2012 | USA Indoor Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 2nd | Shot put | 19.27 m (63 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2012 | USA Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 2nd | Shot put | 18.57 m (60 ft 11 in) | — |
| 2013 | USA Indoor Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1st | Shot put | 19.41 m (63 ft 8 in) | — |
| 2013 | USA Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 1st | Shot put | 20.24 m (66 ft 4+3⁄4 in) | SB |
| 2014 | USA Indoor Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1st | Shot put | 18.45 m (60 ft 6+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2014 | USA Championships | Sacramento, California | 1st | Shot put | 19.45 m (63 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2015 | USA Indoor Championships | Boston, Massachusetts | 1st | Shot put | 19.45 m (63 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | — |
| 2015 | USA Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | Shot put | 20.02 m (65 ft 8 in) | SB |
| 2016 | USA Indoor Championships | Portland, Oregon | 1st | Shot put | 19.49 m (63 ft 11+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2016 | United States Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | Shot put | 19.59 m (64 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2017 | USA Indoor Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 1st | Shot put | 19.03 m (62 ft 5 in) | — |
| 2017 | USA Championships | Sacramento, California | 3rd | Shot put | 19.34 m (63 ft 5+1⁄4 in) | — |
| 2018 | USA Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 6th | Shot put | 18.01 m (59 ft 1 in) | — |
| 2019 | USA Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 2nd | Shot put | 18.69 m (61 ft 3+3⁄4 in) | — |
| 2020 | USA Indoor Championships | Albuquerque, New Mexico | 7th | Shot put | 17.63 m (57 ft 10 in) | — |
| 2022 | USA Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 8th | Shot put | 17.72 m (58 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | SB |