BORN TO RUN
When asked about Olympian Inger Miller, former USC Director of Track & Field Ron Allice said, “Of course, she was born to run. What else was she going to do?” Her father, Lennox Miller, was a record-setting champion and two-time Olympic medalist for Jamaica in the 100-meter dash. Her godfather, Don Quarrie, competed in five Olympic Games and earned four Olympic medals throughout his career. Though surrounded by track greatness, Inger chose to create her own path. She started out playing basketball and soccer. Lennox, extremely humble, didn’t force his daughter into the sport. As a sophomore in high school, Inger decided to join the track team. She was unstoppable after that. She went to on to medal in the California state meet for the next two years and, as the No. 2 recruit in the nation, followed in her father’s footsteps to USC.
GOLDEN YEARS
Inger was hampered by injuries throughout her collegiate career. Though she managed to be an All-American, she was forced to have surgery on her foot. After months of rehab, she and Lennox (now Inger’s coach) began to focus on the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. It paid off. Inger was third in the 200-meter dash at the Olympic Trials and earned a spot on the 4x100 meter relay. At the Olympic Games, she earned a gold medal on the relay team. Inger and Lennox officially became the first dad and daughter duo to win Olympic track & field medals in history! Inger went on to win gold in the 200-meter dash at the 1999 World Championships. Before she ended her career in 2005, she earned three more World Championship medals as a part of the sprint relay teams.
OFF THE TRACK
After her career, Inger continued to distinguish herself. Similar to her father, who had his own dental practice for over 30 years, she started her own business. With her best friend, Jill Hawkins, Inger started an event production company, MHP Productions. She now resides in Arizona. Lennox, who was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame, passed away in 2004.