- Liz McColgan
-
Liz McColgan Born Elizabeth Lynch
March 24, 1964 [1]
DundeeNationality Scottish Occupation Professional Athlete
Sports CoachKnown for World Championship Gold Medalist
Olympic Silver MedalistMedal record Women’s Athletics Competitor for 
Great BritainOlympic Games Silver 1988 Seoul 10,000 m World Championships Gold 1991 Tokyo 10,000 m Competitor for 
ScotlandCommonwealth Games Gold 1986 Edinburgh 10,000 m Gold 1990 Auckland 10,000 m Bronze 1990 Auckland 3,000 m Elizabeth ("Liz") McColgan (née Lynch)[2] MBE (born 24 May 1964) is a Scottish former middle-distance and long-distance track and road-running athlete. She won the gold medal for the 10,000 metres at the 1991 World Championships, and a silver medal over the same distance at the 1988 Olympic Games. She was also a two-time gold medalist over the distance at the Commonwealth Games, as well as winning the New York City Marathon, Tokyo Marathon and London Marathon.
Contents
Early life
McColgan grew up in Whitfield, Dundee[2] and was a pupil of St Saviour's RC High School. She joined her local athletics club, the Hawkhill Harriers, at age 12 at the advice of her PE teacher.[3][4] Coached by Harry Bennett, she soon discovered a talent for distance running and won her first UK titles at the age of 18.[3] Following Bennett's death, McColgan self-coached herself in preparation for the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1986.[3]
Athletics career
McColgan won a gold medal in the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo for the 10,000 m, following which she was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year. She also won 10,000 m gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 1986 and 1990, and a silver medal at the distance at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.
In 1992, McColgan won the inaugural World Half Marathon Championships, where she also helped the British team claim the silver medal in the team competition. In 1996, McColgan won the London Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 27 minutes and 54 seconds.
Personal life
She was married to Northern Ireland-born athlete, Peter McColgan,[2] who represented Northern Ireland at the 1986 Commonwealth Games at both 5000 metres and the 3000 metres steeplechase (at which distance he holds the Northern Ireland Record). However, the couple separated in 2010. Their eldest daughter, Eilish McColgan, won the 2004 British cross country championships in her age-group, and was ranked top in Scotland over 800 metres and 1500 metres in her age-group.
McColgan now coaches young athletes in her home town of Dundee. She resides on the outskirts of the small town Carnoustie.
In November 2011, she was found not guilty of assaulting her husband Peter.[2]
Achievements
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes Representing Great Britain1986 European Championships Stuttgart, West Germany 7th 10,000 m 31:49.46 1987 World Cross Country Championships Warsaw, Poland 2nd World Championships Rome, Italy 5th 10,000 m 31:19.82 1988 Olympic Games Seoul, South Korea 2nd 10,000 m 31.08.44 1989 World Indoor Championships Budapest, Hungary 2nd 3000 m 8.34.80 1991 World Cross Country Championships Antwerp, Belgium 3rd World Championships Tokyo, Japan 1st 10,000 m 31:14.31 New York City Marathon New York, United States 1st Marathon 2:27:32 1992 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, Japan 1st Marathon 2:27:38 Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain 5th 10,000 m 31.26.11 World Half Marathon Championships Newcastle, United Kingdom 1st Half marathon 1:08:53 1993 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 3rd Marathon 2.29.37 1995 World Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 6th 10,000 m 31.40.14 1996 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 1st Marathon 2:27:54 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 16th Marathon 2:34:30 References
Specific
- Kubatko, Justin. "Liz McColgan Biography and Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mc/liz-mccolgan-1.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- UK Athletics biography
Citations
- ^ Philip, Robert (2011), Scottish Sporting Legends, Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YQZQsbIw3xsC&pg=PT58, retrieved November 21, 2011
- ^ a b c d "Athlete Liz McColgan cleared of attacking husband". BBC News. 2011-11-21. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-15816722. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
- ^ a b c "Liz McColgan interview", Run Britain, http://www.runbritain.com/articles/liz-mccolgan-interview/, retrieved November 21, 2011
- ^ "McColgan's long run from factory to fame", The Independent, December 15, 1995, http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/mccolgans-long-run-from-factory-to-fame-1526011.html?CMP=ILC-refresh, retrieved November 21, 2011
External Links
Awards and achievements Preceded by
Paul GascoigneBBC Sports Personality of the Year
1991Succeeded by
Nigel MansellSporting positions Preceded by
Ingrid KristiansenWomen's 5,000 m Best Year Performance
1987 – 1988Succeeded by
Kathrin WeßelPreceded by
Tegla LoroupeZevenheuvelenloop Women's Winner (15 km)
1994Succeeded by
Helen KimaiyoWorld Best Year Performance in Women's 10,000 m 1975: Christa Vahlensieck (GER) • 1976–1977: Peg Neppel (USA) • 1978: Natalia Betini (ROU) • 1979: Mary Shea (USA) • 1980: Kathryn Binns (GBR) • 1981: Yelena Sipatova (URS) • 1982: Mary Decker-Slaney (USA) • 1983: Raisa Sadreydinova (URS) • 1984: Olga Bondarenko (URS) • 1985–1987: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) • 1988: Olga Bondarenko (URS) • 1989: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) • 1990: Viorica Ghican (ROU) • 1991: Liz McColgan (GBR) • 1992: Derartu Tulu (ETH) • 1993–1994: Wang Junxia (CHN) • 1995–1996: Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) • 1997: Dong Yanmei (CHN) • 1998: Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) • 1999: Getenesh Wami (ETH) • 2000: Derartu Tulu (ETH) • 2001–2002: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) • 2003: Berhane Adere (ETH) • 2004: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) • 2005: Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) • 2006: Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR) • 2007: Mestawet Tufa (ETH) • 2008: Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) • 2009-2010: Meselech Melkamu (ETH)
World Champions in Women's 10,000 m 1987: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) • 1991: Liz Lynch-McColgan (GBR) • 1993: Wang Junxia (CHN) • 1995: Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) • 1997: Sally Barsosio (KEN) • 1999: Gete Wami (ETH) • 2001: Derartu Tulu (ETH) • 2003: Berhane Adere (ETH) • 2005: Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) • 2007: Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) • 2009: Linet Masai (KEN) • 2011: Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)
World Champions in Women's Half Marathon 1992: Liz McColgan (GBR) · 1993: Conceição Ferreira (POR) · 1994: Elana Meyer (RSA) · 1995: Valentina Yegorova (RUS) · 1996: Ren Xiujuan (CHN) · 1997: Tegla Loroupe (KEN) · 1998: Tegla Loroupe (KEN) · 1999: Tegla Loroupe (KEN) · 2000: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2001: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2002: Berhane Adere (ETH) · 2003: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2004: Sun Yingjie (CHN) · 2005: Constantina Tomescu (ROM) · 2006: Lornah Kiplagat (NED) · 2007: Lornah Kiplagat (NED) · 2008: Lornah Kiplagat (NED) · 2009: Mary Keitany (KEN) · 2010: Florence Kiplagat (KEN)Commonwealth Champions in Women's 10000 m 1986: Liz Lynch (SCO) • 1990: Liz McColgan (SCO) • 1994: Yvonne Murray (SCO) • 1998: Esther Wanjiru (KEN) • 2002: Salina Kosgei (KEN) • 2006: Lucy Wangui (KEN) • 2010: Grace Momanyi (KEN)
London Women's Marathon Winners 1981–2: Joyce Smith (GBR) · 1983: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1984-5: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) · 1986: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1987–8: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) · 1989: Véronique Marot (GBR) · 1990: Wanda Panfil (POL) · 1991: Rosa Mota (POR) · 1992–4: Katrin Dörre (GER) · 1995: Małgorzata Sobańska (POL) · 1996: Liz McColgan (GBR) · 1997: Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) · 1998: Catherina McKiernan (IRL) · 1999: Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) · 2000: Tegla Loroupe (KEN) · 2001: Derartu Tulu (ETH) · 2002–3: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2004: Margaret Okayo (KEN) · 2005: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2006: Deena Kastor (USA) · 2007: Zhou Chunxiu (CHN) · 2008-9: Irina Mikitenko (GER) · 2010: Liliya Shobukhova (RUS)
World Marathon Majors: Berlin Marathon - List (M/W) · Boston Marathon - List (M/W) · Chicago Marathon - List (M/W) · London Marathon - List (M/W) · New York City Marathon - List (M/W) New York City Women's Marathon Winners 1971: Beth Bonner (USA) · 1972–1973: Nina Kuscsik (USA) · 1974: Kathrine Switzer (USA) · 1975: Kim Merritt (USA) · 1976–1977: Miki Gorman (USA) · 1978–1980: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1981: Allison Roe (NZL) · 1982–1986: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1987: Priscilla Welch (GBR) · 1988: Grete Waitz (NOR) · 1989: Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) · 1990: Wanda Panfil (POL) · 1991: Liz McColgan (GBR) · 1992: Lisa Ondieki (AUS) · 1993: Uta Pippig (GER) · 1994–1995: Tegla Loroupe (KEN) · 1996: Anuţa Cătună (ROM) · 1997: Franziska Rochat-Moser (SUI) · 1998: Franca Fiacconi (ITA) · 1999: Adriana Fernández (MEX) · 2000: Lyudmila Petrova (RUS) · 2001: Margaret Okayo (KEN) · 2002: Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) · 2003: Margaret Okayo (KEN) · 2004: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2005–2006: Jeļena Prokopčuka (LAT) · 2007–2008: Paula Radcliffe (GBR) · 2009: Derartu Tulu (ETH) · 2010: Edna Kiplagat (KEN) · 2011: Firehiwot Dado (ETH)
World Marathon Majors: Berlin Marathon - List (M/W) · Boston Marathon - List (M/W) · Chicago Marathon - List (M/W) · London Marathon - List (M/W) · New York City Marathon - List (M/W) Tokyo International Women's Marathon Winners 1979 – 1980: Joyce Smith (ENG) • 1981: Linda Staudt (CAN) • 1982: Zoya Ivanova (URS) • 1983: Nanae Sasaki (JPN) • 1984 – 1985: Katrin Dörre (GDR) • 1986: Rosa Mota (POR) • 1987: Katrin Dörre (GDR) • 1988: Aurora Cunha (POR) • 1989: Lyubov Klochko (URS) • 1990: Xie Lihua (CHN) • 1991: Mari Tanigawa (JPN) • 1992: Liz McColgan (SCO) • 1993 – 1994: Valentina Yegorova (RUS) • 1995: Junko Asari (JPN) • 1996: Nobuko Fujimura (JPN) • 1997: Makiko Ito (JPN) • 1998: Junko Asari (JPN) • 1999: Eri Yamaguchi (JPN) • 2000: Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) • 2001: Derartu Tulu (ETH) • 2002: Banuelia Mrashani (TAN) • 2003: Elfenesh Alemu (ETH) • 2004: Bruna Genovese (ITA) • 2005: Naoko Takahashi (JPN) • 2006: Reiko Tosa (JPN) • 2007: Mizuki Noguchi (JPN) • 2008: Yoshimi Ozaki (JPN)
Categories:- 1964 births
- Living people
- BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners
- BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year
- British long-distance runners
- Marathon runners
- London Marathon winners
- Members of the Order of the British Empire
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1986 Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1990 Commonwealth Games
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Scotland
- Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Scotland
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Olympic athletes of Great Britain
- Sportspeople from Dundee
- Scottish athletes
- Scottish Sports Hall of Fame inductees
- New York City Marathon winners
- Olympic medalists in athletics (track and field)
- People educated at St Saviour's RC High School
- British people of Irish descent
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