Jeanette Kwakye

Infobox Athlete
playername= Jeanette Kwakye


country= flagicon|United Kingdom Great Britain
club= Woodford Green with Essex Ladies
datebirth= 20 March, 1983
placebirth= London Borough of Waltham Forest, England
height= 164 cm
weight= 61 kg
turnedpro= 2005
retired=
pb= 60 m 7.08
100 m 11.14
200 m 23.11
olympics= 2008 - 6th
worlds= 2008 Indoor - 2nd
highestranking= 60 m: 2(2008)
100 m: 9(2008)
200 m: 45(2007)
updated= August 17, 2008

Jeanette "J'nette" Boahemaa Kwakye (born 20 March 1983) is a British sprinter of Ghanaian origin.

Athletics career

Kwakye won a bronze medal in 4x100 metres relay at the 2002 World Junior Championships, with teammates Jade Lucas-Read, Amy Spencer and Vernicha James. At the 2007 European Indoor Championships she finished fourth in the 60 metres. In the semi-final she recorded a time of 7.17 seconds, this being the fastest time by a British woman in the 60m since 1986.

Kwakye, became the 2007 British Champion over 100m in a time of 11.59, beating Laura Turner (who recorded the same time) and defending champion Joice Maduaka. The next day, she also won the 200m title, after beating Emily Freeman and Donna Fraser, who took silver and bronze, respectively.

In the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia Kwakye equalled the British 60m record of 7.13 by Bev Kinch in her semi-final before smashing it with a superb 7.08 run to claim silver behind American Angela Williams who won in 7.06, this placing Kwakye as number 2 in the 2008 world female rankings.

On 12 July 2008, Kwakye defended her British 100m title, whilst also winning the Olympic trials, and was accordingly automatically selected to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Her time of 11.26 equalled her then lifetime best. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Sprinter Kwakye ready for Beijing |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7521216.stm |work= |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-07-23 |accessdate=2008-08-22 ]

2008 Summer Olympics

=100 metres=

In the heats of the 100 metres, Kwakye finished in second place behind Torri Edwards, clocking a time of 11.30 seconds, allowing her to progress through to the quarter-final stage. In the quarter-final, she was beaten to the line by Shelly-Ann Fraser and Evgeniya Polyakova, but still qualified for the semi-final by finishing in third place. In the semi-final on 17 August 2008, Kwakye finished third, with a time of 11.19. She became the first British woman to reach the 100 metres final since Heather Oakes in 1984.cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Jeanette Kwakye looks to 2012 after 100m success |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4552474.ece |work= |publisher=The Times |date=2008-08-18 |accessdate=2008-08-22 ] At these Olympics, Kwakye was also the only European athlete to appear in the final. In the final, Kwakye clocked 11.14, a personal best, to finish in sixth place, ahead of Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas and Torri Edwards of the USA. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Fraser leads Jamaica 100m sweep |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7566834.stm |work= |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-08-17 |accessdate=2008-08-22 ]

=4x100 metres relay=

Great Britain reached the final of the 4x100 metres relay, and along with the Jamaican team, were favourites to claim a medal. Kwakye ran a good first bend in the final, but the British team failed to finish due to a mix-up in the changeover between Montell Douglas and Emily Freeman. Jamaica also failed to finish after a similar error between Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Russia claim surprise relay gold|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7576696.stm |work= |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-05-29 |accessdate=2008-08-22 ]

Personal life

Both of Kwakye's parents were born in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. The Kwakye family moved to England in the early 1980s. Kwakye's younger brother, Louis, is also involved in National athletics.cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Jeanette Kwakye looks to 2012 after 100m success |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4552474.ece |work= |publisher=The Times |date=2008-08-18 |accessdate=2008-08-22 ]

Kwakye is a graduate of Loughborough University where she attained a degree in Politics and Economics in 2005. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Kwakye sixth in 100m |url=http://www.loughboroughecho.net/loughborough-sport/other-sport/2008/08/21/kwakye-sixth-in-100m-73871-21579181/ |work= |publisher=Loughborough Echo |date=2008-08-21 |accessdate=2008-08-22 ] She is best friends with singer Estelle.cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Jeanette Kwakye looks to 2012 after 100m success |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4552474.ece |work= |publisher=The Times |date=2008-08-18 |accessdate=2008-08-22 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.powerof10.info/default.asp?page=4E384E387E1B6A295431302F643B7E2F7A3D&surname=6645623BD6374E2D&christian=CE67CE67CE67CE67&athlete=D068DE6BD86BD06A&club_code=CE67CE67CE67CE67 Profile at Powerof10 (UK athletics)]
* [http://www.european-athletics.org/birmingham/athletebio.php?bib=1120 EAA profile]