Eilish McColgan

Eilish McColgan in 2014

Eilish McColgan (born 25 November 1990) is a female Scottish middle-distance athlete representing Great Britain who specialises in the 3000 metres steeplechase.[1]

Born in Dundee, Scotland to Liz and Peter McColgan, both athletes,[2] McColgan is 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) tall and weighs 53 kilograms (117 lb).[2] She is a member of Dundee's Hawkhill Harriers Club and is coached by her mother, former 10,000 metres World Champion and Olympic silver medallist Liz McColgan.[2][3][4]

In 2006 she won a silver medal at the Scottish School's Championships in the 1500 metres and a bronze medal at the International Under-17s Schools Championships.[5] In 2007 she came fifth in the Scottish Senior Championships 1500 metres.[5] At the 2008 Scottish Indoor Championships she won a bronze medal in the 1500 metres.[5]

McColgan was selected for the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games in India but suffered a major knee injury from which took her a year-and-a-half to recover.[4] She also missed the 2011 World Championships, held in Daegu, South Korea, after breaking her foot at a Diamond League event in London.[6] Her senior debut for Great Britain came at the 2011 European Team Championships in Stockholm, Sweden. Initially selected as a travelling reserve to cover a range of events, she was called upon to compete in the 3000 metres steeplechase, an event which she had only competed in twice before, and ran a personal best while finishing ninth.[7][8] She came fourth in the 1500 metres at the 2011 UK Indoor Championships and won the silver medal in the 5000 metres at the UK Outdoor Championships.[5] She won the gold medal in the 1500 metres at the 2011 Scottish University Championships.[5]

She won two gold medals at the 2012 Scottish Universities Indoor Championships, placing first in both the 1500 and 3000 metres events.[5] In June 2012 at a meeting in Oslo, Norway she ran a time of nine minutes 38.45 seconds to beat the Olympic 'A' qualification standard in the 3000 metres steeplechase.[9] McColgan confirmed her qualification for the steeplechase at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London by winning the British trials in a time of nine minutes 56.90 seconds.[10] She was the only athlete to finish in under ten minutes and the only British athlete to have achieved the 'A' qualifying standard.[11][12] After achieving Olympic qualification McColgan chose not to compete at the 2012 European Athletics Championships in Helsinki, Finland.[13] She competed for Great Britain team for the 2012 Summer Olympics in the women's 3000 metres steeplechase alongside compatriot Barbara Parker.[14] Her time of 9:54.36 was not sufficient for her to reach the final.[15]

Personal life

She is a student of mathematics and accountancy at the University of Dundee.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Eilish McColgan profile". UK Athletics. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "Eilish McColgan: Team GB". British Olympic Association. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  3. ↑ Ralston, Gary (24 June 2012). "Liz McColgan 'proud' after daughter Eilish books her spot in Team GB for London Olympics". The Daily Record. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  4. 1 2 Fulton, Rick (13 October 2011). "Track legend Liz McColgan's daughter aims to follow in mother's footsteps with OIympic glory". The Daily Record. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Athlete profile: Eilish McColgan". United Kingdom Athletics. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  6. ↑ "Four Scots in GB World Championships team". BBC Sport. 9 August 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  7. ↑ "McColgan Makes Senior GB Debut". Commonwealth Games Scotland. 26 June 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  8. ↑ Woods, Mark (19 June 2011). "European Team Championships: Personal best for debut Scot Eilish McColgan". The Sunday Mail. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  9. ↑ Smith, Ewan (16 June 2012). "Olympic hopeful Eilish McColgan sneaks into Usain Bolt's loo". The Daily Record. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  10. ↑ "Eilidh Child & Eilish McColgan qualify for GB Olympic team". BBC Sport. 24 June 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  11. ↑ Mulkeen, Jon (24 June 2012). "Proctor and Bleasdale break British records at UK Olympic Trials". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  12. ↑ O'Mahony, Jennifer (24 June 2012). "Olympic trials 2012: day three as it happened". The Telegraph online. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  13. ↑ "Mum sets McColgan two-year target". The Scotsman. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  14. ↑ "London 2012: Dwain Chambers picked for GB athletics squad". BBC Sport. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  15. ↑ "Women's 3000m Steeplechase". London 2012 official website. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  16. ↑ Graham Fraser (2 September 2012). "Eilish McColgan – Life after the Olympics and the Great Scottish Run". STV. Retrieved 3 September 2012.

External links

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