Bernice Wilson

Last updated
Bernice Wilson
Personal information
NationalityBritish
Born (1984-04-21) 21 April 1984 (age 40) [1]
Sport
SportWomen's Athletics
Event(s)60 metres, 100 metres, 200 metres
Club Birchfield Harriers [2]
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)60m 7.25 (Sheffield 2011)
100 m 11.57 (Bedford 2011)
200 m 23.77 (Eton 2010)

Bernice Wilson (born 21 April 1984) is a former British sprinter who represented her country at the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships and served two bans from track and field athletics for anti-doping violations.

An English Schools 200 metres finalist in 1997, Wilson went on to reach numerous finals at age group, regional and national level before making her big senior break-through by coming second in the 60 metres at the 2010 British Indoor Athletics Championships. [3] Wilson set a new personal best time of 7.25secs when she finished runner-up to Jodie Williams in the 60 metres at the 2011 British Indoor Athletics Championships in Sheffield on 12 February 2011 leading to her selection for the following month's European Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris, France. [4] There she made it through the heats but finished fifth in her semi-final running a time of 7.28 and therefore missing out on a place in the final. [5] In July 2011 it was announced Wilson had been provisionally suspended from competition having failed an anti-doping test after the banned substances anabolic steroid testosterone and Clenbuterol were found in an urine sample she provided at the Bedford International Games on June 12. [6] The athlete blamed a contaminated sample but she was subsequently given a four-year ban from athletics. [7] [8] While still banned in February 2015, she failed an out-of-competition test for another banned substance, the fertility drug clomiphene, but due to the substantial assistance she provided to UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and a prompt admission of guilt, her second suspension was reduced from 40 months to 10 months. [9] It was later revealed that Wilson's coach and then boyfriend, George Skafidas, had been giving her the clomiphene without her knowledge by replacing her vitamin tablets with the drugs. [10] In 2016 Skafidas was given a lifetime ban from athletics after admitting nine anti-doping rule violations. [11] Wilson is now part of the UKAD Athlete Commission seeking to help others avoid the pitfalls into which she fell. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linford Christie</span> Jamaican-born British former sprinter

Linford Christie is a Jamaican-born British former sprinter and athletics coach. He is the only British man to have won gold medals in the 100 metres at all four major competitions open to British athletes: the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games. He was the first European athlete to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 m and held the British record in the event for close to 30 years. He is a former world indoor record holder over 200 metres, and a former European record holder in the 60 metres, 100 m and 4 × 100 metres relay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anastasiya Kapachinskaya</span> Russian sprinter

Anastasiya Alexandrovna Kapachinskaya is a Russian former sprint athlete. She was the 2003 World champion in the 200 m. She was disqualified from competitions in 2004 and 2008 due to doping offences. As a result, the bulk of her athletics performances after 2004 have been annulled.

Ekaterini Thanou, also known as Katerina Thanou, is a Greek former sprinter. She won numerous medals in the 100 metres, including an Olympic silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, while she was the 2002 European champion in Munich, Germany. She had also been crowned world and European champion in the 60 metres at the indoor championships.

Süreyya Ayhan Kop is a Turkish former female middle distance track runner who specialised in the 1500 metres. In November 2009, she was banned for life by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) due to her second anti-doping rule violation.

Kelli White is an American former sprinter. She won two gold medals in the World Championships in Paris in 2003. However, on June 18, 2004, she was stripped of her medals, because she tested positive on a drug test. She retired from professional track in 2006.

Competitors at the Olympic Games have used banned athletic performance-enhancing drugs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darya Pishchalnikova</span> Russian discus thrower

Darya Vitalyevna Pishchalnikova is a female discus thrower from Russia. Pishchalnikova is the sister of Bogdan Pishchalnikov and Kirill Pishchalnikov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyudmyla Blonska</span> Ukrainian heptathlete

Lyudmyla Leonidivna Blonska, née Shevchuk, sometimes known as Lyudmila Blonskaya, is a Ukrainian former heptathlete, pentathlete, and long jumper. She was given a lifetime ban from competition after failing a drug test at the 2008 Summer Olympics, her second doping offense.

Anca Margareta Heltne, née Vîlceanu is former Romanian shot putter. She has an indoor personal best of 19.90 m, achieved in February 2010 in Bucharest. She represented her country at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 in the sport of athletics</span> Overview of the events of 2009 in the sport of athletics

This article contains an overview of the year 2009 in athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 in the sport of athletics</span> Overview of the events of 2010 in the sport of athletics

In 2010 there was no obvious, primary athletics championship, as neither the Summer Olympics nor the World Championships in Athletics occurred in the year. The foremost championships to be held in 2010 included: the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, 2010 European Athletics Championships, 2010 African Championships in Athletics, and Athletics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olesya Povh</span> Ukrainian sprinter (born 1987)

Olesya Povh is a Ukrainian former sprint athlete who specialized in the 100 metres. Her personal best times include 11.08 seconds in the 100 m, achieved in June 2012. She is an Olympic Games bronze medalist, World Championships bronze medalist, European Championships gold and silver medalist, and European Indoor Championships gold medalist.

Callum Priestley is a British former track and field athlete who specialised in sprint hurdling. He was banned after a positive sample for banned substances, namely clenbuterol, was found in a urine sample whilst training with the UK team in South Africa in January 2010. Despite evidence of tainted food, the ban was upheld. Subsequent to the ban, Priestley retired from competitive athletics.

Julien Dunkley is a Jamaican track and field athlete who specialises in sprint events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuliya Stepanova</span> Russian distance runner

Yuliya Igorevna Stepanova is a Russian runner who specializes in the 800 metres track event. Stepanova was also an informant for World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) about Russia's large-scale doping program. She and her husband, Vitaly Stepanov, exposed widespread doping in Russia.

Yevgeniya Pecherina is a Russian track and field athlete who specialises in the discus throw.

George Skafidas is a Greek sports coach who was given a lifetime ban from all sport for committing nine Anti-Doping Rule Violations including possession and trafficking of prohibited substances.

References

  1. "Bernice Wilson". World Athletics. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  2. "Birchfield Harriers sprinter suspended after testing positive for steroids". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  3. "Athlete profile - Bernice Wilson". Power of 10. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  4. "Bernice Wilson selected for GB European indoor squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  5. "European Indoor Championships Paris". World Athletics. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  6. "Sprinter Bernice Wilson suspended by UK Athletics over doping". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  7. "Bernice Wilson loses UK Athletics doping ban appeal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  8. "Sprinter Bernice Wilson must serve double suspension". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  9. "GB athlete Bernice Wilson warns of dangerous relationships with coaches". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  10. "Athlete Bernice Wilson admits the drugs she took could have killed her". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  11. "Former UK Athletics coach George Skafidas given life ban". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
  12. "A conversation with UKAD Athlete Commission member and sprint coach, Bernice Wilson". UKAD. Retrieved 2024-05-09.