Chris Clarke (sprinter)

Last updated

Christopher Clarke
MBE
11ukchampschrisclarke400heat4.jpg
Christopher Clarke MBE
Personal information
NationalityBritish (English)
Born (1990-01-25) 25 January 1990 (age 36)
London, England
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight67 kg (148 lb)
Sport
Sport Athletics
Event(s)
200 metres, 400 metres
ClubMarshall Milton Keynes A.C
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100 m – 10.45 (2007)
200 m – 20.22 (2013)
400 m – 45.59 (2009) [1]
Medal record
Representing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
World Indoor Championships
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2010 Doha 4 × 400 m relay
European Junior Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2009 Novi Sad 400 m
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2009 Novi Sad 4 × 400 m relay
World Youth Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2007 Ostrava 400 m
World Junior Athletics Championships
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2006 Beijing 4 × 400 m relay
Para-athletics
Paralympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2016 Rio W 100 m T11
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2016 Rio W 200 m T11
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2020 Tokyo Mixed 4 × 100 m relay

Christopher Clarke MBE (born 25 January 1990) is an English former athlete who represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland in sprinting events. At the club level, he represented Marshall Milton Keynes AC and Newham and Essex Beagles. [2]

Contents

Biography

At the 2006 Beijing World Junior Athletics Championships, Clarke won a bronze medal in the 4 × 400 metres relay. [3] In 2007 he finished first in the 400 metres final of the World Youth Championships, winning the gold medal. [4] On 24 July 2009 he won two gold medals (400 m and 4 × 400 m) at the European Junior Championships in a new personal best for the 400 m of 45.59 seconds. Clarke was selected for his first Senior Great Britain national team for the 2009 World Athletics championships in Berlin.[ citation needed ]

In 2010, Clarke competed as part of the bronze-medal-winning 4 × 400 m relay team at the world indoor athletics championships in Doha.[ citation needed ] In 2011, Clarke returned from injury to finish second at the British Championships and qualify for the World Athletics Championships. The Great Britain relay team qualified for the final in 3:00.38 (Clarke ran 44.99 for his leg). The team placed seventh in the final with a time of 3:01.16. [5]

In 2012, Clarke finished third in the 200 m at the British Athletics Championships. He went on to represent Great Britain at the European championships later that year, finishing sixth in the final. He missed qualification for the 2012 Summer Olympics.[ citation needed ] In 2013, Clarke ran two personal bests in the 200 m to finish second in the national senior ranking with 20.22.[ citation needed ]

In 2014, Clarke reached the semi-final of the men's 200 m at the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow.[ citation needed ] In February 2016, Clarke began competing as a guide runner with Paralympic silver medalist Libby Clegg. [6] They won the gold medal in the 100 m – T11 and 200 m – T11 events at the Rio Paralympics.[ citation needed ]

Clarke was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to sport. [7]

In 2021, Clarke won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in the Mixed 4 x 100m relay, again as a guide runner for Clegg. [8]

References

  1. "Christopher Clarke". iaaf.org.
  2. "Home". Milton Keynes Athletic Club. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  3. British Athletics. "British Athletics Official WebsiteDouble bronze for men's relays at World Juniors". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  4. British Athletics. "British Athletics Official Website – World Youth Championships: Day 3 report". Archived from the original on 30 July 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  5. "SWISS TIMING: Headquarters and Affiliates". sportresult.com. Archived from the original on 26 July 2009.
  6. Hudson, Elizabeth (23 February 2016). "Libby Clegg: Paralympic sprinter targets Rio medal with new guide". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  7. "No. 61803". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2016. p. N16.
  8. "Final results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.