Tom McKean

Tom McKean

Personal information
Nationality	British (Scottish)
Born	(1963-10-27) 27 October 1963 (age 61) [1] Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, Scotland
Height	183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	71 kg (157 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event	Middle-distance
Club	Bellshill YMCA / Motherwell AC
Medal record Men's Athletics Representing   Great Britain World Indoor Championships 1993 Toronto 800 m World Cup 1989 Barcelona 800 m European Championships 1990 Split 800 m 1986 Stuttgart 800 m European Indoor Championships 1990 Glasgow 800 m Commonwealth Games Representing   Scotland 1986 Edinburgh 800 m 1990 Auckland 4 × 400 m

Thomas McKean (born 27 October 1963) is a Scottish former middle-distance runner representing Great Britain and Scotland internationally. He was European champion over the 800 metres in 1990, and a world (1993) and European (1990) indoor champion over the 800 metres, one of the few athletes to be both indoor and outdoor European champion in the event simultaneously. He won the IAAF World Cup 800 metres in 1989.

Outdoors, McKean reached the lower steps of podiums at both European and Commonwealth Games level.

Racing during the brief era when two championships for British athletes were held annually, McKean won three British titles y; he was twice the 800 metre champion at the AAA Championships, recognised as the premier British athletics championships of the time despite allowing guest runners, while he also won the 800 metres title once at the alternative UK Athletics Championships event for British athletes only.

Athletics career

McKean, who was born in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, was the winner of the European Championships 800 m gold medal at Split in 1990. ^[2] McKean also won the 1990 European Indoor Championships final, ^[2] the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships 800 m final, ^[3] and the World Cup 800 m race in 1989. In addition, he came first in all European Cup races from 1985 to 1991. ^[2] However, he failed to reach the Olympic final both in 1988, when he was disqualified for too much physical contact, and 1992.

McKean was one of the favourites for the 1987 World Championships in Athletics 800 m. However, he caught the foot of Stephen Ole Marai in the final and suffered an injury which resulted in him finishing last. In first round qualifying for the 1991 World Championships in Athletics 800 m he slowed up too early before the line. He ended up third and failed to qualify. The two athletes ahead of him were eventual Gold and bronze medalists Billy Konchellah and Mark Everett. McKean also won a silver medal in the 1986 European Championships in Athletics 800 m splitting British teammates Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram, ^[2] an event memorably described by Ian Wooldridge as being "like three Spitfires coming out of the sun". ^[4] He set his personal best in London in 1989 at 1:43.88 min.

McKean represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games where he won silver medals in 1986 in the 800 metres event ^[5] and in 1990 in the 4 × 400 m Relay event. ^[6]

McKean was a three-times British 800 metres champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1991 AAA Championships, ^[7] the 1985 UK Athletics Championships and by virtue of being the highest placed British athlete at the 1990 AAA Championships. ^[8]

After athletics

Unlike some of his contemporaries, McKean did not continue a high profile role in athletics after his retirement from competition. McKean was a Strathclyde Police officer ^[9] until retiring in 2022.

References

• gbrathletics

1. "Olympedia – Tom McKean". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
2. European Athletics – Event Result Database Archived 28 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine
3. IAAF Statistics Handbook – 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships Archived 17 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
4. Swede dreams as press box goes wireless
5. "Results". Daily Post. No. 1 August 1986. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
6. "Tom McKean". Team Scotland. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
7. "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
8. "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
9. Frozen in time: 28 August 1986

External links

• Tom McKean at North Lanarkshire Sporting Hall of Fame