Kelly Holmes

Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE (born 19 April 1970) is a British middle distance athlete. Regarded as the best female middle distance runner Great Britain has ever produced, she won gold medals in the 800 metres and the 1,500 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Initial athletics career

She won the national 800m in 1993 and the 1500m in 1994. She won gold at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in the 1500 metres, competing for England. (Unlike in other international competitions such as the Olympics and World & European Championships, in the Commonwealth Games the British countries compete separately).

Related Topics:
1993 - 1994 - 1994 Commonwealth Games

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Holmes has suffered setbacks caused by injuries. In 1996, she suffered a stress fracture and finished fourth in the Atlanta Olympics. In 1997, a slightly torn calf in training resulted in a ruptured achilles tendon which ended her in Athens World Championships in the heats, hobbling home half a lap behind her competitors.

Related Topics:
1996 - Stress fracture - Atlanta Olympics - 1997 - Achilles tendon - Athens

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Going into the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia on the back of just six weeks' intensive training because of a virus, she finished third in the 800m. The winner of that race, Maria Mutola of Mozambique would later become her training partner, as Holmes moved to Africa to train and live with her.

Related Topics:
2000 Summer Olympics - Sydney - Australia - Maria Mutola - Mozambique

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At the 2002 European Championships in Munich, Holmes won a bronze medal in the 800m, behind Jolanda %C4%8Ceplak and Mayte Martinez. She went on to win the 1500m gold at that year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Related Topics:
2002 European Championships - Munich - Jolanda %C4%8Ceplak - Mayte Martinez - Commonwealth Games - Manchester

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