Lee McConnell

Lee McConnell (born 9 October 1978) is a retired Scottish athlete, who competed in the 400 metres and 400 metres hurdles having started her career as a high jumper. She is three-times an Olympian having competed for Great Britain at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics, and is 11-times a medalist at major championships.[3][4] She was voted Scottish Athlete of the Year in 2002, 2003 and 2007.[5]

Lee McConnell

Lee McConnell in Osaka 2007
Personal information
Born	(1978-10-09) 9 October 1978 Glasgow, Scotland[1]
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 9 ^1⁄2 in)
Weight	64 kg (141 lb; 10 st 1 lb)
Sport
Country	Great Britain  Scotland
Club	Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers
Turned pro	2000
Retired	2014[1]
Achievements and titles
World finals	2003 – 7th
Highest world ranking	8th (2002)
Personal best(s)	100 m 11.67 (2009) 200 m 23.16 (2008) 400 m 50.82 (2002) 400 m h 55.25 (2006) HJ 1.88 m (2000)
Medal record Women's athletics[2] Representing  Great Britain World Championships 2005 Helsinki 4x400 m relay 2007 Osaka 4x400 m relay 2009 Berlin 4x400 m relay 2011 Daegu 4x400 m relay European Championships 2002 Munich 400 m 2010 Barcelona 4x400 m relay European Indoor Championships 2011 Paris 4x400 m relay 2005 Madrid 4x400 m relay 2007 Birmingham 4x400 m relay Universiade 2001 Beijing 4x400 m relay Representing  Scotland Commonwealth Games 2002 Manchester 400 m 2006 Melbourne 400 m Hurdles

McConnell is a four-time World Championship bronze medallist in the 4 x 400 metres relay; in 2005 and 2007, with the latter team setting the British record of 3:20.04, 2009 and 2011.[6][7] Her individual honours include winning a 2002 Commonwealth silver at 400 metres, 2002 European Championship bronze at 400 metres, and 2006 Commonwealth bronze at 400 metres hurdles.

Career

Lee McConnell attended Holyrood R.C. Secondary School in Glasgow before graduating from Loughborough University in 2000 with a degree in Sports Science.

Originally a high jumper (becoming Scottish champion in 1998, 1999 and 2000),[8] before turning to the 400 m and then the 400 metres hurdles (winning Commonwealth Bronze in a PB time).[9]

She was the Scottish 200 metres champion in 2002, and 2005.[10] She also won the 400 m in 2001,[10] and the 400 m at the AAA Championships in 2002.[9]

Internationally, in 2002, McConnell won a bronze medal at the 2002 European championships in the 400 m, then added a Commonwealth Games silver in the 400 m. In 2003 at the European Cup, McConnell came second in both the 400 m and the 4 × 400 m relay. She went to finish fifth in the 400 m final at the 2003 World Championships.

Her personal best time over 400 m is 50.82 seconds.[11]

After the 2007 season, McConnell decided to give up hurdling, as her transition from the flat had not been as successful as she had intended, and she returned to the 400 m flat.[9] She broke the stadium record in the 400 m at the 2008 FBK Games, producing her fastest season opener.[12]

At domestic level, McConnell later won the British 400 m title in 2008 and 2010,[13] the British Inter-Counties 200 metres title in 2009,[9] and two more Scottish 200 m titles (outdoor again in 2011 and indoor in 2013).[10][14]

Relays

In addition to winning medals in individual contests, she has been a fairly successful relay runner. McConnell was known for participating in the Great Britain 4 × 400 m relay team at major events.

McConnell won bronze medals in the 4 × 400 m relay at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships. She ran the first leg in a team with Donna Fraser, Nicola Sanders and Christine Ohuruogu in 2005 and ran the third leg in team with Ohuruogu, Marilyn Okoro and Sanders in 2007, which a set a national record.[6]

In addition at the World Championships, she ran the first leg for the 4 × 400 m relay teams that finished fifth in 2001, sixth in 2003, and fourth in 2009, also running fourth leg for the team that finished fourth in 2011.

McConnell alongside Fraser, Catherine Murphy, and Ohuruogu finished fourth in the 4 × 400 m relay at the 2004 Olympics, but could inherit bronze medals from this event as American athlete Crystal Cox was later found guilty of doping offences.[15] Cox and not the US team had her medal revoked but that could still change.[16]

At the 2012 Olympics, she ran the second leg as Great Britain finished fifth in the 4 × 400 m relay.

She has also accumulated relay medals from the 4 × 400 m event from the Universiade Games (in 2001), the European Championships (in 2002 and 2010) and the European Indoor Championships (in 2005, 2007 and 2011).

For Scotland, McConnell ran in the 4 × 400 m relay at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and 2010 (where a national record was set).

Retirement

McConnell missed the 2013 season after becoming pregnant with her first child.[17] She returned to training nine weeks after giving birth to her son with a view to competing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in her hometown of Glasgow – however she announced her immediate retirement from athletics in April 2014.[1]

International competitions

[9][18]

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing the  Great Britain and  Scotland
1999	European U23 Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	12th	High jump	1.82 m
2001	Summer Universiade	Beijing, China	2nd	4 × 400 m relay	3:30.40
2002	Commonwealth Games	Manchester, England	2nd	400 m	51.68
			4th	4 x 400 m relay	34:31.50
	European Championships	Munich, Germany	3rd	400 m	51.02
			4th	4 x 400 m relay	3:26.65
2003	World Championships	Paris, France	7th	400 m	51.07
			6th	4 x 400 m relay	3:26.67
2004	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	23rd (sf)	400 m	52.63
			4th	4 x 400 m relay	3:25.12
2005	European Indoor Championships	Madrid, Spain	3rd	4 × 400 m relay	3:29.81
	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	12th (sf)	400 m	51.15
			3rd	4 × 400 m relay	3:24.44
2006	Commonwealth Games	Melbourne, Australia	3rd	400 m hurdles	55.25
	European Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	9th (sf)	400 m hurdles	55.61
			4th	4 x 400 m relay	3:28.17
2007	European Indoor Championships	Birmingham, United Kingdom	3rd	4 × 400 m relay	3:28.69
	World Championships	Osaka, Japan	14th (sf)	400 m	51.07
			3rd	4 × 400 m relay	3:20.04
2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	19th (sf)	400 m	52.11
2009	World Championships	Berlin, Germany	4th	4 x 400 m relay	3:25.16
2010	European Championships	Barcelona, Spain	12th (h)	400 m	53.15
			3rd	4 × 400 m relay	3:24.32
	Commonwealth Games	Delhi, India	5th	200 m	23.68
			4th	400 m	52.36
			4th	4 x 400 m relay	3:30.91
2011	European Indoor Championships	Paris, France	2nd	4 × 400 m relay	3:31.36
2012	Olympic Games	London, United Kingdom	18th (sf)	400 m	52.24
			5th	4 x 400 m relay	3:24.76
(h) = overall position in preliminary heats (sf) = overall position in semifinals

Personal life

McConnell is a rugby union fan, and is supporter of the Glasgow Warriors and the Scotland national team.[19]

References

1. "Glasgow 2014: 400m runner Lee McConnell announces retirement". bbc.co.uk. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
2. "Stats". LeeMcConnell.net. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
3. "Home". LeeMcConnell.net. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
4. "'It's a nice little collection' – Eilidh". Scottish Athletics. 6 October 2015. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
5. "Competition (Awards)". SATS. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
6. "British relay team smash record to take bronze". The Telegraph. 2 September 2007. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
7. "Records (Scottish Outdoor)". SATS. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
8. "Scottish Championships (1969-2013 Women's Field)". SATS. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
9. "Lee McConnell profile". Power of 10. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
10. "Scottish Championships (1969-2013 Women's Track)". SATS. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
11. "Larry to get back on track". Bucks Free Press. 8 January 2003. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
12. "McConnell quick off the mark to break stadium record". Herald Scotland. 26 May 2008. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
13. "UK Outdoor Championships (Scottish Medalists)". SATS. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
14. "Scottish Indoor Championships (Women)". SATS. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
15. "Helen Karagounis". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
16. "Crystal Cox stripped of 2004 gold". ESPN. 21 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
17. "Pregnant Lee McConnell targets Glasgow Commonwealth Games". bbc.co.uk. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
18. "International (Major Championships)". SATS. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
19. "Lee McConnell: I can't wait to watch Glasgow Warriors over Christmas - I love rugby". Daily Record. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 11 July 2015.

External links

• Lee McConnell at World Athletics
• MTC profile

Preceded by Lesley Owusu Nicola Sanders Christine Ohuruogu	British champion in women's 400 m 2002 2008 2010	Succeeded by Helen Karagounis Christine Ohuruogu Perri Shakes-Drayton