Craig Pickering
Encyclopedia
Craig Keith Pickering (born 16 October 1986, Crawley
, West Sussex
) is an English
sprinter
, currently based at the Marshall Milton Keynes Athletics Club; however, he also runs for the University of Bath
and Newham and Essex Beagles
. He is a former student of the Royal Latin School
and got pointed in the sprinting direction by his PE teacher Adam Izzard. He had success as a youth athlete, winning the bronze medal in the 100m at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics
.
He first came into the public eye in June 2005, when he beat Darren Campbell
in the 100 m at a meet in Bedford
. During 2007, he has found success on the indoor circuit, winning the 60m event at the European Indoor Trials and UK Championships in Sheffield
in early February, following this with a second place finish in the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham
in the same event, behind his Bath team-mate Jason Gardener
. His indoor form prompted The Scotsman
to hint in January 2007 that Pickering could be a Gold medal prospect for the London Olympics
.
More recently, he won the silver medal, again in the 60 m event, at the 2007 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham
. He is currently regarded as a hot contender for the British number one spot, having soundly beaten Mark Lewis-Francis
among others at the Glasgow
Norwich Union Grand Prix held on 3 June 2007. Despite dismal rainy conditions, Pickering equalled his personal best of 10.22 sec.
On 23 June 2007 he achieved a new personal best of 10.15 sec to win the men's 100 m at the 2007 European Cup
in Munich
. He also participated to the British Relay 4x100 win, with 38.30 (World Leading Time of 2007).
Pickering soon followed this up with a new personal best (10.14) and a silver medal at the 2007 European Under 23 Championships (Debrecen
, Hungary), behind compatriot Simeon Williamson
.
At the 2007 UK Championships and World Trials, Pickering finished second (by 0.01) behind Marlon Devonish
, and was then selected to compete at the World Championships
, in the 100 m. He also was part of the 4x100m relay team which won the bronze medal.
He opened his 2008 season with a win at the Norwich Union international match in the 60 m, securing a win for Great Britain, in the international match.
Pickering was GBs solo qualifier to the 100m final at the 2008 Aviva London Grand Prix
, Crystal Palace, finishing 8th.
3 August 2008 Craig and Simeon were featured in a BBC documentary called Sprint along with other 100m hopefuls Harry Aikines-Aryeetey
and Wade Bennett-Jackson.
In the Beijing Olympics of 2008
Pickering started his run too early when running the last leg of Great Britain's 4x100m relay team, as a result the baton was not passed properly and the team were disqualified. Pickering took full responsibility.
European U23 Championships, 100m - Silver (2007)
European Cup, 100m - Gold (2007)
World Championships, 4x100m - Bronze (2007)
World Championships, 100m - 11th (2007)
AAAs Under-23 Championships, 100m - Gold (2006)
European Junior Championships, 100m - Gold (2005)
World Junior Championships, 100m - Bronze (2003)
Crawley
Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
sprinter
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
, currently based at the Marshall Milton Keynes Athletics Club; however, he also runs for the University of Bath
University of Bath
The University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
and Newham and Essex Beagles
Newham and Essex Beagles
Newham and Essex Beagles are one of the leading athletics clubs in Great Britain.The club was formed in 1887 as the Beaumont Harriers but became the Beagles in July 1891. Headquarters are at the Terence McMillan Stadium in the London Borough of Newham, East London...
. He is a former student of the Royal Latin School
Royal Latin School
The Royal Latin School is a co-educational grammar school in Buckingham, England. In September 2011 the school became an Academy.. It takes children from the age of 11 through to the age of 18 and has over 1260 pupils, including a sixth form of 390 pupils. It maintains a staff of over 160...
and got pointed in the sprinting direction by his PE teacher Adam Izzard. He had success as a youth athlete, winning the bronze medal in the 100m at the 2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics
2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics
The 2003 World Youth Championships in Athletics is the 2003 version of the World Youth Championships in Athletics. It was held in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada from the 9th to the 13th of July.-Boys:-Girls:-Medals table:-External links:*...
.
He first came into the public eye in June 2005, when he beat Darren Campbell
Darren Campbell
Darren Andrew Campbell MBE is a former English sprint athlete. He competed in the 100 metres and 200 metres, as well as the 4 × 100 metres relay...
in the 100 m at a meet in Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
. During 2007, he has found success on the indoor circuit, winning the 60m event at the European Indoor Trials and UK Championships in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in early February, following this with a second place finish in the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in the same event, behind his Bath team-mate Jason Gardener
Jason Gardener
Jason Carl Gardener is a retired British sprint athlete, and former World Indoor Champion. Gardener was educated at Beechen Cliff School and the City of Bath College, and went on to graduate from Bath Spa University.-Athletics career:Gardener started his career at the World Junior Championships in...
. His indoor form prompted The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
to hint in January 2007 that Pickering could be a Gold medal prospect for the London Olympics
London Olympics
London has hosted the Olympic Games on two past occasions, in 1908 and 1948, with a third scheduled for 2012. The planned 2012 Olympics will make London the first city to have hosted the modern Games of three Olympiads...
.
More recently, he won the silver medal, again in the 60 m event, at the 2007 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. He is currently regarded as a hot contender for the British number one spot, having soundly beaten Mark Lewis-Francis
Mark Lewis-Francis
Mark Anthony Lewis-Francis is a British track and field athlete, specifically a sprinter, who specialises in the 100 metres. A renowned junior, his greatest sporting achievement at senior level has been to anchor the Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4 x 100 metres relay team to a shock gold...
among others at the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
Norwich Union Grand Prix held on 3 June 2007. Despite dismal rainy conditions, Pickering equalled his personal best of 10.22 sec.
On 23 June 2007 he achieved a new personal best of 10.15 sec to win the men's 100 m at the 2007 European Cup
European Cup in Athletics 2007
The 2007 Spar European Cup took place on 23 and 24 June 2007 at the Olympic Stadium in Munich, Germany. This was the 27th time the European Cup has been held and the second time the event has been hosted in Munich...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. He also participated to the British Relay 4x100 win, with 38.30 (World Leading Time of 2007).
Pickering soon followed this up with a new personal best (10.14) and a silver medal at the 2007 European Under 23 Championships (Debrecen
Debrecen
Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :...
, Hungary), behind compatriot Simeon Williamson
Simeon Williamson
Simeon Oscar Williamson is an English sprinter of Jamaican descent who specializes in the 100 metres. Williamson, a London native, is the second cousin of British high jumper Germaine Mason. His athletics club is Highgate Harriers...
.
At the 2007 UK Championships and World Trials, Pickering finished second (by 0.01) behind Marlon Devonish
Marlon Devonish
Marlon Ronald Devonish, MBE is an English sprint athlete.He is a member of the Coventry Godiva Harriers athletics club and is coached by Tony Lester. Early in his career he was successful at both 100 and 200 metre distances, winning English Schools and European Junior titles at both, but in recent...
, and was then selected to compete at the World Championships
2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships may refer to:* Alpine skiing: Alpine World Ski Championships 2007* Aquatics: 2007 World Aquatics Championships* Athletics: 2007 World Championships in Athletics**Cross-country running: 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships...
, in the 100 m. He also was part of the 4x100m relay team which won the bronze medal.
He opened his 2008 season with a win at the Norwich Union international match in the 60 m, securing a win for Great Britain, in the international match.
Pickering was GBs solo qualifier to the 100m final at the 2008 Aviva London Grand Prix
London Grand Prix
The Aviva London Grand Prix is an annual athletics event at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London, England.Previously one of the five IAAF Super Grand Prix events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League...
, Crystal Palace, finishing 8th.
3 August 2008 Craig and Simeon were featured in a BBC documentary called Sprint along with other 100m hopefuls Harry Aikines-Aryeetey
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey
Harry Leslie Aikines-Aryeetey is an English sprinter. In 2005 he was named as the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year and the IAAF's Rising Star of the Year after becoming the first athlete to win gold medals at both 100 metres and 200 metres at the World Youth Championships.Aikines-Aryeetey...
and Wade Bennett-Jackson.
In the Beijing Olympics of 2008
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking...
Pickering started his run too early when running the last leg of Great Britain's 4x100m relay team, as a result the baton was not passed properly and the team were disqualified. Pickering took full responsibility.
Competition record
European Indoor Championships, 60m - Silver (2007)European U23 Championships, 100m - Silver (2007)
European Cup, 100m - Gold (2007)
World Championships, 4x100m - Bronze (2007)
World Championships, 100m - 11th (2007)
AAAs Under-23 Championships, 100m - Gold (2006)
European Junior Championships, 100m - Gold (2005)
World Junior Championships, 100m - Bronze (2003)
Personal bests
| Event | Best | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 metres 60 metres 60 metres is a sprint event in track and field athletics. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes... |
6.55 s | Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... , Scotland |
27 January 2007 |
| 100 metres 100 metres The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896... |
10.14 s | Debrecen Debrecen Debrecen , is the second largest city in Hungary after Budapest. Debrecen is the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar county.- Name :... , Hungary |
13 Jul 2007 |
| 100 metres 100 metres The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896... |
10.08 s (wind-aided +2.1m/s) | Ostrava Ostrava Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the... , Czech Republic |
17 June 2009 |
| 200 metres 200 metres A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first... |
20.89 s | Loughborough Loughborough Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University... , England |
23 May 2010 |
External links
- BBC report on his 2005 victory over Campbell
- Craigs Atos Origin Sponsorship page
- http://www.mtc-uk.com/talent/craig-pickering/