Jemma Simpson
Encyclopedia
Jemma Louise Simpson is a Cornish
and British
athlete who competes in the 800 metres
and 1500 metres
. She is the current British champion over 800m, winning both 2007, 2009 and 2010 British Championships
. She is currently coached by Olympic medallist Mark Rowland
.
, at the age of 13, and graduated from St. Mary's College, Twickenham where she studied English and Media.
Simpson has starred as an extra in Neighbours
, and The Da Vinci Code
.
, fourth at the 2002 World Junior Championships
and won a bronze medal at the 2003 European Junior Championships. She also won the gold medal for England
at the 2002 Commonwealth Youth Games
.
In 2005 Simpson won a silver at the European Cup, despite only competing as a replacement for the injured Kelly Holmes
.
Simpson's highlights of the 2006 season were taking sixth place in the 800 metres final at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
and finishing second at the British Championships, behind Rebecca Lyne. She finished 2006, being the fifth fastest British athlete over 800 metres, behind Rebecca Lyne, Susan Scott, Amanda Pritchard and Marilyn Okoro.
After an injury plagued winter, missing many indoor championships and training sessions, Simpson made her major comeback at the British Championships, taking the gold medal, and becoming Britain's number 1 over 800 m. She was then selected for the British
team for the 800 m at the 2007 World Championships
. At the championships, she qualified into the semi-finals, coming second in her heat with a time of 2:00.47 minutes. In the semi-final she finished sixth with a time of 2:00.48 minutes and failed to qualify for the final. Like Simpson fellow British athletes, Marilyn Okoro and Jennifer Meadows both failed at the semi-final stage having finished second in their respective heats. She finished eighth at the 2007 World Athletics Final
.
At the start of the 2010 outdoor season, she set her 1500 m personal best to 4:06.39 at a meeting at Occidental College
, in the United States. She also increased her 800m personal best to 1:58.74 at the Diamond League event in Monaco
on 22 July 2010.
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
and British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
athlete who competes in the 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
and 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
. She is the current British champion over 800m, winning both 2007, 2009 and 2010 British Championships
UK Athletics
UK Athletics is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for overseeing the governance of athletics events in the UK as well as athletes, their development, and athletics officials....
. She is currently coached by Olympic medallist Mark Rowland
Mark Rowland
Mark Robert Rowland is a retired British athlete, who was a bronze medallist at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul....
.
Early life
Simpson attended Mount Charles Junior school, and Penrice School, before receiving a scholarship to MillfieldMillfield
Millfield is an independent school in Street in Somerset, in south-west England.The school currently has a roll of 1,260 pupils, of whom 910 are boarders...
, at the age of 13, and graduated from St. Mary's College, Twickenham where she studied English and Media.
Simpson has starred as an extra in Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
, and The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code (film)
The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman and based on Dan Brown's worldwide bestselling 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code...
.
Career
As a junior athlete, she finished eighth at the 2001 World Youth Championships2001 World Youth Championships in Athletics
The 2001 World Youth Championships in Athletics was the second edition of the World Youth Championships in Athletics. It was held in Debrecen, Hungary from July 12 to July 15, 2001. -Boys:-Girls:-Medals table:...
, fourth at the 2002 World Junior Championships
2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2002 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2002 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Kingston, Jamaica from July 16 to July 21, 2002.-Men:-Women:-Medals table:...
and won a bronze medal at the 2003 European Junior Championships. She also won the gold medal for England
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...
at the 2002 Commonwealth Youth Games
Commonwealth Youth Games
The Commonwealth Youth Games are a small-scale version of the Commonwealth Games, designed for the youth of the 71 Commonwealth countries.-History:...
.
In 2005 Simpson won a silver at the European Cup, despite only competing as a replacement for the injured Kelly Holmes
Kelly Holmes
Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE, MBE is a retired British middle distance athlete. She specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens...
.
Simpson's highlights of the 2006 season were taking sixth place in the 800 metres final at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Athletics at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the athletics events were held in Melbourne, Australia from 19 March to 25 March 2006. A total of 47 events were contested, of which 24 by male and 23 by female athletes. Furthermore, three men's and three women's disability events were held within the programme...
and finishing second at the British Championships, behind Rebecca Lyne. She finished 2006, being the fifth fastest British athlete over 800 metres, behind Rebecca Lyne, Susan Scott, Amanda Pritchard and Marilyn Okoro.
After an injury plagued winter, missing many indoor championships and training sessions, Simpson made her major comeback at the British Championships, taking the gold medal, and becoming Britain's number 1 over 800 m. She was then selected for the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
team for the 800 m at the 2007 World Championships
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
. At the championships, she qualified into the semi-finals, coming second in her heat with a time of 2:00.47 minutes. In the semi-final she finished sixth with a time of 2:00.48 minutes and failed to qualify for the final. Like Simpson fellow British athletes, Marilyn Okoro and Jennifer Meadows both failed at the semi-final stage having finished second in their respective heats. She finished eighth at the 2007 World Athletics Final
2007 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 5th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion in Stuttgart, Germany on September 22 and September 23, 2007.-Men:- Women :-External links:*...
.
At the start of the 2010 outdoor season, she set her 1500 m personal best to 4:06.39 at a meeting at Occidental College
Occidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
, in the United States. She also increased her 800m personal best to 1:58.74 at the Diamond League event in Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
on 22 July 2010.