Priscilla Welch
Encyclopedia
Priscilla June Welch is a British retired marathon
runner
. She had a most unlikely career in international athletics, having been a smoker of a pack a day until she began running competitively at age 35. An officer in the British Army
, Welch met her husband Dave while serving in Norway
. She quit smoking, and under his tutelage, she ran in the 1980 London Marathon
at age 35.
Four years later, she qualified for the British Olympic team at the 1984 Summer Olympics
in Los Angeles
. In the first women's Olympic marathon, Welch finished sixth, remarkable for someone who was nearly 40 years old. On her 40th birthday, Welsh qualified for the masters division and began setting age group world records.
In 1987, she won the New York Marathon with a 2:30:17. This was coupled with her second place finish in London where she set an age group world record running a 2:26:51, good for the sixth fastest time in the world for 1987. She was criticised for passing up the chance to win a medal at the World Championships in Rome
that year. Welch set the age group world record in Boston
by running a 2:30:48 in 1988. This record stood for 14 years.
Welch continued to run until a 1992 bout with breast cancer
curtailed her career. She currently resides in Bend, Oregon
, with family living in Northampton
, England
.
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
runner
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
. She had a most unlikely career in international athletics, having been a smoker of a pack a day until she began running competitively at age 35. An officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, Welch met her husband Dave while serving in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. She quit smoking, and under his tutelage, she ran in the 1980 London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
at age 35.
Four years later, she qualified for the British Olympic team at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In the first women's Olympic marathon, Welch finished sixth, remarkable for someone who was nearly 40 years old. On her 40th birthday, Welsh qualified for the masters division and began setting age group world records.
In 1987, she won the New York Marathon with a 2:30:17. This was coupled with her second place finish in London where she set an age group world record running a 2:26:51, good for the sixth fastest time in the world for 1987. She was criticised for passing up the chance to win a medal at the World Championships in Rome
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
that year. Welch set the age group world record in Boston
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
by running a 2:30:48 in 1988. This record stood for 14 years.
Welch continued to run until a 1992 bout with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
curtailed her career. She currently resides in Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
, with family living in Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, 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...
.
Achievements
- All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise
Representing 1983 Enschede Marathon Enschede MarathonThe Enschede Marathon is an annual marathon race held in the city of Enschede, Netherlands. The race is the distance of a typical marathon . It has been held annually since 1991, after being bi-annual for the previous 44 years. The race crosses the German border through the city of Gronau...Enschede, Netherlands 1st 2:36:32 1984 London Marathon London MarathonThe London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...London, United Kingdom 2nd 2:30:06 Olympic Games Athletics at the 1984 Summer OlympicsAt the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:...Los Angeles, United States Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...6th 2:28:54 1985 Pittsburgh Marathon Pittsburgh MarathonThe Pittsburgh Marathon is a foot race covering held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States. The race was held annually from 1985–2003 , and was revived in 2009 as the "Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon."The 1988 and 2000 races were USA Olympic Trials for women and men,...Pittsburgh, United States United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...4th 2.34.35 Columbus Marathon Columbus MarathonThe Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon, first run in 1980, features a flat, fast course which saw nearly 20 percent of finishers qualify for the Boston Marathon in 2010...Columbus ColumbusColumbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "Colombo". It most commonly refers to:*Christopher Columbus*Columbus, Ohio, United StatesColumbus may also refer to:- People :* Bartholomew Columbus, younger brother of Christopher...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...4th 2.38.06 New York Marathon New York, United States 5th 2.35.30 1987 London Marathon London MarathonThe London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...London, United Kingdom 2nd 2:26:51 New York City Marathon New York City MarathonThe New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...New York, United States 1st 2:30:17 1988 Boston Marathon Boston MarathonThe Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...Boston, United States 4th 2.30.53 1989 New York City Marathon New York City MarathonThe New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...New York, United States 12th 2:36:15