Stephanie Twell
Encyclopedia
Stephanie April "Steph" Twell (born 17 August 1989 in Colchester
) is a Scottish middle distance
runner. She was the winner of the 1500 metres
at the World Junior Championships
in 2008, and is a three time winner of the European Cross Country Championships
junior women's race as well as being part of four winning Great Britain teams.
, Spain
on 1 August 2010. She competed in the women's 1500 metres at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
and came sixth in her heat, with the 11th best time overall, out of 33 competitors.
In September 2008, Twell was named European Athletics Rising Star of 2008. In January 2009 she was named "Telegraph Ten for 2012" - 10 of Britain's brightest young sports stars in The Daily Telegraph
.
She began the 2009 cross country season well, winning at the Antrim International Cross Country
. A few months later, Twell finished 38th in the 2009 World Cross Country Championships in Jordan
. Although she was the fastest Briton in the race, she was disappointed with her performance and stated that she resolved to do better in the next championships.
She set a new personal best in the 5000 metres
in May 2009, winning the Artur Takac Memorial in 15:18.47 – a meeting record.
She had a disappointing run at the 2009 European Team Championships
over 3000 m, finishing in fourth in a time well outside her PB. At the 2009 World Championships
she was never in contention in her heat at 1500 m and then when one of the favourites she was only 11th in the European Cross Country Championships (under 23 race).
Her 2010 was marked by improvements in her personal bests on the track. She set a 1500 metres
best at the Weltklasse Zurich
Diamond League meeting, finishing third and ahead of Lisa Dobriskey
with a time of 4:02.54. Stepping up to the 5000 m at the Memorial van Damme
in Brussels, she smashed her previous best by 22 seconds to set a new Scottish record of 14.54.08, breaking Yvonne Murray
's 15-year-old mark. She ran at the Women's 5K Challenge in London in August 2010 and took third place behind Sylvia Kibet
and Linet Masai
. Reflecting on the race, she said: "To run 15:32 is great for me and third was just what I aimed for."
Twell suffered a fractured ankle competing in a cross-country race in Belgium in February 2011.
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
) is a Scottish middle distance
Middle distance track event
Middle distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the...
runner. She was the winner of the 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...
at the World Junior Championships
2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2008 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Bydgoszcz in Poland at the Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium between 8 and 13 July 2008....
in 2008, and is a three time winner of the European Cross Country Championships
European Cross Country Championships
The European Cross Country Championships is an annual international cross country running competition. Organised by the European Athletic Association, it is the area championships for the region and is held in December each year...
junior women's race as well as being part of four winning Great Britain teams.
Career
Her personal best time for the 1500 metres is 4:02.70, set in BarcelonaBarcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
on 1 August 2010. She competed in the women's 1500 metres at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and came sixth in her heat, with the 11th best time overall, out of 33 competitors.
In September 2008, Twell was named European Athletics Rising Star of 2008. In January 2009 she was named "Telegraph Ten for 2012" - 10 of Britain's brightest young sports stars in The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
.
She began the 2009 cross country season well, winning at the Antrim International Cross Country
Antrim International Cross Country
The Antrim International Cross Country, formerly the Belfast International Cross Country, is an annual cross country running meeting which takes place every January in Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is one of the IAAF's cross country permit meetings, as well as being part of the UK Cross Challenge tour...
. A few months later, Twell finished 38th in the 2009 World Cross Country Championships in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. Although she was the fastest Briton in the race, she was disappointed with her performance and stated that she resolved to do better in the next championships.
She set a new personal best in the 5000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
in May 2009, winning the Artur Takac Memorial in 15:18.47 – a meeting record.
She had a disappointing run at the 2009 European Team Championships
2009 European Team Championships
The first SPAR European Team Championships took place on 20 and 21 June 2009. The track and field athletics tournament run by European Athletics was the successor of the old European Cup competition which was held annually until 2008...
over 3000 m, finishing in fourth in a time well outside her PB. At the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
she was never in contention in her heat at 1500 m and then when one of the favourites she was only 11th in the European Cross Country Championships (under 23 race).
Her 2010 was marked by improvements in her personal bests on the track. She set a 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...
best at the Weltklasse Zurich
Weltklasse Zürich
Weltklasse Zürich is an annual track and field meeting at the Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. One of the first large-scale international athletics events , it is sometimes referred to as the one day...
Diamond League meeting, finishing third and ahead of Lisa Dobriskey
Lisa Dobriskey
Lisa Jane Dobriskey is an English middle distance athlete. She was the Commonwealth champion in the 1500 m in 2006. More recently, she won a silver medal in the 1500 m at the 2009 World Championships....
with a time of 4:02.54. Stepping up to the 5000 m at the Memorial van Damme
Memorial Van Damme
Memorial van Damme is an annual athletics event at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium that takes place in late August or early September...
in Brussels, she smashed her previous best by 22 seconds to set a new Scottish record of 14.54.08, breaking Yvonne Murray
Yvonne Murray
Yvonne Murray MBE , is a Scottish former middle-distance and long-distance track and road-running athlete. She won a bronze medal in the 3000 metres at the 1988 Olympic Games, and gold medals at this distance at the 1993 World Indoor Championships and the 1990 European Championships...
's 15-year-old mark. She ran at the Women's 5K Challenge in London in August 2010 and took third place behind Sylvia Kibet
Sylvia Kibet
Sylvia Jebiwott Kibet is an Kenyan long-distance runner. She was the silver medallist at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in the 5000 metres...
and Linet Masai
Linet Masai
Linet Chepkwemoi Masai is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in track and cross country running events...
. Reflecting on the race, she said: "To run 15:32 is great for me and third was just what I aimed for."
Twell suffered a fractured ankle competing in a cross-country race in Belgium in February 2011.
Competition record
| 2006 | World Junior Championships in Athletics 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics The 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2006 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held from 15 August to 20 August at the Chaoyang Sports Center in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China.... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... |
8th | 1500 m |
| 2008 | World Junior Championships in Athletics 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics The 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2008 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Bydgoszcz in Poland at the Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium between 8 and 13 July 2008.... |
Bydgoszcz, Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
1st | 1500 m |
| Olympic Games 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events... |
Beijing, China | 6th (heat) | 1500 m Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 1500 metres -Round 1:Qualification: First 3 in each heat and the next 3 fastest advance to the Final.-Final:-Splits:... |
|
| 2010 | Commonwealth Games 2010 Commonwealth Games The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date... |
Delhi Delhi Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census... , India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
3rd | 1500 m Athletics at the 2010 Commonwealth Games – Women's 1500 metres The Women's 1500 metres at the 2010 Commonwealth Games as part of the athletics programme was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Thursday 7 October till Friday 8 October 2010.... |
Personal bests
| Event | Time | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 metres 400 metres The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and... |
58.19 | 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... , England |
6 June 2006 |
| 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... |
2:02.59 | Watford Watford Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban... , England |
12 June 2010 |
| 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... |
4:02.54 | Zurich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich... , Switzerland |
19 August 2010 |
| One mile | 4:28.16 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium |
14 September 2007 |
| 3000 metres 3000 metres The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and... |
8:50.89 | Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... , Germany |
14 September 2008 |
| 5000 metres 5000 metres The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event... |
14:54.08 | Brussels Brussels Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union... , Belgium |
27 August 2010 |
- All information taken from IAAF profile.