Steve Jones (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Steve Jones is a Welsh
athlete and former world marathon record holder.
Steve Jones was born in St James' Hospital Tredegar and grew up in the neighbouring town of Ebbw Vale
, Wales, Jones began his career as an aircraft technician in the Royal Air Force
. He began training for the marathon in 1983 and, up until then, his career had been focused on the 10,000 m.
In 1984, a year after dropping out of his first marathon in Chicago
and two months after finishing 8th in the 1984 Olympic 10,000 metres, he won the Chicago Marathon
, coming in at 2:08:05 and thus breaking the world record of Australian Robert de Castella
by 13 seconds.
He won the London Marathon
in spring 1985 in 2:08:16. In October 1985 he achieved his career best marathon time of 2:07:13 in winning the Chicago Marathon
, at that time only one second slower than the world record run by Carlos Lopes
at the Rotterdam Marathon
earlier that same year. This time remains the fastest of any British runner.
In 1986 he won a bronze medal in the 10,000 m at the Commonwealth Games
. In the European Championships shortly after, he once again competed in the marathon. Leading from the start and breaking away from the pack, Jones ran a brilliant race up to the 20 mile mark. At that point he was leading by over two minutes and on schedule for another world record. However, he then "hit the wall" and suffered terribly in the final six miles. He slowed to a virtual shuffle, but refused to quit as he watched other competitors catch and pass him. Two years later, in the 1988 New York City Marathon
, Jones won by over three minutes with a time of 2:08:20.
He was the first Welsh athlete to appear on the cover of the prestigious running magazine Running Times.
Jones currently lives in Boulder, Colorado
in the United States.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
athlete and former world marathon record holder.
Steve Jones was born in St James' Hospital Tredegar and grew up in the neighbouring town of Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River, south Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough...
, Wales, Jones began his career as an aircraft technician in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. He began training for the marathon in 1983 and, up until then, his career had been focused on the 10,000 m.
In 1984, a year after dropping out of his first marathon in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and two months after finishing 8th in the 1984 Olympic 10,000 metres, he won the Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
, coming in at 2:08:05 and thus breaking the world record of Australian Robert de Castella
Robert de Castella
Robert Francois de Castella, MBE is an Australian former world champion marathon runner. He is widely known as "Deek" or "Deeks" to the Australian public, and "Tree" to his competitors due to his thick legs and inner calm...
by 13 seconds.
He won the 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,...
in spring 1985 in 2:08:16. In October 1985 he achieved his career best marathon time of 2:07:13 in winning the Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
, at that time only one second slower than the world record run by Carlos Lopes
Carlos Lopes
Carlos Alberto de Sousa Lopes, GCIH, is a former Portuguese long-distance athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1984 Summer Olympics, in Los Angeles. He brought home Portugal's first ever Olympic gold medal along with a new Olympic record - 2:09.21.Born in Vildemoinhos, near Viseu, Portugal,...
at the Rotterdam Marathon
Rotterdam Marathon
The Rotterdam Marathon is an annual marathon that has been held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands since 1981. It has been held in April of every year since the third edition in 1984, and attracts many top athletes. It has also been ranked as one of the top 10 marathons in the world by Runner's World...
earlier that same year. This time remains the fastest of any British runner.
In 1986 he won a bronze medal in the 10,000 m at the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
. In the European Championships shortly after, he once again competed in the marathon. Leading from the start and breaking away from the pack, Jones ran a brilliant race up to the 20 mile mark. At that point he was leading by over two minutes and on schedule for another world record. However, he then "hit the wall" and suffered terribly in the final six miles. He slowed to a virtual shuffle, but refused to quit as he watched other competitors catch and pass him. Two years later, in the 1988 New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The 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...
, Jones won by over three minutes with a time of 2:08:20.
He was the first Welsh athlete to appear on the cover of the prestigious running magazine Running Times.
Jones currently lives in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
in the United States.
Achievements
| Representing and | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | World Championships 1983 World Championships in Athletics The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983.... |
Helsinki, Finland | 12th | 10,000 m | 28:15.03 1983 World Championships in Athletics - Men's 10.000 metres These are the official results of the men's 10,000 metres event at the 1983 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 36 participating athletes, with two qualifying heats and the final held on Tuesday 9 August 1983.... |
| 1984 | Chicago Marathon Chicago Marathon The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race... |
Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
1st | Marathon | 2:08:05 |
| 1985 | 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,... |
London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom 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... |
1st | Marathon | 2:08:16 |
| Chicago Marathon Chicago Marathon The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race... |
Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
1st | Marathon | 2:07:13 | |
| 1986 | European Championships 1986 European Championships in Athletics The 14th European Athletics Championships were held from 26 to 31 August 1986 at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart, a city in West Germany.-Track:1978 | 1982 | 1986 | 1990 | 1994-Field:1978 | 1982 | 1986 | 1990 | 1994-Track:... |
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 .... , West Germany West Germany West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990.... |
20th | Marathon | 2:22:12 |
| 1988 | New York City Marathon New York City Marathon The 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 | Marathon | 2:08:20 |
| 1990 | Commonwealth Games 1990 Commonwealth Games The 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Auckland, New Zealand from 24 January-3 February 1990. It was the 14th Commonwealth Games, and part of New Zealand's 1990 sesquicentennial celebrations. Participants competed in ten sports: athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, judo,... |
Auckland, New Zealand | 4th | Marathon | 2:12:44 Athletics at the 1990 Commonwealth Games At the 1990 Commonwealth Games, the athletics events were held at the Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand from 28 January to 3 February 1990. A total of 42 events were contested, 23 by male and 19 by female athletes.-Men:-Women:... |
| 1993 | World Championships 1993 World Championships in Athletics The 4th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany between August 13 and August 22 with the participation of 187 nations.... |
Stuttgart, Germany | 13th | Marathon | 2:20:04 |