Home > Athlete Bios and Their Role > Katharine Merry

Katharine Merry

Katharine is one of Britain’s most outstanding female athletes of all time. Katharine’s success at junior level was outstanding. A GB international from the age of 13 for a record 6 years, she collected a total of 5 World and European Junior Championship medals, as well as lowering many UK age records in a variety of events. At 14 she was the fastest school girl in the world.

Katharine had a smooth transition from a junior to senior athlete when in 1994 she won the 100m and 200m at the AAA’s and took second place in both events at the European Cup in Birmingham. That year Katharine also broke the British indoor record over 200m.

Katharine continued her British No.1 status and again dominated the domestic season winning the 200m National Championships and representing GB at the European Championships in Budapest. Despite a disappointing semi-final place in the 200m she discovered her amazing ability to run 400m. She dominated the 4x400m final running the fastest split of the race, ensuring a Bronze medal position for the team.

Katharine lowered the British record over 200m in the winter of 1999 running 22.83s and her move to 400m half way through the 1999 season resulted in a fantastic 5th place finish in the World Championships. She became the first British woman ever to reach a World Championship 400m final. At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Katharine steamed through to the 400m final, dubbed as the race of the games, where she spectacularly achieved a bronze medal, with a personal best of 49.72s, in front of a 112,000 capacity crowd.

Katharine started 2001 with a bang when she ran a British and Commonwealth Indoor 400m record of 50.53s that placed her 9th on the all time world list, and ended the 2001 outdoor season number one in the world over 400m running her personal best of 49.59s.

Following her retirement in 2005, Katharine now has an established media career presenting on TV and radio. Her journalistic skills have also been honed through regularly writing columns for press and magazines, and she has been a Sports Pundit for BBC TV and Radio, Eurosport and Sky TV, as well as the lead presenter.

In 2006 UK Athletics appointed Katharine as a Norwich Union UKA Mentor to assist current junior athletes through her vast experience. She is also an experienced motivational speaker, working with both sporting organisations and other corporate clients.

She has now taken her passion for athletics and sport and created www.elitementor.com

Super Schools Wales looks forward to introducing Katherine Merry to your schools.

Page Reference : Katharine Merry (Athletics)