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Marlon Devonish

Marlon is a member of the Coventry Godiva Harriers athletics club and is coached by Tony Lester. Early in his career he was successful at both 100 and 200 metre distances, winning English Schools and European Junior titles at both, but in recent years he has concentrated mostly on the longer distance. He has also been a regular member of both the British and, at the Commonwealth Games, English 4 x 100 metre sprint relay teams, to some considerable success.

The most notable achievement of his career to date came at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. There Marlon, along with Jason Gardener, Darren Campbell and Mark Lewis-Francis, won a gold medal in the 4 x 100 m. relay, where the quartet defeated the pre-race favourites, United States team, by just 0.01 seconds, in a season's best of 38.07.

At the British Championships (and team trials for the 2006 European Championships) in July 2006, Marlon became the first man since Linford Christie in 1988 to win both the 100 m and 200 m races at the event. At the championship finals, he took the bronze medal in the 200 m.

Marlon retained his 100 m title at the British Championships the following year. For the 2007 season Marlon improved his performance in the 100 m with a new personal best and competed in this event at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka rather than the 200 m which he had previously specialised in. Marlon finished 6th in the 100 m final.

In 2008 at the Olympic Games in Beijing he struggled to find his true form and went out in the semi finals of the 2008.

Marlon loves to take part in super Schools juggling it around his hectic training schedule. His appearances are a true inspiration to young people in this country and is a major part of the Super Schools team.

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