Kelly Holmes
Born in Tunbridge Wells, KentBorn on 19th of April 1970
Died in 000
(full name and title: Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE)
Born: April 19, 1970
Kelly Holmes is a former British middle-distance runner who retired from athletics after her stunning success at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
Born in Pembury in Kent, Holmes was the child of a Jamaican born father and an English mother. As a teenager Holmes won the English Schools 1500m title at the age of only 13. Despite this early success and that her hero was Sebastian Coe, she decided to join the army at 18 and temporarily turned away from athletics. In the army she became British Army Judo champion and took part in army athletics events.
Holmes had to watch athletes whom she had competed against, and beaten, appear in the 1992 Olympic Games. This prompted her to return to athletics again, at first combining the army and athletics. Increased funding in 1997 allowed her to become a full time professional athlete, meanwhile her reputation continued to build as a top competitor.
Kelly Homes had been setting British records and hopes were high for the 1996 Olympics. However, after a disappointing fourth place, it was revealed that Holmes had been running with a stress fracture. Injury continued to haunt Kelly for the next few years. She managed to get a Bronze medal at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, despite the interruptions through injury to her training.
In 2004 Holmes finally managed to get to an Olympic Games injury free, having been able to train properly all season. She was persuaded to run the 800m along with her original plan to run the 1500m; a decision made only five days before the events started.
Feeling strong and confident, Holmes lined up for the 800m final against her old rival Maria Mutola. Holmes mounted a strong attack down the home straight, beating off Mutola to find herself in a desperate chase for the line with Hasna Benhassi, Tatyana Andrianova and Jolanda Ceplak. Kelly Holmes just managed to edge to the front for a fighting gold as all four crossed the line almost together. It was the first track gold for a British woman since Sally Gunnell 12 years earlier in 1992 and the first 800m gold since Ann Packer way back in 1964.
A few days later she was lined up again in an Olympic final, this time for the 1500m race. Many of the same names she had beaten for gold in the 800m were lined up, all up and ready to get their revenge. Holmes, however, ran a superb tactical race and stormed through from eighth place to take the lead on the home straight. Holmes was unstoppable as she stormed to gold by a three metre advantage.
This achievement was one of the most successful Olympic performances by a British Woman. The double victory also made her the oldest woman to win Olympic Gold at either, let alone both, the 800m and 1500m events.
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