British Olympic Association Announces Athletes to Compete For TEAM GB in the Sydney Olympic Games
The British Olympic Association is pleased to announce that the following athletes have been selected to represent Great Britain as members of Team GB at the forthcoming Olympic Games in Sydney.
Andres Jones Men’s 10,000 metres
Karl Keska Men’s 10,000 metres
Jon Brown Men’s Marathon
Keith Cullen Men’s Marathon
Mark Steinle Men’s Marathon
Chris Maddox Men’s 50 kilometre Walk
Marian Sutton Women’s Marathon
Lisa Kehler Women’s 20 kilometre Walk
The remaining athletes in Team GB will be announced shortly after the athletics trials which take place between August 11th and 13th.
Simon Clegg, Team GB’s Chef de Mission for the Sydney Olympic Games said: ‘I am delighted to welcome the first athletics members of Team GB. Sydney will provide a memorable backdrop for the walkers and marathon runners and Stadium Australia is a world class arena for those competing in track and field.’
Biographical information on Team GB athletes:
ANDRES JONES
Age 23
Swansea Harriers
PB 28:00.50
AAA Under 20 5000m Champion in 1996, Andres won the Welsh Senior 10,000m title in 1998 and was eleventh in the European Under 23 Championships in Gothenburg last summer. This year began with an easy victory over 10,000m at the Inter Counties Championships. Thereafter he has taken huge amounts off his personal bests for 3000m (19 seconds to 7:54.12) and 5000m (down from 14:09.22 to 13:54.31). He made a truly remarkable breakthrough to place second in the AAA Championship 10,000m in 28:00.50, an improvement of some 77 seconds on his personal best. His time was the fastest recorded by a Briton in this country since 1995.
KARL KESKA
Age 28
Birchfield Harriers
PB 28:00.56
Britain’s number one 5000m runner in 1998 when he placed fourth in the Commonwealth Games, Karl finished 13th in the World Cross Country Championships in Vilamoura. A month later he contested the European 10,000m challenge in Lisbon and improved by over a minute to clock 28:00.56 for second place.
JON BROWN
Age 29
Sheffield AC
PB 2:09:44
Successful over distances from 5000m (4th in 1994 Commonwealth Games) to Marathon (4th in London in 1999). Jon has also finished fourth in the European Championships 10,000m and won Gold in the European Cross Country Championships. British record holder for 10,000m, he has run three marathons, starting with ninth in Chicago in 1997 and then eighth in London the following year before his sub 2:10 effort in 1999.
KEITH CULLEN
Age 28
Chelmsford AC
PB 2:13:37
Keith becomes the first British athlete to compete in the steeplechase (at which he competed in Atlanta) and marathon at the Olympic Games. Highly versatile, he was Britain’s top 10,000m runner last year and is a four time winner of the UK Cross Country title. On his marathon debut in London this year, he placed 15th in 2:13.37.
MARK STEINLE
Age 25
Blackheath Harriers Bromley
PB 2:11:18
Mark was the first Briton home (in 11th) on his marathon debut this April in London. His time of 2:11.18 being well inside the qualifying standard of 2:14.00. He is a former AAA 10,000m winner and half marathon runner up. Internationally, he was fourth in last years World Student Games at the half marathon distance.
CHRIS MADDOCKS
Age 43
Plymouth City Walkers
PB 3:51:37
Chris becomes the first British man in the sport of athletics to take part in five Olympic Games. In his first (in 1984) he placed 16th in the 50km Walk, a position he repeated eight years later over 20km. Britain’s number one at 20km in 1999, he returned to the longer distance this year to clock 3:57.10 in March – his best time for five years.
MARIAN SUTTON
Age 36
Westbury Harriers
PB 2:28:42
Marian has been among Britain’s top three marathon runners since 1995. Twice a winner of the Chicago Marathon, it was in the American city that she recorded her personal best of 2:28.42 last October. A former British Champion at 10,000m on the road, she placed 13th in the World Championships marathon in 1993 in Stuttgart. This will be her first Olympic Games.
LISA KEHLER
Age 33
Wolverhampton & Bilston AC
PB 1:33:57
Lisa has won Commonwealth Bronze medals over 10 km in 1990 and 1998. Her first national title came back in 1986 when she was a teenager and she placed 36th in the 1992 Olympics. She made her 20km debut in March, broke the British Record with 1:35.35 on her next outing in April and then improved once more when 23rd in the European Cup in Germany in June.
For more information contact Mark Howell (ext. 213), Philip Pope (ext. 233) or Becki Middleton (ext. 215) in the BOA Press Office on 0208 871 2677.
Source: British Olympic Association