Helen Clitheroe
Encyclopedia
Helen Teresa Clitheroe (born 2 January 1974 in Preston, England
) is a British
middle- and long-distance runner coached by Trevor Painter. She competed in the 1500 metres
at the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney and in the 3000 m steeplechase
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
. She was the 1500 m bronze medallist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
.
She achieved the Olympic A qualifying standard for the 3000 m steeplechase at the Iberoamericano meeting, in Huelva
on June 13, 2008, where she finished 8th in a time of 9:43.56. Her place in the British team for the Games
was confirmed when she won the British trials in a new national record time of 9:36.98. At the Games she finished sixth in her heat
and did not advance to the next round of competition, despite beating her own national record with a time of 9:29.14. At the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
, in Stuttgart
, Clitheroe placed 9th in the 3000 m steeplechase in a time of 9:39.72.
She completed a spell of high-altitude training in Iten
, Kenya and then came close to a 3000 m lifetime best at the Aviva International Match
in January 2011, finishing with a stadium record run. The May 2011 Great Manchester Run
saw her produce a career best for the 10K as she completed a dominant performance to win the race in a time of 31:45 minutes. She set herself a similar target at the European Cup 10000m
in June 2011, but suffered in hot conditions and finished in fourth with a time of 32:11.29 minutes.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is a British
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...
middle- and long-distance runner coached by Trevor Painter. She competed in the 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney and in the 3000 m steeplechase
Steeplechase (athletics)
The steeplechase is an obstacle race in athletics, which derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing.-Rules:The length of the race is usually 3000 m; junior events are 2000 m, as women's events formerly were. The circuit has four ordinary barriers and one water jump. Over 3000 m, each...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. She was the 1500 m bronze medallist at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
Athletics at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
At the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the athletics events were held at the City of Manchester Stadium from the 26–30 July 2002. The route for the marathon event crossed Manchester city centre and finished in the stadium. The race walk events began alongside the Lowry Centre at Salford Quays...
.
She achieved the Olympic A qualifying standard for the 3000 m steeplechase at the Iberoamericano meeting, in Huelva
Huelva
Huelva is a city in southwestern Spain, the capital of the province of Huelva in the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is located along the Gulf of Cadiz coast, at the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto rivers. According to the 2010 census, the city has a population of 149,410 inhabitants. The...
on June 13, 2008, where she finished 8th in a time of 9:43.56. Her place in the British team for the Games
Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Great Britain competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The United Kingdom was represented by the British Olympic Association , and the team of selected athletes was officially known as Team GB. Britain is one of only five NOCs to have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since 1896...
was confirmed when she won the British trials in a new national record time of 9:36.98. At the Games she finished sixth in her heat
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Women's 3000 metre steeplechase
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.-Round 1:Qualification: First 4 in each heat and the next 3 fastest advance to the Final....
and did not advance to the next round of competition, despite beating her own national record with a time of 9:29.14. At the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
2008 IAAF World Athletics Final
The 6th IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany on September 13 and September 14, 2008.A number of road races also took place on the second day of competition. There were seven different starting points around the Stuttgart area and the distances varied...
, in 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 ....
, Clitheroe placed 9th in the 3000 m steeplechase in a time of 9:39.72.
She completed a spell of high-altitude training in Iten
Iten
Iten is a town in Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It is located along the road between Eldoret and Kabarnet. Elgeyo escarpment and Kerio River are located east of Iten. The town has a population of 4000 ....
, Kenya and then came close to a 3000 m lifetime best at the Aviva International Match
Aviva International Match
The Aviva International Match is an annual indoor track and field athletics meeting which takes place in late January in Glasgow, Scotland. The televised competition is the first major indoor event in the United Kingdom's athletics calendar. It has been held at the Kelvin Hall International Sports...
in January 2011, finishing with a stadium record run. The May 2011 Great Manchester Run
Great Manchester Run
The Bupa Great Manchester Run is an annual 10 kilometre run through the streets in Manchester city centre, which was established in 2003. Usually held in mid-May, it is among the largest and most prestigious mass participation runs in the United Kingdom...
saw her produce a career best for the 10K as she completed a dominant performance to win the race in a time of 31:45 minutes. She set herself a similar target at the European Cup 10000m
European Cup 10000m
The European Cup 10000m is an annual 10,000 metres race for European athletes which was first held in 1997. The competition is organised by the European Athletics Association and first began as the European 10000 Metres Challenge after the event was removed from the European Cup programme...
in June 2011, but suffered in hot conditions and finished in fourth with a time of 32:11.29 minutes.