Kerryn McCann
Encyclopedia
Kerryn McCann was an Australia
n athlete. She was best known for winning the marathon at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.
, New South Wales
, in 1967.
In 1991 she married Greg McCann, a surfer
who represented Australia twice in international competition, and was Australian champion in 1983. Their first son, Benton, was born in 1997; daughter Josie was born in 2003.
In August 2007 it was announced that McCann, who was expecting her third child at the time, was being treated for breast cancer
. She had surgery to remove the lump and was later induced, giving birth to son Cooper on 5 September 2007 (6 weeks premature). She then began a 20-week course of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Cooper spent several weeks in a neonatal ward, undergoing steroid treatment, to aid the growth of his lungs. “It was really hard seeing him with the tubes and drip and monitor - this tiny baby,” McCann said, two months after his birth.
However, by May 2008 the cancer had spread
to her liver
. McCann died at her home on 8 December 2008, surrounded by her family.
championship in 1979. However, McCann gave up competitive athletics until taking it up again near the end of high school, running her first marathon
at the age of seventeen. At age 19 she ran the marathon at the Australian Championships, placing 3rd.
McCann won her first Australian championship events in 1988, placing first in the one mile race, and first in the marathon, having previously come third in the marathon in 1986. McCann has subsequently won Australian championships in cross country (1992 and 1999), 10,000 metres (in 2002) and again in the marathon in 1993.
At the 1994 Commonwealth Games
in Victoria
, Canada
, McCann placed tenth in the marathon, and at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta
, United States
, she finished 28th.
McCann took a break from professional competition for the birth of her first son, returning in 1999. At the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney
, Australia, McCann finished eleventh in the marathon. Later in the year she placed fifth in the London Marathon
, in a time of 2:25.59, her personal best and an Australian record. She achieved a seventh place in the New York Marathon in 2002. McCann's best result in international competition came later in 2002 at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
in Manchester
, United Kingdom
, where she won gold ahead of fellow Australians, Krishna Stanton and Jackie Gallagher
.
McCann again took a break from competition for the birth of her daughter, before commencing training in late 2003 and returning to competition in 2004, competing in the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens
, Greece
, finishing 31st in the marathon.
In 2005, she won the 14 kilometre, City to Surf
in a time of 46 minutes 27 seconds.
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games
in Melbourne
, Australia, at the age of thirty-eight, McCann defended her Commonwealth title, winning gold in the marathon in a time of 2:30:54, just two seconds ahead of Kenya
n, Hellen Cherono Koskei. The time was her second best result ever in marathons. The lead changed six times in the final two kilometres of the race, before McCann pulled clear in the final two hundred metres around the athletics track inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground
. McCann described the race as "probably the greatest victory I've ever had, or the greatest race I've ever run."
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n athlete. She was best known for winning the marathon at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Personal life
McCann was born Kerryn Hindmarsh in BulliBulli, New South Wales
Bulli is a northern suburb of Wollongong situated on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. Bulli is derived from an Aboriginal word signifying "double or two mountains"....
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, in 1967.
In 1991 she married Greg McCann, a surfer
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
who represented Australia twice in international competition, and was Australian champion in 1983. Their first son, Benton, was born in 1997; daughter Josie was born in 2003.
In August 2007 it was announced that McCann, who was expecting her third child at the time, was being treated for breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
. She had surgery to remove the lump and was later induced, giving birth to son Cooper on 5 September 2007 (6 weeks premature). She then began a 20-week course of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Cooper spent several weeks in a neonatal ward, undergoing steroid treatment, to aid the growth of his lungs. “It was really hard seeing him with the tubes and drip and monitor - this tiny baby,” McCann said, two months after his birth.
However, by May 2008 the cancer had spread
Metastasis
Metastasis, or metastatic disease , is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. It was previously thought that only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize; however, this is being reconsidered due to new research...
to her liver
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
. McCann died at her home on 8 December 2008, surrounded by her family.
Athletics career
McCann had an early interest in athletics, winning the New South Wales primary school cross countryCross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
championship in 1979. However, McCann gave up competitive athletics until taking it up again near the end of high school, running her first marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
at the age of seventeen. At age 19 she ran the marathon at the Australian Championships, placing 3rd.
McCann won her first Australian championship events in 1988, placing first in the one mile race, and first in the marathon, having previously come third in the marathon in 1986. McCann has subsequently won Australian championships in cross country (1992 and 1999), 10,000 metres (in 2002) and again in the marathon in 1993.
At the 1994 Commonwealth Games
1994 Commonwealth Games
The 1994 Commonwealth Games were held in Victoria, in the province of British Columbia in Canada, from 18 August to 28 August 1994.The XV Commonwealth Games marked South Africa's return to the Commonwealth Games following the apartheid era, and over 30 years since the country last competed in the...
in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, McCann placed tenth in the marathon, and at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics - Women's marathon
The Women's Marathon at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia was held on Sunday July 28, 1996 . Sixty-five athletes finished the race while twenty-one dropped out mid-competition...
in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, she finished 28th.
McCann took a break from professional competition for the birth of her first son, returning in 1999. 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
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia, McCann finished eleventh in the marathon. Later in the year she placed fifth in the London Marathon
London Marathon
The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
, in a time of 2:25.59, her personal best and an Australian record. She achieved a seventh place in the New York Marathon in 2002. McCann's best result in international competition came later in 2002 at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, United Kingdom
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...
, where she won gold ahead of fellow Australians, Krishna Stanton and Jackie Gallagher
Jackie Gallagher (triathlete)
Jackie Fairweather is an Australian triathlete and long-distance runner.Gallagher began competing in triathlon in 1992 and won the elite Australian National Series in her first season. She spent eight years as a professional triathlete...
.
McCann again took a break from competition for the birth of her daughter, before commencing training in late 2003 and returning to competition in 2004, competing in the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, finishing 31st in the marathon.
In 2005, she won the 14 kilometre, City to Surf
City to Surf
City2Surf is a popular road running event held annually in Sydney, Australia covering a course. The event is a "fun run" as well as a race, attracting both serious runners and community participants who can choose to run or to walk...
in a time of 46 minutes 27 seconds.
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia, at the age of thirty-eight, McCann defended her Commonwealth title, winning gold in the marathon in a time of 2:30:54, just two seconds ahead of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n, Hellen Cherono Koskei. The time was her second best result ever in marathons. The lead changed six times in the final two kilometres of the race, before McCann pulled clear in the final two hundred metres around the athletics track inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
. McCann described the race as "probably the greatest victory I've ever had, or the greatest race I've ever run."
Achievements
- All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise
Representing 1995 World Championships 1995 World Championships in AthleticsThe 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....Gothenburg, Sweden 15th 2:36:29 1996 Olympic Games Athletics at the 1996 Summer OlympicsAt the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 44 events in athletics were contested, 24 by men and 20 by women. There were a total number of 2053 participating athletes from 191 countries.-Men:...Atlanta, United States Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...28th 2:36:41 2000 Olympic Games Athletics at the 2000 Summer OlympicsAt the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, 46 events in athletics were contested, 24 for men and 22 for women. There were a total number of 2134 participating athletes from 193 countries.-Men's events:...Sydney, Australia 11th 2:28:37 Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's marathonThe Women's Marathon event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on September 24, 2000 in the streets of Sydney, Australia.-Medalists:-Abbreviations:*All times shown are in hours:minutes:seconds-Records:-Startlist:-Intermediates:...2001 Chicago Marathon Chicago MarathonThe Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
> 3rd2:26:04 2002 Commonwealth Games Commonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....Manchester, United Kingdom 1st 2:30:05 2004 Olympic Games Athletics at the 2004 Summer OlympicsAt the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put...Athens, Greece 31st 2:41:41 Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's MarathonThe Women's Marathon event at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place on August 22, 2004 in the streets of Athens, Greece. World record holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain started as favourite for the race, and led from the start. However, she was overtaken by Mizuki Noguchi, from Japan and...2006 Commonwealth Games Commonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....Melbourne, Australia 1st 2:30:54
Personal bests
- 5000 metres: 15:08.69 (2000 - Australian record)
- 10000 metres 31.55.94 (1999)
- Half marathonHalf marathonA half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
: 1:07.48 (2000 - Australian record) - Marathon: 2:25.59 (2000)
External links