Lisa Dobriskey
Encyclopedia
Lisa Jane Dobriskey is an English middle distance
athlete. She was the Commonwealth
champion in the 1500 m in 2006. More recently, she won a silver medal in the 1500 m at the 2009 World Championships
.
. She was born in Ashford, Kent
and spent her childhood in New Romney
before attending Loughborough University
. Her younger brothers David and Steven reached county level at middle distance running, javelin and discus. Her father is a soil consultant, presently working for construction company Sir Robert McAlpine
at the site of the 2012 London Olympics.
Dobriskey is married to former 800 m runner Ricky Soos.
she was 4th in the Junior girls in 1998 and 3rd in the Intermediates in 1999. She was 2nd in the Inter-counties U15 cc in 1999.
She won the gold medal in the women's 1500 m event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
She finished 4th in the final of the 1500 m in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, resulting in her ranking fourth in the world for the 1500 m. After this, she won the Fifth Avenue Mile
competition with the second fastest ever time recorded by a female athlete at the race.
After suffering a stress fracture in her back early in the 2009 season, she finished third in the 1500 m at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany. Dobriskey was upgraded to silver after winner Natalia Rodriguez
of Spain was disqualified for shoving Ethiopia
n Gelete Burika, who fell on the last lap.
, behind Kelly Holmes
.
Middle distance track event
Middle distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the...
athlete. She was the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
champion in the 1500 m in 2006. More recently, she won a silver medal in the 1500 m at the 2009 World Championships
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
.
Personal life
Dobriskey's family history has been traced back to 1780 when her ancestors moved to the United Kingdom from PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. She was born in Ashford, Kent
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
and spent her childhood in New Romney
New Romney
New Romney is a small town in Kent, England, on the edge of Romney Marsh, an area of flat, rich agricultural land reclaimed from the sea after the harbour began to be silted up. New Romney was once a sea port, with the harbour adjacent to the church, but is now more than a mile from the sea...
before attending Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
. Her younger brothers David and Steven reached county level at middle distance running, javelin and discus. Her father is a soil consultant, presently working for construction company Sir Robert McAlpine
Sir Robert McAlpine
Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd. is a private British company headquartered in London. It carries out engineering and construction for the oil and gas, petrochemical, power generation, nuclear, pharmaceutical, defence, chemical, water and mining industries.-History:...
at the site of the 2012 London Olympics.
Dobriskey is married to former 800 m runner Ricky Soos.
Career
After winning her school's 800 m at aged 11, her teachers suggested that she join the local athletic club. Dobriskey won Amateur Athletic Association titles at Under 15/17/20 and 23. She was the fastest British under-17 girl at 800 metres (2:08.67) and fourth fastest at 1500 m (4:31.7) in 1999, and the third fastest at 1500 m (4:28.10) in 2000. She won the English Schools 800 m title for Juniors in 1998 and for Intermediates in 1999 and made her junior international debut indoors against Germany and France at 1500 m in 2000. In the English Schools cross country runningCross 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...
she was 4th in the Junior girls in 1998 and 3rd in the Intermediates in 1999. She was 2nd in the Inter-counties U15 cc in 1999.
She won the gold medal in the women's 1500 m event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
She finished 4th in the final of the 1500 m in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, resulting in her ranking fourth in the world for the 1500 m. After this, she won the Fifth Avenue Mile
Fifth Avenue Mile
The Fifth Avenue Mile is an annual road race in New York City. The race begins at East 80th Street and heads straight down Fifth Avenue to East 60th Street...
competition with the second fastest ever time recorded by a female athlete at the race.
After suffering a stress fracture in her back early in the 2009 season, she finished third in the 1500 m at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany. Dobriskey was upgraded to silver after winner Natalia Rodriguez
Natalia Rodríguez (athlete)
Natalia Rodríguez Martínez is a Spanish middle distance runner who specializes in the 1500 metres. She represented Spain at the Summer Olympics in 2000, 2004 and 2008....
of Spain was disqualified for shoving Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n Gelete Burika, who fell on the last lap.
Statistics
Lisa Dobriskey's personal best in the 1500 m ranks her second on the British all-time listBritish records in athletics
British records in athletics are the best performances in athletics events by athletes representing the United Kingdom which are ratified by the Amateur Athletic Association and the British Amateur Athletic Board .-History:...
, behind Kelly Holmes
Kelly Holmes
Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE, MBE is a retired British middle distance athlete. She specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens...
.
Personal bests
| Event | Time | Year | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400 m | 56.00 | 2002 | Eton Eton, Berkshire Eton is a town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, lying on the opposite bank of the River Thames to Windsor and connected to it by Windsor Bridge. The parish also includes the large village of Eton Wick, 2 miles west of the town, and has a population of 4,980. Eton was in Buckinghamshire until... |
| 800 m | 2:00.14 | 2010 | London |
| 1500 m | 3:59.50 | 2009 | Zurich Zürich Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich... |
| 3000 m | 8:54.12 | 2007 | Loughborough Loughborough Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University... |