Perri Shakes-Drayton
Encyclopedia
Perri Shakes-Drayton is a British athlete who specialises in the 400 metres hurdles
. She came to prominence at the English Schools Championships where she set a UK junior record time in the 400 m hurdles. She made her first major international appearance at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics
where she finished eighth, achieving a new personal best of 57.52 seconds. She took the silver medal at the 2007 European Athletics Junior Championships
with a time of 56.46 s, a national junior record in the event.
Shakes-Drayton won the 400 m hurdles at the 2008 Olympic trials but failed to obtain the A grade selection standard, thus veteran Tasha Danvers
was chosen to represent Great Britain instead, and went on to win the bronze medal. However, she is considered to be a medal prospect for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. At the 2009 British Championships in Birmingham
, she finished second in the 400 metres
behind reigning world champion Christine Ohuruogu
, setting a new personal best. Further success came on the junior circuit at the 2009 European Athletics U23 Championships
, where set won the 400 m hurdles gold medal with a run of 55.26 seconds, another personal best. Having secured a place on the Great Britain team
, she set her sights on the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
, remarking: "I like people talking about me. It means I must be doing some things right. Now I have to live up to the hype because hype is pointless if you don't live up to it.".
She ran at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
in Berlin
and reached the semi-finals of the competition. However, she finished seventh in the race with a time of 57.57 seconds and did not compete in the final. She ran a personal best of 54.91 seconds for the 400 m hurdles to win at the Memorial Primo Nebiolo
in June 2010.
In the absence of Tasha Danvers, Shakes-Drayton and Eilidh Child
were the sole representatives for Great Britain
at the 2010 European Championships in Athletics
. Shakes-Drayton finished 2nd in her heat, with a time of 55.35. She then finished 3rd in her semi-final to qualify for the final in a new personal best of 54.73. In the final she finished third to win the bronze medal with a new personal best of 54.18.
All information from IAAF profile and BBC Sport
, where she still lives. She attended Holy Family R.C. Primary School in Poplar, London
and Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School in Stepney
. She is currently studying sport science at Brunel University.
400 metres hurdles
The 400 metres hurdles is an Olympic athletics event in track and field. On a standard outdoor track 400 metres is the length of the inside lane once around the stadium. Runners stay in their lane the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear ten hurdles that are evenly...
. She came to prominence at the English Schools Championships where she set a UK junior record time in the 400 m hurdles. She made her first major international appearance at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics
2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2006 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2006 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held from 15 August to 20 August at the Chaoyang Sports Center in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China....
where she finished eighth, achieving a new personal best of 57.52 seconds. She took the silver medal at the 2007 European Athletics Junior Championships
2007 European Athletics Junior Championships
The 2007 European Athletics Junior Championships is the 2007 version of the European Athletics Junior Championships. It was held from 19 July to 22 July at the FBK-Stadium in Hengelo, in the eastern Netherlands.- Men :- Women :- Medals table :...
with a time of 56.46 s, a national junior record in the event.
Shakes-Drayton won the 400 m hurdles at the 2008 Olympic trials but failed to obtain the A grade selection standard, thus veteran Tasha Danvers
Tasha Danvers
Tasha De'Anka Danvers is a British Olympic bronze medallist, who finished in third place in the 400m Hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics...
was chosen to represent Great Britain instead, and went on to win the bronze medal. However, she is considered to be a medal prospect for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. At the 2009 British Championships in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, she finished second in the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
behind reigning world champion Christine Ohuruogu
Christine Ohuruogu
Christine Ijeoma Ohuruogu MBE is an English athlete, who specialises in the 400 metres; the event for which she is the current Olympic and former World and Commonwealth Champion...
, setting a new personal best. Further success came on the junior circuit at the 2009 European Athletics U23 Championships
2009 European Athletics U23 Championships
The 7th European Athletics U23 Championships were held between 16 and 19 July 2009 in the S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium in Kaunas, Lithuania.-Men's Results:-Women's Results:-Medal table:-References:General...
, where set won the 400 m hurdles gold medal with a run of 55.26 seconds, another personal best. Having secured a place on the Great Britain team
Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
Great Britain and Northern Ireland is competing at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics from 15–23 August. UK Athletics announced a team of 60 athletes in July in preparation for the competition, although it was known that some athletes might not compete due to injury...
, she set her sights on 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....
, remarking: "I like people talking about me. It means I must be doing some things right. Now I have to live up to the hype because hype is pointless if you don't live up to it.".
She ran 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....
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and reached the semi-finals of the competition. However, she finished seventh in the race with a time of 57.57 seconds and did not compete in the final. She ran a personal best of 54.91 seconds for the 400 m hurdles to win at the Memorial Primo Nebiolo
Memorial Primo Nebiolo
The Memorial Primo Nebiolo is an annual track and field meeting held at the Stadio Primo Nebiolo in Turin, Italy in early June.The history of the Turin competition dates back to 1963, when the Torino Meeting was first held. This event hosted top level athletes, such as Sebastian Coe and Saïd...
in June 2010.
In the absence of Tasha Danvers, Shakes-Drayton and Eilidh Child
Eilidh Child
Eilidh Child is a Scottish track and field athlete who specialises in the 400 metres hurdles. Child is a P.E teacher at Perth Grammar School.-Achievements:-External links:...
were the sole representatives for Great Britain
Great Britain at the 2010 European Championships in Athletics
The United Kingdom competed under the name Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The nation was represented by 72 athletes at the 2010 European Athletics Championships held in Barcelona, Spain....
at the 2010 European Championships in Athletics
2010 European Championships in Athletics
The 2010 European Athletics Championships were the 20th edition of the European Athletics Championships, organised under the supervision of the European Athletic Association. They were held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain from 27 July to 1 August 2010...
. Shakes-Drayton finished 2nd in her heat, with a time of 55.35. She then finished 3rd in her semi-final to qualify for the final in a new personal best of 54.73. In the final she finished third to win the bronze medal with a new personal best of 54.18.
Personal bests
| Event | Time (sec Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 metres 60 metres 60 metres is a sprint event in track and field athletics. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes... |
7.44 | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... |
18 January 2009 |
| 400 metres 400 metres The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and... |
51.47 | Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... , Italy |
26 May 2011 |
| 400 metres hurdles 400 metres hurdles The 400 metres hurdles is an Olympic athletics event in track and field. On a standard outdoor track 400 metres is the length of the inside lane once around the stadium. Runners stay in their lane the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear ten hurdles that are evenly... |
54.17 | Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... , Spain |
30 July 2010 |
All information from IAAF profile and BBC Sport
Personal life
Shakes-Drayton was born in East London and grew up in BowBow, London
Bow is an area of London, England, United Kingdom in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a built-up, mostly residential district located east of Charing Cross, and is a part of the East End.-Bridges at Bowe:...
, where she still lives. She attended Holy Family R.C. Primary School in Poplar, London
Poplar
Populus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
and Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School in Stepney
Stepney
Stepney is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London's East End that grew out of a medieval village around St Dunstan's church and the 15th century ribbon development of Mile End Road...
. She is currently studying sport science at Brunel University.
External links
- http://www.mtc-uk.com/talent/perri-shakes-drayton/