James Mcilroy (athlete)
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James Samuel McIlroy (born 30 December 1976) is a British
middle-distance runner 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 1 ...
. He initially represented Ireland before changing his nationality. When he was 21 years old he showed great promise by finishing fourth over 800 metres in the 1998
European Athletics Championship The European Athletics Championships is a biennial (from 2010) athletics (sport), athletics event organised by the European Athletics Association and is recognised as the elite continental outdoor athletics championships for Europe. Editions ...
having taken 14 seconds off his personal best in only 13 months. Serving a 1-year ban for changing nationality McIlroy still produced the 3rd fastest British All - time 1000 metres behind Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram when finishing 4th in Rieti, (Italy). In 2000 he won his first of five British Championships and representing Great Britain made the Sydney Olympics semi - final . Representing Northern Ireland McIlroy managed 6th at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Final after getting badly boxed in. From 2002 onwards McIlroy spent considerable time in
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training and after being injured for most of the 2003 - 4 season he again finished 4th at the European Indoor Championships in Valencia in 2005. On 19 March 2008 McIlroy, who had been Britain's top middle-distance runner for a decade, announced his immediate retirement from athletics. He had competed for Great Britain & Northern Ireland earlier in the month at the
World Indoor Athletics Championships The World Athletics Indoor Championships are a biennial indoor track and field competition served as the global championship for that version of the sport. Organised by the World Athletics, the competition was inaugurated as the ''World Indoor G ...
in
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but failed to finish his opening round heat of the 1500 metres, due to pulled intercostal muscles. Apart from the blip in
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
, McIlroy has had a very successful indoor campaign winning the Irish 800 metres and UK 1500 metres titles. McIlroy, a member of Windsor, Slough & Eton had moved up to the latter distance after concentrating on 800 metres since bursting on the scene with a fourth place at the European Championships in 1998. He is the fastest ever Irishman, north or south, at 600, 800, and 1000 metres with times of 76.52 seconds clocked in Potchefstroom, South Africa in 2005, 1 minute 44.65 seconds clocking from Rieti,
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in 2005, and 2.15.57 seconds again in Rieti, Italy. He won 5 British titles and came Runner up 3 times. McIlroy came out of retirement in 2010 whilst completing his MBA to compete at the New Delhi Commonwealth Games making the semi - finals of both the 800 metres and 1500 metres. McIlroy was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the
2022 New Year Honours The 2022 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebrations ...
for services to athletics in Northern Ireland.


References

* 1976 births Living people Male middle-distance runners from Northern Ireland Olympic athletes of Great Britain Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics Commonwealth Games competitors for Northern Ireland Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games People educated at Larne Grammar School Irish male middle-distance runners Recipients of the British Empire Medal {{NorthernIreland-athletics-bio-stub