Abi Oyepitan
Encyclopedia
Abiodun Adesola "Abi" Oyepitan (born 30 December 1979) is a British
sprint
athlete who specialises in the 100
and 200 metres
. She won the 100 m at the 2001 Summer Universiade
and at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
she took a bronze medal with the 4×100 metres relay team. She became one of Britain's best female sprinters, becoming the first British female to reach an Olympic final in a sprint event since Kathy Cook
. However, following her performance in the 2004 Athens Olympics, she suffered an injury which all but brought her career to a halt.
She made a winning comeback in 2010, competing in the Diamond League and winning a silver medal for England at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in the 200 metres.
, London
to Nigerian parents and represents Shaftsbury Barnet Harriers athletics club. Her first outing to a major athletics came at the 1998 World Junior Athletics Championships where she finished fourth as part of the British 4 x 100 m relay
team. She continued to perform well at the junior level, but her progress was interrupted in 2000 by an injury. She managed to bounce back the following year, with her comeback including a silver medal at the European under-23 Championships.
She was again part of the 4 x 100 m relay squad at the 2001 World Championships
. Although the squad came away empty handed, they set the second fastest time ever by a British squad. She went on to take gold at the World Student Games that same year.
2002 saw Abi make the final of the Commonwealth Games
100 m and improve on this in the relay by taking silver behind an Australia
n team. She also made the final of the European Athletics Championships where Ekaterini Thanou took the gold.
She continued to improve and in 2003 broke her 200 m personal best in taking her first national senior title.
2004 saw Abi step up to hold her own with the best in the world. At a meeting in Kalamata
, Greece
in May she won the 100 m then beat the reigning European Champion Muriel Hurtis
in the 200 m.
Abi was unfortunate in not making the 100 m
final. Running in the faster of the two semi-finals she finished fifth in her heat with a time of 11.18 s that equalled LaTasha Colander
's fourth placed time that saw her through in the second semi.
Despite not making that final, her good form gave her confidence for her preferred event the 200 m
where she set a personal best in the first round then comfortably progressed through round two and the semi-final, finishing second in both to Allyson Felix
. She was passed early on in the final by eventual winner Veronica Campbell
and eventually finished joint 7th, but happy with her overall performance.
Her appearance in the 200 m final was the first women's Olympic sprint final ( 100 + 200 metres ) to feature a Brit since Kathy Smallwood-Cook at the Los Angeles Olympics
twenty- years previously. She was also the only Briton to reach the sprint finals, all of the men failing for the first time in twenty-eight years, despite later going on to win the 4x100m relay.
injury caused her to miss the 2005 athletics season. She returned to the track in 2006 but the injury continued to limit her performances.
In 2010, she returned to take Silver in the 200 metres and a Gold in the 4 x 100m relay at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
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...
sprint
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
athlete who specialises in the 100
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
and 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
. She won the 100 m at the 2001 Summer Universiade
2001 Summer Universiade
The 2001 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXI Summer Universiade, was an international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, People's Republic of China, between the 22 August and 1 September. A total of 6757 athletes from 165 nations took part in 12 sports...
and 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...
she took a bronze medal with the 4×100 metres relay team. She became one of Britain's best female sprinters, becoming the first British female to reach an Olympic final in a sprint event since Kathy Cook
Kathy Cook
Kathryn Jane Cook is one of the most successful female sprinters in British athletics history....
. However, following her performance in the 2004 Athens Olympics, she suffered an injury which all but brought her career to a halt.
She made a winning comeback in 2010, competing in the Diamond League and winning a silver medal for England at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in the 200 metres.
Early career
Abi was born in WestminsterCity of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, 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...
to Nigerian parents and represents Shaftsbury Barnet Harriers athletics club. Her first outing to a major athletics came at the 1998 World Junior Athletics Championships where she finished fourth as part of the British 4 x 100 m relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
team. She continued to perform well at the junior level, but her progress was interrupted in 2000 by an injury. She managed to bounce back the following year, with her comeback including a silver medal at the European under-23 Championships.
She was again part of the 4 x 100 m relay squad at the 2001 World Championships
2001 World Championships in Athletics
The 8th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada between 3 August and 12 August and was the first time the event had visited North America...
. Although the squad came away empty handed, they set the second fastest time ever by a British squad. She went on to take gold at the World Student Games that same year.
2002 saw Abi make the final of the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The 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....
100 m and improve on this in the relay by taking silver behind an Australia
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 team. She also made the final of the European Athletics Championships where Ekaterini Thanou took the gold.
She continued to improve and in 2003 broke her 200 m personal best in taking her first national senior title.
2004 saw Abi step up to hold her own with the best in the world. At a meeting in Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in May she won the 100 m then beat the reigning European Champion Muriel Hurtis
Muriel Hurtis
Muriel Hurtis-Houairi is a track and field athlete from France who specialises in the 200 metres. She came to prominence in 2002 when she won the 200 m gold medals at both the European Indoor Championships and the European Athletics Championships...
in the 200 m.
2004 Athens Olympics
At the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 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...
Abi was unfortunate in not making the 100 m
Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metres
The Women's 100 m at the 2004 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics program were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium on August 20, 2004 and August 21, 2004.-Records:...
final. Running in the faster of the two semi-finals she finished fifth in her heat with a time of 11.18 s that equalled LaTasha Colander
LaTasha Colander
LaTasha Colander is a track and field sprint athlete, competing internationally for United States. She is a 2004 Olympic Trials 100 m Champion; two-time U.S. 400 m champion ; World Record Holder, 4 x 200 m relay; 1994 USA Juniors champion ; 2nd, 1994 World Junior Champs...
's fourth placed time that saw her through in the second semi.
Despite not making that final, her good form gave her confidence for her preferred event the 200 m
Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 200 metres
The women's 200 m at the 2004 Summer Olympics as part of the athletics program were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium between August 23 and August 25-Records:...
where she set a personal best in the first round then comfortably progressed through round two and the semi-final, finishing second in both to Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix is a track and field sprint athlete, who competes internationally for the United States, primarily in the 200 meters. She also competes at the 100 meters and the 400 meters distances...
. She was passed early on in the final by eventual winner Veronica Campbell
Veronica Campbell
Veronica Campbell-Brown C.D is a track and field sprint athlete, competing internationally for Jamaica. A five-time Olympic medallist, she is the reigning World and Olympic 200 metres champion...
and eventually finished joint 7th, but happy with her overall performance.
Her appearance in the 200 m final was the first women's Olympic sprint final ( 100 + 200 metres ) to feature a Brit since Kathy Smallwood-Cook at the Los Angeles Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
twenty- years previously. She was also the only Briton to reach the sprint finals, all of the men failing for the first time in twenty-eight years, despite later going on to win the 4x100m relay.
After 2004
Following the Olympics, a stress fractureStress fracture
A stress fracture is one type of incomplete fracture in bones. It is caused by "unusual or repeated stress" and also heavy continuous weight on the ankle or leg...
injury caused her to miss the 2005 athletics season. She returned to the track in 2006 but the injury continued to limit her performances.
In 2010, she returned to take Silver in the 200 metres and a Gold in the 4 x 100m relay at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Achievements
| Representing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | European Under-23 Championships | Gothenburg Gothenburg Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area... , Sweden |
1st | 4 x 100 m relay |
| 2001 | World Student Games | 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... , China |
1st | 100 m |
| European Under-23 Championships | Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... , Netherlands |
2nd | 200 m | |
| 1st | 4 x 100 m relay | |||
| 2003 | National AAA Championships | England | 1st | 200 m |
| Representing | ||||
| 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... |
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... , England |
3rd | 4 x 100 m relay |
| 2010 | Commonwealth Games 2010 Commonwealth Games The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date... |
Delhi Delhi Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census... , India |
2nd | 200 m |
| 1st | 4 x 100 m relay | |||
Personal bests
| Event | Best | 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... |
7.27 s | Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... , Scotland |
24 January 2004 |
| 100 metres 100 metres The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896... |
11.17 s | 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... , England |
23 July 2004 |
| 200 metres 200 metres A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first... |
22.50 s | 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 |
23 August 2004 |
- All information taken from IAAF profile.
External links
- Profile at British Olympic AssociationBritish Olympic AssociationThe British Olympic Association is the national Olympic committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It was formed in 1905 in the House of Commons, and at that time consisted of seven national governing body members from the following sports: fencing, life-saving, cycling, skating, rowing,...