David Moorcroft
Encyclopedia
David Robert Moorcroft (born 10 April 1953) is a former middle-distance and long-distance
runner from England
, and former world record holder for 5,000 metres
. His athletic career spanned the late-1970s and 1980s. He subsequently served as the Chief Executive of UK Athletics
from 1997 to 2007. He was awarded an MBE
in 1983 and an OBE
in 1998 for services to British sport. Moorcroft is still the UK record holder for 3,000 metres
.
, West Midlands
and he has an elder sister. He was a pupil at Woodlands Comprehensive School
and Tile Hill College
. He studied Physical Education and Sport Science at Loughborough University
. He has been a member of the Coventry Godiva Harriers
athletics club since 1964 and is currently the club’s President.
1976, placing seventh in the 1,500-metre final. He won gold in the 1978 Commonwealth Games
in Edmonton at 1500 metres. Just four weeks later, he won the bronze medal at the same distance in the European Athletics Championships in Prague. In the 1980 Moscow Olympics, he suffered from stomach problems and was eliminated in the 5,000-metres semifinals.
Moorcroft had a remarkable season in 1982, where he broke the 5,000 m World Record by 5.79 seconds (without the use of pace-making). His time of 13:00.41 set at the Bislett Games
in Oslo stood for three years until broken by Saïd Aouita
(though it remained a British record
until 2010). He remains the last non-African to set a 5,000 m world record. In the 1982 running season, he set a personal record in most distances, but probably ran too many races or for some other reason lost his peak shape before the European Athletics Championships in Athens. There he took the bronze medal at 5,000 metres, losing to West Germany's Thomas Wessinghage
and East Germany's Werner Schildhauer
.
The same year, he won gold in the 1982 Commonwealth Games
in Brisbane over 5,000 m, he broke the European and British 3,000 m record
with a time of 7:32.79 and he demonstrated his lower end range by recording 1:46.64 for 800 m. His 3,000 m time still remains a British record.
He competed in his third and final Olympic Games in Los Angeles
in 1984, however, suffering from a pelvic injury, he placed only 14th in the 5,000 metres. He continued to compete for Britain internationally until the late 1980s.
Following his retirement from top-level competition, he continued running and his time of 4:02.53 over 1 mile in Belfast
in 1993 was at the time a world masters record for 40+ age group.
At the same time, he was developing the Coventry Sports Foundation for which he was Chief Executive from 1981 to 1995 (and remains a Trustee). The Foundation now owns and operates three major sports facilities and numerous related projects serving targeted communities in Coventry. It has attracted over £20 million of capital and £8 million of revenue funding.
For the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, Moorcroft provided track and field analysis for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
.
Dave commentated for Channel 4 at the 2011 World Athletics Championships
Under his leadership, the federation rebuilt financially through a combination of sponsorship, broadcasting and public funds. On his departure UK Athletics’ turnover was over £18 million per annum. One of his final acts as Chief Executive was helping to secure a £50 million investment from Norwich Union into athletics at all levels up to 2012.
A new television deal was agreed which brought athletics back to the BBC and a series of televised events staged across the UK each year. The IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham and the EAA European Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh were held in 2003, and the rights were secured to stage the 2007 EAA European Indoor Championships in Birmingham, the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh and the 2007 EAA European Cup of Race Walking in Leamington Spa.
A network of new indoor training facilities were developed across the UK and a major refurbishment investment of English tracks took place, funded by the £41 million ‘Legacy Fund’ granted to athletics by the Government following the cancellation of the 2005 World Championships in London.
On the track, the British team had mixed fortunes. At the Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004, five gold medals were won – comparing favourably with a total of two golds in the previous three Games. However, the results in World and European Championships declined. On leaving UK Athletics, he pointed to positive signs with a new generation of athletes who are building towards London 2012.
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
runner from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and former world record holder for 5,000 metres
5000 metres
The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...
. His athletic career spanned the late-1970s and 1980s. He subsequently served as the Chief Executive of UK Athletics
UK Athletics
UK Athletics is the governing body for the sport of athletics in the United Kingdom. It is responsible for overseeing the governance of athletics events in the UK as well as athletes, their development, and athletics officials....
from 1997 to 2007. He was awarded an MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1983 and an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1998 for services to British sport. Moorcroft is still the UK record holder for 3,000 metres
3000 metres
The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...
.
Early life
Moorcroft was born to Robert and Mildred (née Hardy) Moorcroft on 10 April 1953 in CoventryCoventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
and he has an elder sister. He was a pupil at Woodlands Comprehensive School
Woodlands School, Coventry
The Woodlands School and Sports College is a boys school situated in west Coventry in the West Midlands, England. The school was purpose-built in 1954 as one of the first comprehensive schools in the country, by the collaboration of two local educational establishments, Templars School and Coventry...
and Tile Hill College
City College Coventry
City College Coventry is a further education college based in the Swanswell area of Coventry, West Midlands. In January 2009, the college completed its move to its new location, Swanswell...
. He studied Physical Education and Sport Science at 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...
. He has been a member of the Coventry Godiva Harriers
Coventry Godiva Harriers
Coventry Godiva Harriers is an athletics club based in Coventry, West Midlands, England and was established in 1879. The club name refers to the notable Lady Godiva of Coventry and the sport of "hare and hounds" cross country running.- Current athletes :...
athletics club since 1964 and is currently the club’s President.
Running
Moorcroft made his senior debut for Great Britain in 1973 and competed in his first Olympic Games in Montreal1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
1976, placing seventh in the 1,500-metre final. He won gold in the 1978 Commonwealth Games
1978 Commonwealth Games
The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec...
in Edmonton at 1500 metres. Just four weeks later, he won the bronze medal at the same distance in the European Athletics Championships in Prague. In the 1980 Moscow Olympics, he suffered from stomach problems and was eliminated in the 5,000-metres semifinals.
Moorcroft had a remarkable season in 1982, where he broke the 5,000 m World Record by 5.79 seconds (without the use of pace-making). His time of 13:00.41 set at the Bislett Games
Bislett Games
The Bislett Games is an annual track and field event at the Bislett Stadion in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. It is sponsored by ExxonMobil and officially known as the ExxonMobil Bislett Games.-History:The first...
in Oslo stood for three years until broken by Saïd Aouita
Said Aouita
Saïd Aouita is a former Moroccan athlete, winner of 5000 meters at the 1984 Summer Olympics, 5000 meters at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics, 3000 meters at the 1989 IAAF World Indoor Championships, and former world record holder at 1500m , 2000m , 3000m , and twice at 5000m [ and ]...
(though it remained a British record
British 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:...
until 2010). He remains the last non-African to set a 5,000 m world record. In the 1982 running season, he set a personal record in most distances, but probably ran too many races or for some other reason lost his peak shape before the European Athletics Championships in Athens. There he took the bronze medal at 5,000 metres, losing to West Germany's Thomas Wessinghage
Thomas Wessinghage
Thomas Wessinghage was a German middle- and long-distance runner who won the 1982 European Championships' final over 5000 metres beating the British world-record holder David Moorcroft. Because he was already thirty at the time, and had been an international-level runner for a decade, this victory...
and East Germany's Werner Schildhauer
Werner Schildhauer
Werner Schildhauer is a retired German track and field athlete, who represented the former East Germany at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow in the 10,000 meter run and placed 7th behind his team mate Jörg Peter .-Career:At the...
.
The same year, he won gold in the 1982 Commonwealth Games
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
in Brisbane over 5,000 m, he broke the European and British 3,000 m record
British 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:...
with a time of 7:32.79 and he demonstrated his lower end range by recording 1:46.64 for 800 m. His 3,000 m time still remains a British record.
He competed in his third and final Olympic Games in Los Angeles
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...
in 1984, however, suffering from a pelvic injury, he placed only 14th in the 5,000 metres. He continued to compete for Britain internationally until the late 1980s.
Following his retirement from top-level competition, he continued running and his time of 4:02.53 over 1 mile in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1993 was at the time a world masters record for 40+ age group.
Broadcasting and charity work
David covered athletics events for BBC television and radio between 1983 and 1997.At the same time, he was developing the Coventry Sports Foundation for which he was Chief Executive from 1981 to 1995 (and remains a Trustee). The Foundation now owns and operates three major sports facilities and numerous related projects serving targeted communities in Coventry. It has attracted over £20 million of capital and £8 million of revenue funding.
For the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, Moorcroft provided track and field analysis for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
.
Dave commentated for Channel 4 at the 2011 World Athletics Championships
UK Athletics
He was appointed as Chief Executive of the British Athletic Federation in 1997 at a time when the finances of athletics in the UK were perilous. Indeed two weeks later the federation was placed into administration, leading to the creation of a successor body: UK Athletics. He remained Chief Executive until January 2007 – having announced his decision to resign in August 2006.Under his leadership, the federation rebuilt financially through a combination of sponsorship, broadcasting and public funds. On his departure UK Athletics’ turnover was over £18 million per annum. One of his final acts as Chief Executive was helping to secure a £50 million investment from Norwich Union into athletics at all levels up to 2012.
A new television deal was agreed which brought athletics back to the BBC and a series of televised events staged across the UK each year. The IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham and the EAA European Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh were held in 2003, and the rights were secured to stage the 2007 EAA European Indoor Championships in Birmingham, the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh and the 2007 EAA European Cup of Race Walking in Leamington Spa.
A network of new indoor training facilities were developed across the UK and a major refurbishment investment of English tracks took place, funded by the £41 million ‘Legacy Fund’ granted to athletics by the Government following the cancellation of the 2005 World Championships in London.
On the track, the British team had mixed fortunes. At the Olympic Games in 2000 and 2004, five gold medals were won – comparing favourably with a total of two golds in the previous three Games. However, the results in World and European Championships declined. On leaving UK Athletics, he pointed to positive signs with a new generation of athletes who are building towards London 2012.