Martyn Rooney
Encyclopedia
Martyn Joseph Rooney is an English
sprinter
who specialises in the 400 metres
event. He reached the 400 m final at the 2008 Summer Olympics
and also finished fourth in the 4×400 metres relay. At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
he won a silver medal
with the Great Britain relay team. His personal best time is 44.60 seconds.
, London
, England
, Rooney is the second of four children, born to Marie (née Martyn) and Liam Rooney Sr., both immigrants from Sligo
and Westmeath, Ireland
. Rooney's brother, Sean, is currently attending Brighton University studying Geography. Rooney's first name is after his mother's maiden name. Rooney started running for Croydon Harriers just before starting his secondary school,the selective The John Fisher School
The John Fisher School
in Purley
. He also attended St James the Great Primary School in Thornton Heath. As a result he became an avid Crystal Palace F.C.
fan. Initially training and competing at the middle distances; 800 metres
and 1500 metres
and doing cross country
throughout the winter, his talent for the one lap sprint was discovered by coincidence when he stood in to make up points at a London
fixture.
Rooney was selected to represent Great Britain
at the 2005 European Juniors, held in Lithuania
in July of that year. He achieved the Silver Medal in the individuals and gold with the relay team and on his return home was then asked to make up the senior’s 4x400 m men's relay team at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Athletics, held that year in Helsinki
, Finland
. Martyn was originally running only in the heat, but impressing the GB coaches with a time of 44.9 seconds, he was selected to also run in the final. Despite completing his leg in 44.8 seconds, Martyn and team mates Timothy Benjamin
, Robert Tobin
and Malachi Davis
came in fourth, with a sub three minute time.
Rooney represented England
in the 2006 Commonwealth Games
held in Melbourne
, Australia
. Despite impressing everyone throughout the heats, he came fifth in the final with a time of 45.51 seconds and set a new British Junior Record, previous held by Roger Black
for 20 years. The English 4x400 m Men's relay team came in fourth at the Games.
At the 2006 World Junior Championships
in Beijing he finished third in 45.87 seconds. The British relay team too finished third, earning him a second bronze medal of the Championships.
During 2008 Martyn had a successful season where he went comfortably under the 45 second barrier with a 44.83 at the London Grand Prix. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Rooney set a new personal best in the Semi Final and finished sixth in the final. He also anchored GB to 4th in the relay with a 43.7 split, second fastest ever by a Briton.
At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
, he reached the semi-finals of the 400 m, but finished seventh and did not compete in the final. Running with Conrad Williams
, Michael Bingham
and Robert Tobin, Rooney had greater success in the men's relay event, winning the silver medal
behind the winning team from the United States.
He started the 2010 outdoor season with a European leading time of 44.99 seconds to win at the Atletica Geneve Meeting.
and training with Coach Nick Dakin. In Loughborough he is assisted by Rone Thompson (EIS Physiotherapist) and Tommy Yule (EIS Strength and Conditioning Coach). He is first cousins with Irish footballer Ciarán Martyn
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
sprinter
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...
who specialises 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...
event. He reached the 400 m final at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and also finished fourth in the 4×400 metres relay. 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....
he won a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
with the Great Britain relay team. His personal best time is 44.60 seconds.
Career
Born and raised in Thornton HeathThornton Heath
Thornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...
, 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...
, 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...
, Rooney is the second of four children, born to Marie (née Martyn) and Liam Rooney Sr., both immigrants from Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
and Westmeath, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Rooney's brother, Sean, is currently attending Brighton University studying Geography. Rooney's first name is after his mother's maiden name. Rooney started running for Croydon Harriers just before starting his secondary school,the selective The John Fisher School
The John Fisher School
The John Fisher Old Boys Association is an exclusive members club for past pupils and teachers of The John Fisher School in Purley, Surrey.Membership of the Association is available to all former pupils of the John Fisher School and those members and former members of the School Staff who are...
The John Fisher School
The John Fisher School
The John Fisher Old Boys Association is an exclusive members club for past pupils and teachers of The John Fisher School in Purley, Surrey.Membership of the Association is available to all former pupils of the John Fisher School and those members and former members of the School Staff who are...
in Purley
Purley
- in England :*Purley, London**Purley Way, out-of-town retail area*Purley-on-Thames, in Berkshire- People :*David Purley , British race driver*Purley, several members of a fictional family in 1996's Secrets & Lies...
. He also attended St James the Great Primary School in Thornton Heath. As a result he became an avid Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
fan. Initially training and competing at the middle distances; 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
and 1500 metres
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
and doing cross country
Cross 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...
throughout the winter, his talent for the one lap sprint was discovered by coincidence when he stood in to make up points at a 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...
fixture.
Rooney was selected to represent Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
at the 2005 European Juniors, held in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
in July of that year. He achieved the Silver Medal in the individuals and gold with the relay team and on his return home was then asked to make up the senior’s 4x400 m men's relay team at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Athletics, held that year in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Martyn was originally running only in the heat, but impressing the GB coaches with a time of 44.9 seconds, he was selected to also run in the final. Despite completing his leg in 44.8 seconds, Martyn and team mates Timothy Benjamin
Timothy Benjamin
Timothy David Benjamin is a former professional athlete from Wales. He specialised in the 400 metres, and in his teens was coached by Jock Anderson, in the same training group as Christian Malcolm...
, Robert Tobin
Robert Tobin
Robert "Rob" John Tobin is an English sprinter. He currently has a PB in the 400 m of 45.01 seconds.-Personal life:...
and Malachi Davis
Malachi Davis
Malachi Davis is a former British Olympic athlete.Davis was a member of the UCLA athletics team, competing in the 400 metres and 200 metres.-Athens Olympics:...
came in fourth, with a sub three minute time.
Rooney represented 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...
in the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
held in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, 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...
. Despite impressing everyone throughout the heats, he came fifth in the final with a time of 45.51 seconds and set a new British Junior Record, previous held by Roger Black
Roger Black
Roger Anthony Black MBE is a retired British athlete. During his athletics career, he won individual silver medals in the 400 metres sprint at both the Olympic Games and World Championships, two individual gold medals at the European Championships, and 4x400 metres relay gold medals at both the...
for 20 years. The English 4x400 m Men's relay team came in fourth at the Games.
At the 2006 World Junior Championships
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....
in Beijing he finished third in 45.87 seconds. The British relay team too finished third, earning him a second bronze medal of the Championships.
During 2008 Martyn had a successful season where he went comfortably under the 45 second barrier with a 44.83 at the London Grand Prix. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Rooney set a new personal best in the Semi Final and finished sixth in the final. He also anchored GB to 4th in the relay with a 43.7 split, second fastest ever by a Briton.
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....
, he reached the semi-finals of the 400 m, but finished seventh and did not compete in the final. Running with Conrad Williams
Conrad Williams (athlete)
Conrad Williams is a British 400m athlete.-Personal bests:-Reference:...
, Michael Bingham
Michael Bingham
Michael Bingham is a British 400 m athlete. He is managed by Michael Johnson.He is one of five children born to British citizen Norris Bingham and his wife Mollissie in Sylva, North Carolina. His parents separated when he was young, and he was raised by his mother, attending The McCallie School...
and Robert Tobin, Rooney had greater success in the men's relay event, winning the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
behind the winning team from the United States.
He started the 2010 outdoor season with a European leading time of 44.99 seconds to win at the Atletica Geneve Meeting.
Personal life
Rooney is studying at Loughborough UniversityLoughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
and training with Coach Nick Dakin. In Loughborough he is assisted by Rone Thompson (EIS Physiotherapist) and Tommy Yule (EIS Strength and Conditioning Coach). He is first cousins with Irish footballer Ciarán Martyn
Ciaran Martyn
Ciarán Martyn is a midfielder for Glentoran of the Irish Premier League .-Career:Martyn played with Derry City since 2002 until his loan move to Fredrikstad F.K. in 2007. He is one of the few players who have paid to play for Derry City...
.
Personal bests
| Distance | Time | Place | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400m | 44.60 sec | 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 |
19 August 2008 |