Ian Thompson

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Medal record
Ian Thompson
Men's Athletics
Competitor for  United Kingdom
European Championships
Gold	1974 Rome	Marathon
Commonwealth Games
Competitor for  England
Gold	1974 Christchurch	Marathon

Ian Reginald Thompson (born 16 October 1949) in Birkenhead, Merseyside was an English athlete, who gained success in marathon running.

[edit] Running career

[edit] Making up the numbers

Regarded as just an ordinary club athlete and ranked 90th in Britain's 5,000 metres list at the time,^[1] Thompson suddenly broke through to world class as a marathon runner when asked to make up the numbers for his club, Luton United, in the AAA marathon championship on 27 October 1973. It was his first race beyond 10 miles, but he won in 2:12:40, at the time the fastest ever debut at the distance and qualified him for the Commonwealth Games three months later

[edit] Commonwealth Gold

Thompson travelled to Christchurch for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games with little expectation that he would be able to reproduce the performance that got him there. This was not the case however and he won with a margin of over 2 minutes in a time of 2:09:12, the fastest ever run in a championship race, a British record and only 39 seconds off the then world record of 2:08:33. This is currently (27 December 2006) the ninth fastest time by a British Athlete (sixth fastest individual) and still a Commonwealth Games record.

[edit] European Gold

In the early autumn of 1974, Thompson competed at the European Championships, again he proved to be the class act of the field. He stayed with the leading group until the 20 kilometre mark and then steadily opening up a gap on the rest of the field^[2] that stood at 98 seconds when he won in a time of 2:13:18.8.

Thompson's achievements were recognised in the 1974 SJA Annual Sports awards, where he was runner up to John Conteh in the Sportsmen of the Year category.^[3]

[edit] Olympic Agony

In 1976 he suffered cramp and finished only 7th in the trials for the Olympics, for which he was not selected to the consternation of some. Although for many years among Britain's best, he never regained his 1974 eminence and contested only one more major championship. He won the AAA title in 1980 to gain selection for the Moscow Olympics but dropped out at the Games. His best times each year between 1977 and 1982 were in the 2:12 to 2:15 range.

[edit] Personal life

His wife Margaret was an early pioneer of marathon running for women in Britain and ran a British best time of 3:07:47 in Korso, Finland 26 October 1975 and for a few months they held both the men and women's British marathon records until Margaret's time was beaten by Christine Readdy (Kilkenny) in Feltham April 4 1976.

Thompson was famously quoted at his 1974 peak as saying "I prefer to remain in blissful ignorance of the opposition. That way I'm not frightened by anyone's reputation".^[4]

[edit] Personal Bests

[edit] Competitions

[edit] See also

• 1974 British Commonwealth Games
• 1974 European Championships in Athletics
• 1980 Summer Olympics
• Marathon world best progression

[edit] References

1. ^ Independent, The (London) - 20 July, 2002, Whatever happened to Ian Thompson
2. ^ Independent, The (London) - 4 August, 2002, Replay 8 September 1974
3. ^ sportsjournalists.co.uk - SJA Annual Sports awards
4. ^ marathonrookie.com - Quotes about Running
5. ^ ^{a b c} measurements on subsequent course were 150 m short, this course probably short as well
6. ^ ca 39.73 km

[edit] External links

• BritishAthletics.info - Biography Page
• Photograph - 1974 European Championships
• Fastest marathon times
• 1974 Commonwealth Games Full Marathon Result
• Top 10 Running Quotes at www.kdays.com

Sporting positions
Preceded by John Farrington	Men's Fastest Marathon Race 1974	Succeeded by Bill Rodgers