Andrew Lemoncello (born 12 October 1982) is a Scottish long distance runner who competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase and the marathon events. He won a team junior gold medal at the 2001 European Cross Country Championships and won a scholarship to attend Florida State University in 2004. At Florida he was second in the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship in the steeplechase.
He has represented Great Britain at the World Championships in Athletics in 2005 and 2007. He ran in the steeplechase event at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Lemoncello completed his debut marathon in 2010, finishing eighth in the London Marathon.
Contents |
Born on October 12, 1982 in Tokyo, Japan[1] to an American father and Scottish mother, Lemoncello grew up in St Andrews Scotland where he attended Madras College. While at Madras College he broke all distance running records and still holds them as of 2007. After school he attended Stirling University and continued his progress at the on campus Scottish Institute of Sport.[2] Throughout this time he was an active runner for the Fife Athletics Club. While at Stirling and Madras he won the Scottish National Championship sixteen times, he was a member of the gold winning European Cross Country team, came third at the 2004 British University Cross Country Championships, finished eighth at the World Mountain Running Championships 2004 and was the British University Champion in the 5000 m and 10000 m events.
Due to his outstanding performances and promise Lemoncello gained a scholarship to study at Florida State University in Tallahassee in 2004. Lemoncello was an instant hit on the FSU athletics scene winning the ACC performer of the week at his first outing for FSU.
In his first year at FSU he led the team to first place at the Florida Intercollegiate Championships. He also came only one second short of the university's 8000 m record. At the NCAA South Regional Championships Lemoncello placed fifth and led his college team "The Seminoles" to first place. At the national NCAA Championships Lemoncello was the Seminoles top scorer placing 50th in the 10000 m run.
In 2005 Lemoncello continued his outstanding form winning the 5000 m and 10000 m titles at the 2005 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Track Championship. He also became FSU all time record holder for the 3000 m steeplechase by shattering the 29-year-old record by more than 15 seconds. He also won the ACC indoor 3000 m steeplechase title. Lemoncello ended the season rated 2nd in the region and 12th in the nation at the 10000 m.
Lemoncello did not let his form slip in 2006 season, smashing four more FSU records to hold 5 school records (Cross Country 8000 m, Indoor 5000 m, Outdoor 5000 m, 3000 m Steeplechase and the 10000 m). He led the field from start to finish to clinch the ACC 3000 m Steeplechase title. At the NCAA Lemoncello posted 12th in the 5000 m 5th in the 10000 m and second in the steeple to underline his credentials. Lemoncello joined the McMillanElite training group based in Flagstaff, Arizona in 2007, under the direction of Coach Greg McMillan.
Lemoncello had to withdraw from the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia due to commitments at FSU, Lemoncello had exams and the NCAA Indoor Championships in the days leading up to the games and would not have had sufficient time to acclimatise in order to perform at his best.[3][4]
He competed in the steeplechase at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics but did not progress beyond the heats. He returned for the 2007 World Championships but again did not get past the heat stage. He made the world championship team after running 27:57 10,000m at Brutus Hamilton Invitational on the track.[5] Lemoncello ran in the senior race at the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships but finished in 78th place. He represented Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, again begin knocked out in the heats of the steeplechase. He took part in the 2009 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham and was 26th. He closed the year with a 29th place finish at the 2009 European Cross Country Championships.[6][7]
Lemoncello made his marathon debut in April 2010 at the London Marathon. He finished in a time of 2:13:40 for eighth place as the first European man to cross the line.[8] In September he took to the streets of Sheffield for the Great Yorkshire Run and finished in fourth place with a time of 29:08 minutes.[9]