Jon Solly

{{short description|British long-distance runner}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

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{{MedalSport | Athletics}}

{{MedalCountry | {{ENG}} }}

{{Medal|Comp|Commonwealth Games}}

{{Medal|Gold |1986 Edinburgh|10,000 Metres}}

{{MedalCountry | {{GBR2}} }}

{{Medal|Competition|World Road Relay Championships}}

{{ Medal | Silver | 1986 Hiroshima | Men's race}}

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Jonathan "Jon" Solly (born 28 June 1963) is a male English former long-distance runner.

Athletics career

Solly won the gold medal for England in the 10,000 metres at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1986/athletes|title=1986 Athletes|website=Team England}}{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/35837|title=Athletes and results|website=Commonwealth Games Federation}} He achieved his personal best time of 27:51.76 minutes at Crystal Palace on 20 June 1986. That season proved to be his peak as a "litany of injuries that could probably fill a medical text book" prevented Solly from reproducing his best form in the years ahead.{{cite web |last1=Chalfen |first1=David |title=10,000m Legends Under The Radar? |url=https://www.fastrunning.com/running-athletics-news/10000m-legends-under-the-radar/30703 |website=Fast Running |access-date=29 December 2020 |date=9 September 2020}}

Personal life

Solly was educated at St Bartholomew's School in Newbury and Durham University, where he graduated with a degree in Politics and Economics in 1985.{{cite book |last1=Moyes |first1=Arthur |title=Be The Best You Can Be: A History of Sport in Hatfield College, Durham University |date=2007 |publisher=Hatfield Trust |page=208}} He still holds the university record in the 5,000 metres.{{cite web |title=Athletic Records |url=https://www.duaxc.co.uk/records/athletic-records/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418221008/https://www.duaxc.co.uk/records/athletic-records/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2015 |website=DUAXC (via Internet Wayback Machine) |accessdate=10 September 2019 |date=18 April 2015}} He was a member of Hatfield College.{{cite web|title=Hatfield College History|url=https://community.dur.ac.uk/hatfield.history/intour/sport.htm|website=Durham University Community|accessdate=17 April 2018|archive-date=22 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122030825/http://community.dur.ac.uk/hatfield.history/intour/sport.htm|url-status=dead}}

Solly is now a cabinet maker based at a workshop in Thame, Oxfordshire.{{cite web |last1=Eyre |first1=Justin |title=‘The Hampden Way’ Bag |url=https://www.john-hampden.oxon.sch.uk/2019/01/08/the-hampden-way/ |website=John Hampden Primary School |access-date=29 December 2020 |date=8 January 2019}}

References