Lee McConnell
{{Short description|Scottish athlete (born 1978)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
|name= Lee McConnell
|image= Lee McConnell Osaka07.jpg
|imagesize=220px
|caption=Lee McConnell in Osaka 2007
|club= Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers
|birth_date= {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1978|10|09}}
|birth_place=Glasgow, Scotland
| height={{height|m=1.77}}
| weight={{cvt|64|kg|lb stlb}}
|turnedpro= 2000
|retired= 2014{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/26865041 |title=Glasgow 2014: 400m runner Lee McConnell announces retirement |author= |date=3 April 2014 |website=bbc.co.uk |access-date=3 April 2014}}
|pb= 100 m 11.67 (2009)
200 m 23.16 (2008)
400 m 50.82 (2002)
400 m h 55.25 (2006)
HJ 1.88 m (2000)
|olympics=
|worlds= 2003 – 7th
|highestranking= 8th (2002)
| sport = Women's track and field
| event= 400 m, 400 m hurdles, 4 x 400 m
|medaltemplates=
{{Medal|Sport | Women's athletics}}{{cite web | url=http://www.leemcconnell.net/stats/ | title=Stats | publisher=LeeMcConnell.net | access-date=11 July 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712075942/http://www.leemcconnell.net/stats/ | archive-date=12 July 2015 | df=dmy-all }}
{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Championships}}
{{Medal|Bronze |2005 Helsinki|4x400 m relay}}
{{Medal|Bronze |2007 Osaka|4x400 m relay}}
{{MedalBronze |2009 Berlin | 4x400 m relay}}
{{MedalBronze |2011 Daegu | 4x400 m relay}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Indoor Championships}}
{{MedalBronze|2010 Doha|4x400 m relay}}
{{Medal|Competition|European Championships}}
{{Medal|Bronze |2002 Munich|400 m}}
{{Medal|Silver |2010 Barcelona|4x400 m relay}}
{{Medal|Competition|European Indoor Championships}}
{{Medal|Silver|2011 Paris|4x400 m relay}}
{{Medal|Bronze|2005 Madrid|4x400 m relay}}
{{Medal|Bronze|2007 Birmingham|4x400 m relay}}
{{MedalCompetition|Universiade}}
{{Medal|Silver|2001 Beijing|4x400 m relay}}
{{MedalCountry|{{SCO}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Commonwealth Games}}
{{Medal|Silver|2002 Manchester|400 m}}
{{Medal|Bronze|2006 Melbourne|400 m Hurdles}}
}}
Lee McConnell (born 9 October 1978) is a retired Scottish athlete, who competed in the 400 metres and 400 metres hurdles having started her career as a high jumper. She is a three-time Olympian who represented Great Britain in 2004, 2008 and 2012. With 12 medals from major championships, McConnell is the third most decorated Scottish track and field athlete of all-time (after Eilidh Doyle with 19 medals and Laura Muir with 13).{{cite web | url = https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Roll-of-Honour-Booklet.pdf | title = SCOTTISH ATHLETICS ROLL OF HONOUR | publisher = Scottish Athletics | access-date = 8 August 2022 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.leemcconnell.net/ | title=Home | publisher=LeeMcConnell.net | access-date=10 July 2015 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712041038/http://www.leemcconnell.net/ | archive-date=12 July 2015 | df=dmy-all }}
{{cite web | url=http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/its-a-nice-little-collection-eilidh/ | title='It's a nice little collection' – Eilidh | publisher=Scottish Athletics | date=6 October 2015 | access-date=28 June 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814220015/http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/its-a-nice-little-collection-eilidh/ | archive-date=14 August 2016 | url-status=dead }}
McConnell is a four-time World Championship bronze medallist in the 4 x 400 metres relay in 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011, with the 2007 team setting the British record of 3:20.04.{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/2320363/British-relay-team-smash-record-to-take-bronze.html | title=British relay team smash record to take bronze | newspaper=The Telegraph | date=2 September 2007 | access-date=11 July 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://www.scotstats.net/records/outdoor-records/national/ | title=Records (Scottish Outdoor) | publisher=SATS | access-date=11 July 2015}} Her individual honours include winning a 2002 Commonwealth silver at 400 metres, 2002 European Championship bronze at 400 metres, and 2006 Commonwealth bronze at 400 metres hurdles.
Career
Lee McConnell attended Holyrood R.C. Secondary School in Glasgow before graduating from Loughborough University in 2000 with a degree in Sports Science.
Originally a high jump (becoming Scottish champion in 1998, 1999 and 2000),{{cite web | url=https://app.box.com/s/suujmki40g75o80wgurz | title=Scottish Championships (1969-2013 Women's Field) | publisher=SATS | access-date=11 July 2015}} before turning to the 400 m and then the 400 metres hurdles (winning Commonwealth Bronze in a PB time).
She was the Scottish 200 metres champion in 2002, and 2005. She also won the 400 m in 2001, and the 400 m at the AAA Championships in 2002.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/20020715/375/0027 |title=Weekend results - Athletics |work=The Scotsman |date=15 July 2002 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}{{cite web | url=http://www.thepowerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=21694 | title=Lee McConnell profile | publisher=Power of 10 | access-date=11 July 2015}}
Internationally, in 2002, McConnell won a bronze medal at the 2002 European championships in the 400 m, then added a Commonwealth Games silver in the 400 m. In 2003 at the European Cup, McConnell came second in both the 400 m and the 4 × 400 m relay. She went to finish fifth in the 400 m final at the 2003 World Championships.
Her personal best time over 400 m is 50.82 seconds.{{cite news | url=http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/260200.print/ | title=Larry to get back on track | newspaper=Bucks Free Press | date=8 January 2003 | access-date=11 July 2015}}
After the 2007 season, McConnell decided to give up hurdling, as her transition from the flat had not been as successful as she had intended, and she returned to the 400 m flat. She broke the stadium record in the 400 m at the 2008 FBK Games, producing her fastest season opener.{{cite news | url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/mcconnell-quick-off-the-mark-to-break-stadium-record-1.881215 | title=McConnell quick off the mark to break stadium record | newspaper=Herald Scotland | date=26 May 2008 | access-date=11 July 2015}}
At domestic level, McConnell later won the British 400 m title in 2008 and 2010, the British Inter-Counties 200 metres title in 2009, and two more Scottish 200 m titles (outdoor again in 2011 and indoor in 2013).{{cite web | url=https://app.box.com/s/4bmltgp5bi2dp9s703z3lihki3vocctv | title=Scottish Indoor Championships (Women) | publisher=SATS | access-date=11 July 2015}}
= Relays =
In addition to winning medals in individual contests, she has been a fairly successful relay runner. McConnell was known for participating in the Great Britain 4 × 400 m relay team at major events.
McConnell won bronze medals in the 4 × 400 m relay at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships. She ran the first leg in a team with Donna Fraser, Nicola Sanders and Christine Ohuruogu in 2005 and ran the third leg in team with Ohuruogu, Marilyn Okoro and Sanders in 2007, which a set a national record.
In addition at the World Championships, she ran the first leg for the 4 × 400 m relay teams that finished fifth in 2001, sixth in 2003, and fourth in 2009, also running fourth leg for the team that finished fourth in 2011 (both 2009 and 2011 were later upgraded to bronze medals).{{ cite web | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/61952456 | title = Lee McConnell receives belated world bronze medal in fourth major upgrade | publisher = BBC | work = BBC Sport | date = 27 June 2022 | access-date = 10 July 2024 }}
McConnell alongside Fraser, Catherine Murphy, and Ohuruogu finished fourth in the 4 × 400 m relay at the 2004 Olympics, but could inherit bronze medals from this event as American athlete Crystal Cox was later found guilty of doping offences.{{cite web | url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ka/helen-karagounis-1.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418041621/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ka/helen-karagounis-1.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=18 April 2020 | title=Helen Karagounis | publisher=Sports Reference | access-date=10 July 2015}} Cox and not the US team had her medal revoked but that could still change.{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/summer/2012/trackandfield/story/_/id/8186527/2012-summer-olympics-ioc-strips-crystal-cox-2004-us-relay-gold-medal | title=Crystal Cox stripped of 2004 gold | publisher=ESPN | date=21 July 2012 | access-date=10 July 2015}}
At the 2012 Olympics, she ran the second leg as Great Britain finished fifth in the 4 × 400 m relay.
She has also accumulated relay medals from the 4 × 400 m event from the Universiade Games (in 2001), the European Championships (in 2002 and 2010, the latter was upgraded to silver from bronze) and the European Indoor Championships (in 2005, 2007 and 2011).
For Scotland, McConnell ran in the 4 × 400 m relay at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and 2010 (where a national record was set).
= Retirement =
McConnell missed the 2013 season after becoming pregnant with her first child.{{cite web |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/commonwealth-games/22621505|title=Pregnant Lee McConnell targets Glasgow Commonwealth Games |author= |date=22 May 2013 |website=bbc.co.uk|access-date=3 April 2014}} She returned to training nine weeks after giving birth to her son with a view to competing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in her hometown of Glasgow – however she announced her immediate retirement from athletics in April 2014.
= Awards =
McConnell was voted Scottish Athlete of the Year in 2002, 2003 and 2007 by Scottish Athletics.{{ cite web | title = Awards and Trophies | url= https://www.scotstats.net/competition/ | website = scotstats.net | access-date = 10 April 2024 }} She also received the George Dallas Trophy in 2002.{{ cite web | title = George Dallas Memorial Trophy | url= https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/about/history/george-dallas-memorial-trophy/ | publisher = Scottish Athletics | access-date = 10 April 2024 }}
During the SAAA years, she was previously awarded the Coronation Cup in 2002 & 2003 for being the outstanding Scottish Athlete of that year,{{ cite web | title = TROPHIES | url= https://www.scotstats.net/competition/trophies/ | website = scotstats.net | access-date = 10 April 2024 }} the 2001 Crabbie Cup for most meritorious performance at the Scottish Championships, and the 1994 TBS Challenge Trophy for the outstanding performance at the U17 Scottish Championships.
In 2018, McConnell was one of fifteen athletes inducted in to the Scottish Athletics Hall of Fame.{{cite magazine | title=Award-winning Laura Muir ready for the next chapter | url=https://www.athleticsweekly.com/news/award-winning-laura-muir-ready-for-the-next-chapter-1039918741/ | magazine=Athletics Weekly | access-date=10 April 2019 | date=5 November 2018}}{{cite web | title=Our Hall of Fame inductees savour the moment | url=https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/40678-2/ | publisher=Scottish Athletics | access-date=11 April 2019 | date=6 November 2018}}
International competitions
{{cite web | url=http://www.scotstats.net/international/ | title=International (Major Championships) | publisher=SATS | access-date=11 July 2015}}
| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |
| colspan="6"|Representing the {{GBR2}} and {{SCO}} |
|---|
| 1999
|Gothenburg, Sweden |12th |High jump |
| 2001
|Beijing, China |bgcolor="silver"| 2nd |4 × 400 m relay |
| rowspan=4|2002
|rowspan=2|Commonwealth Games |rowspan=2|Manchester, England |bgcolor="silver"| 2nd |400 m |
| 4th
|4 x 400 m relay |3:31.50 |
| rowspan=2|European Championships
|rowspan=2|Munich, Germany |bgcolor="CC9966"| 3rd |400 m |
| 4th
|4 x 400 m relay |3:26.65 |
| rowspan=2|2003
|rowspan=2|World Championships |rowspan=2|Paris, France |7th |400 m |51.07 |
| 6th
|4 x 400 m relay |3:26.67 |
| rowspan=2|2004
|rowspan=2|Olympic Games |rowspan=2|Athens, Greece |23rd (sf) |400 m |52.63 |
| 4th
|4 x 400 m relay |3:25.12 |
| rowspan=3|2005
|European Indoor Championships |Madrid, Spain |bgcolor="CC9966"| 3rd |4 × 400 m relay |
| rowspan=2|World Championships
|rowspan=2|Helsinki, Finland |12th (sf) |400 m |51.15 |
| bgcolor="CC9966"| 3rd
|4 × 400 m relay |
| rowspan=4|2006
|Melbourne, Australia |bgcolor="CC9966"| 3rd |400 m hurdles |
| rowspan=2|European Championships
|rowspan=2|Gothenburg, Sweden |9th (sf) |400 m hurdles |55.61 |
| 4th
|4 x 400 m relay |3:28.17 |
| European Cup Super League
| Malaga, Spain | bgcolor="CC9966"| 3rd | 4 x 400 m relay | 3:26.98 |
| rowspan=3|2007
|European Indoor Championships |Birmingham, United Kingdom |bgcolor="CC9966"| 3rd |4 × 400 m relay |
| rowspan=2|World Championships
|rowspan=2|Osaka, Japan |14th (sf) |400 m |51.07 |
| bgcolor="CC9966"| 3rd
|4 × 400 m relay |
| 2008
|Beijing, China |19th (sf) |400 m |52.11 |
| rowspan = 3| 2009
| rowspan = 2| European Team Championships | rowspan = 2| Leiria, Portugal | 4th | 400 m | 51.92 |
| bgcolor="CC9966"| 3rd
| 4 x 400 m | 3:29.29 |
| World Championships
|Berlin, Germany |4th |4 x 400 m relay |3:25.16 |
| rowspan=5|2010
|rowspan=2|European Championships |rowspan=2|Barcelona, Spain |12th (h) |400 m |53.15 |
| bgcolor="CC9966" | 3rd
|4 × 400 m relay |
| rowspan=3|Commonwealth Games
|rowspan=3|Delhi, India |5th |200 m |23.68 |
| 4th
|400 m |52.36 |
| 4th
|4 x 400 m relay |3:30.91 |
| rowspan = 2| 2011
|European Indoor Championships |Paris, France |bgcolor="silver"| 2nd |4 × 400 m relay |
| European Team Championships
| Stockholm, Sweden | bgcolor="silver"| 2nd | 4 x 400 m relay | 3:27.27 |
| rowspan=2|2012
|rowspan=2|Olympic Games |rowspan=2|London, United Kingdom |18th (sf) |400 m |52.24 |
| 5th
|4 x 400 m relay |3:24.76 |
| colspan=6| (h) = overall position in preliminary heats (sf) = overall position in semifinals |
Personal life
McConnell is a rugby union fan, and is supporter of the Glasgow Warriors and the Scotland national team.{{cite news | url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/rugby/lee-mcconnell-i-cant-wait-to-watch-1079031 | title=Lee McConnell: I can't wait to watch Glasgow Warriors over Christmas - I love rugby | newspaper=Daily Record | date=23 December 2010 | access-date=11 July 2015}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Lee McConnell}}
- {{World Athletics}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090813051512/http://www.mtc-uk.com/talent/lee-mcconnell MTC profile]
- {{Team GB|66UHEhQJ2L3ypJPlHi7Lll}}
- {{Olympedia}}
- {{CGF profile}}
{{British Athletics Championships women's 400 metres champions}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McConnell, Lee}}
Category:Scottish female sprinters
Category:British female sprinters
Category:Scottish female hurdlers
Category:British female hurdlers
Category:British female high jumpers
Category:Scottish female high jumpers
Category:Olympic female sprinters
Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Scotland
Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Scotland
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Great Britain
Category:World Athletics Championships medalists
Category:European Athletics Championships medalists
Category:British Athletics Championships winners
Category:AAA Championships winners
Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:FISU World University Games silver medalists for Great Britain
Category:Medalists at the 1999 Summer Universiade
Category:Medalists at the 2001 Summer Universiade
Category:Alumni of Loughborough University
Category:People educated at Holyrood Secondary School
Category:Athletes from Glasgow
Category:Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
Category:Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games