Lee Merrien
{{short description|British runner}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| headercolor =
| name = Lee Merrien
| image = Lee Merrien Cropped.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Lee Merrien at the 2012 London Marathon
| birth_name =
| fullname =
| nickname =
| nationality = British
| residence =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1979|4|26}}{{cite news |title=Lee Merrien |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/athletes/b1bbc1ad-d059-47b3-b5e6-908b5d30cc6e |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport}}
| birth_place = Guernsey
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|1.82|m|0|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|61|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}
| country = {{GBR2}}
{{GGY}}
| sport = Athletics
| event = 800 m, 1,500 m, 5,000 m, Marathon
| club = Lee Merrien Running
| coach = John Nuttall
| worlds = 2002 Commonwealth Games – 1,500 m – 15th
2006 Commonwealth Games – 1,500 m – 15th
2006 Commonwealth Games – 10,000 m – 14th
2010 Commonwealth Games – 5,000 m – 15th
2010 Commonwealth Games – 10,000 m – 14th
2018 Commonwealth Games - Marathon - 8th
| regionals = 2010 European Championships – 8th
| nationals =
| olympics =
| paralympics =
| highestranking =
| pb =
| show-medals =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCompetition | Island Games }}
{{MedalGold | 2003 Guernsey | 1,500 m }}
{{MedalGold | 2005 Shetland | 1,500 m }}
{{MedalGold | 2005 Shetland | 5,000 m }}
{{MedalGold | 2005 Shetland | 4x400 m relay }}
{{MedalGold | 2007 Rhodes | 1,500 m }}
{{MedalGold | 2007 Rhodes | 5,000 m }}
{{MedalGold | 2009 Åland | 1,500 m }}
{{MedalGold | 2009 Åland | 5,000 m }}
{{MedalGold | 2011 Isle of Wight | Half marathon }}
{{MedalGold | 2017 Gotland | Half marathon }}
{{MedalSilver | 2001 Isle of Man | 1,500 m }}
{{MedalSilver | 2003 Guernsey | 800 m }}
{{MedalSilver | 2015 Jersey | Half marathon }}
{{MedalSilver | 2017 Gotland | 10,000m }}
{{MedalBronze | 2001 Isle of Man | 800 m }}
}}
Lee Merrien (born 26 April 1979) is a British middle distance and long-distance runner. He was named to the British team for the 2012 Summer Olympics following a Facebook campaign after he was initially not selected to the team. He has won multiple events at the Island Games for his home of Guernsey.
Career
Merrien competed at his first Island Games in Gotland in 1999, however he did finish in a medal position that year.{{cite web |title=Athletics Official Results |url=http://www.islandgames.net/cms/1999_athletics__________________________________________________855857d80182825a2903ddcb1aeae5a8________________________________.pdf |publisher=Island Games |accessdate=14 July 2012 |format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140910173408/http://www.islandgames.net/cms/1999_athletics__________________________________________________855857d80182825a2903ddcb1aeae5a8________________________________.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2014 |url-status=dead }} Representing his home of Guernsey, he went on to win nine gold medals over the next several years at the Island Games in the half marathon, 1,500 m, 5,000 m and 4 × 400 m relay, and also won two silver medals and one bronze.{{cite web |title=Natwest Island Games XI – Shetland 2005 |url=http://www.islandgames.net/cms/2005_athletics__________________________________________________949ff3dac8f857fa50e0a0169f433940________________________________.pdf |publisher=Island Games |accessdate=14 July 2012 |format=PDF }}{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web |title=Natwest Island Games XII – Rhodes 2007 |url=http://www.islandgames.net/cms/2007_athletics__________________________________________________a93ea8d71ebc681ab03c8a4d50817fcd________________________________.pdf |work=RhodesResults2007.com |publisher=Island Games |accessdate=14 July 2012 |format=PDF }}{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web |title=Athletic Results – Aland 2009 |url=http://www.islandgames.net/cms/athletics_______________________________________________________759a36735e317ac0a1f1445e2a1a2242________________________________.pdf |publisher=Island Games |accessdate=14 July 2012 |format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415064055/http://www.islandgames.net/cms/athletics_______________________________________________________759a36735e317ac0a1f1445e2a1a2242________________________________.pdf |archive-date=15 April 2010 |url-status=dead }} At the 2009 Island Games on the Isle of Wight he set Island Games records in both the 1,500 m and the 5,000 m events.{{cite web |title=Isle of Wight 2009 |url=http://www.islandgames.net/cms/AthleticsResults________________________________________________5c953005c49a44ad3c58d555ddb15f21________________________________.pdf |publisher=Island Games |accessdate=14 July 2012 |format=PDF }}{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
In the 2011 London Marathon, he set a new personal best of 2 h 14 min 27 s, which was within the "B" qualifying time for the 2012 Summer Olympics and was the fastest British competitor in the race. He admitted afterwards that he had mixed feelings regarding his time, as although it was a new personal best, it wasn't within the "A" qualifying time for the Games.{{cite news |title=Lee Merrien confesses to 'mixed feelings' over marathon |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/13115645 |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=18 April 2011}} His only previous attempt at the London Marathon was in 2010 when he finished in 12th place.{{cite web |title=Lee Merrien (GBR) – 2012 Olympian |url=http://www.boulderwave.com/bio/lee-merrien/ |publisher=BoulderWave |accessdate=14 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511190614/http://www.boulderwave.com/bio/lee-merrien/ |archive-date=11 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}
He finished 17th in the 2012 London Marathon, which was once again the highest placed British competitor in the race.{{cite news |title=London Marathon: Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany secure victory |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/17792107 |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=22 April 2012}} He finished in a time of 2 h 13 min 41 s, a new personal best, just outside the Olympic qualifying time set by UK Athletics at 2 h 12 min. Due to this, he was not chosen for the British team at the 2012 Olympics, with Scott Overall and Dave Webb being chosen for the team, and with the third spot left deliberately empty. His time was inside the "A" time of 2 h 15 min as set by the International Association of Athletics Federations.{{cite news |last=Hart |first=Simon |title=Lee Merrien did not meet qualifying standards for London 2012 Olympics and UK Athletics should stick to its guns |url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/shart/100024663/lee-merrien-did-not-meet-qualifying-standards-for-london-2012-olympics-and-uk-athletics-should-stick-to-its-guns/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427231801/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/shart/100024663/lee-merrien-did-not-meet-qualifying-standards-for-london-2012-olympics-and-uk-athletics-should-stick-to-its-guns/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 April 2012 |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=26 April 2012}}
This resulted in an online campaign on Facebook to select Merrien for the British team, run by fan Cara Saul.{{cite news |title=Online campaign launched for Lee Merrien Olympic selection |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/17837052 |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=25 April 2012}} The campaign resulted in 3,000 followers.{{cite news |last=Shea |first=Julian |title=Lee Merrien handed 2012 marathon spot after appeal over exclusion |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/olympics/897681-lee-merrien-handed-2012-marathon-spot-after-appeal-over-exclusion |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=Metro |date=30 April 2012}} Merrien appealed against the decision not to select him; his appeal was thrown out by UK Athletics. However, on 27 April, it was announced that the selectors had reversed their decision and added Merrien to the British team for the Olympics.{{cite news |title=London 2012: Lee Merrien is selected for GB marathon team |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/17817503 |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=27 April 2012}} Merrien's response was described as "ecstatic".{{cite news |title=Lee Merrien 'ecstatic' at Olympic u-turn |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/athletics/17869885 |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=27 April 2012}}
In his final race prior to the 2012 Games, he won a half Marathon on Guernsey in June, eight and a half minutes ahead of the second placed athlete.{{cite news |title=Lee Merrien cruises to Guernsey half marathon victory |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18490944 |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=18 June 2012}} Prior to the games, he completed altitude training in the Pyrenees mountains in Europe,{{cite news |title=London 2012: Lee Merrien confident of marathon performance |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18146514 |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=21 May 2012}} having previous attended camps in Iten, Kenya.{{cite news |last=Whittaker |first=Mike |title=Lee Merrien |url=http://www.newhamandessexbeagles.co.uk/index.php/news/athletes-olympic-dreams/lee-merrien |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=Newham and Essex Beagles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230808/http://www.newhamandessexbeagles.co.uk/index.php/news/athletes-olympic-dreams/lee-merrien |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead }} At the Olympics he finished 30th in the field, the highest place Brit.
Personal life
Merrien attended the University of Bath, graduating with a degree in Coach Education and Sports Performance. He currently manages a running club.{{cite news |title=Marathon runner Lee Merrien says university opened his eyes to elite sport |url=http://www.podium.ac.uk/blog/post/87/marathon-runner-lee-merrien-says-university-opened-his-eyes-to-elite-sport |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=Podium |date=16 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711033206/http://www.podium.ac.uk/blog/post/87/marathon-runner-lee-merrien-says-university-opened-his-eyes-to-elite-sport |archive-date=11 July 2012 |url-status=dead }} He is the spokesman for charity Male Uprising in Guernsey which aims to raise awareness of prostate, testicular and bowel cancer.{{cite news |title=Guernsey's Lee Merrien named ambassador for Mug charity |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-18086897 |accessdate=14 July 2012 |newspaper=BBC News |date=16 May 2012}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{Commons category|Lee Merrien}}
- {{World Athletics}}
- {{Team GB}}
- {{Olympics.com|lee-merrien}}
- {{Olympedia}}
- {{Official website|http://www.leemerrienrunning.com/}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merrien, Lee}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Bath
Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Guernsey
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:Athletes (track and field) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain
Category:Guernsey male middle-distance runners