Sarah Rowell
{{short description|British long-distance runner}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Sarah Rowell
| image =
| caption =
| nationality = British (English)
| sport = Athletics
| event = long distance
| club = Dartford Harriers
| birth_date = 19 November 1962
| birth_place = Hostert, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =162 cm
| weight = 47 kg
| pb =
| medaltemplates=
}}
Sarah Louise Rowell (born 19 November 1962) is a German born, British former long-distance runner who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Biography
Born in Hostert, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, she ran 2:39:11 at the age of 20 at the 1983 London Marathon. Later that year she won the gold medal in the women's marathon at the 1983 Universiade in Edmonton.The Times, 11 July 1983. Also in 1983, Rowell finished third behind Glynis Penny in the marathon event at the 1983 WAAA Championships.{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=16 March 2025}}
At the 1984 London marathon she improved her best to 2:31:28 to qualify for the British team for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In the inaugural women's Olympic marathon, she finished 14th.{{cite web | url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/sarah-rowell-1.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418041418/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/sarah-rowell-1.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2020-04-18 | title = Sarah Rowell Bio, Stats, and Results | publisher = Sports Reference LLC | accessdate = 2013-03-04}} At the 1984 WAAA Championships, Rowell second behind finished Priscilla Welch.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/waaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (women) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=16 March 2025 }}
Rowell broke the British record when running her personal best for the marathon with 2:28:06, when finishing second behind Ingrid Kristiansen at the 1985 London Marathon. Rowell also became British marathon champion after winning the British WAAA Championships title at the 1985 WAAA Championships.
Later in her running career, Rowell was a prominent fell runner, winning the Three Peaks Race four times, the Fellsman three times, as well as Wasdale, Borrowdale and Ben Nevis. She finished second in the 1992 World Mountain Running Trophy and won both the British and English Fell Running Championships in 1995 and 1996.Graham Breeze, "Laugh and be Happy: A Profile of Sarah Rowell", The Fellrunner, Autumn 2008.
Achievements
| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}} |
| colspan="6"|Representing {{GBR2}} / {{ENG}} |
|---|
| 1982
|London, United Kingdom |23rd |Marathon |
| rowspan=4|1983
|bgcolor="gold"|1st |Half marathon |
| London Marathon
|London, United Kingdom |9th |Marathon |
| World Student Games (Universiade)
|bgcolor="gold" | 1st |Marathon |
| New York City Marathon
|New York City, United States |14th |Marathon |
| rowspan=2|1984
|London Marathon |London, United Kingdom |bgcolor=cc9966|3rd |Marathon |
| Olympic Games
|14th |
| rowspan=2|1985
|bgcolor="silver" | 2nd |Marathon |2:28:06The Times, 22 Apr 1985. |
| Columbus Marathon
|Columbus, Ohio, United States |bgcolor="cc9966" | 3rd |Marathon |
| 1990
|World Mountain Running Trophy |Telfes, Austria |5th |Fell Running |38:15 |
| 1992
|World Mountain Running Trophy |Susa Valley, Italy |bgcolor=silver|2nd |Fell running |40:37 |
| 1993
|World Mountain Running Trophy |6th |Fell Running |38:32 |
| 1995
|World Mountain Running Trophy |Edinburgh, United Kingdom |12th |Fell Running |40:06 |
| 1996
|European Mountain Running Trophy |Llanberis, United Kingdom |4th |Fell Running |54:36 |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Footer Universiade Champions Marathon Women}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rowell, Sarah}}
Category:Athletes from Düsseldorf (region)
Category:English female long-distance runners
Category:British female long-distance runners
Category:English female marathon runners
Category:British female marathon runners
Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)
Category:British female mountain runners
Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for Great Britain
Category:Medalists at the 1983 Summer Universiade
Category:People from Viersen (district)
Category:20th-century English sportswomen
{{England-longdistance-athletics-bio-stub}}