Catherine Murphy (athlete)

Catherine Ann Murphy (born 21 September 1975) is a Welsh former athlete who competed mainly in the 200 metres and 400 metres. She finished fourth in the 4 × 400 metres relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics, fourth in the 400 metres at the 2003 World Indoor Championships, and won a bronze medal in the 4 × 400 metres relay at the 2005 European Indoor Championships.

Career

Born in Sheffield, Murphy won the 1993 English Schools 200m title in a wind-assisted 23.72 secs. As a member of the London club Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, she defeated club-mate Simmone Jacobs to win the 1995 AAA Championships 200m title in 23.40 secs,[1] and went on to compete in the sprint relay at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg. She finished fourth in the 200m final at the 1996 AAA Championships/Olympic trials.

In 2001, Murphy became the first woman in history to win the 200m/400m double at the AAA Indoor Championships,[2] winning in the Welsh record times of 23.35 and 52.31. The 200m record still stands (as of 2018). She went on to be a member of the British quartet that finished fifth in the 4 × 400m relay at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton, and to finish sixth in the 400 metres final at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Murphy improved her Welsh indoor 400m record to 51.74 secs in the semifinals of the 2003 World Indoor Championships, a record that stood until Seren Bundy-Davies ran 51.72 in 2016. Murphy ran 51.99 for fourth in the final, and was also fourth in the 4 × 400m relay. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, she again finished fourth in the 4 × 400m relay, along with Donna Fraser, Christine Ohuruogu and Lee McConnell.[3] In 2005, she won a bronze medal in the 4 × 400m relay at the European Indoor Championships.

A month after competing at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Murphy announced her retirement from athletics on 28 April 2006. She has two children, Isabella (born 2009) and Benjamin (born 2011).

International competitions

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  Great Britain /  Wales
1995 World Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 9th (h) 4 × 100 m 43.90
2001 World Indoor Championships Lisbon, Portugal 8th (sf) 400 m 52.45
World Championships Edmonton, Canada 27th (h) 400 m 52.40
6th 4 × 400 m 3:26.94
2002 European Indoor Championships Vienna, Austria 6th 400 m 52.98
Commonwealth Games Manchester, United Kingdom 6th 400 m 52.91
2003 World Indoor Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom 4th 51.99 400 m
4th 4 × 400 m 3:32.18
World Championships Paris, France 6th 4 × 400 m 3:26.67
2004 Olympic Games Athens, Greece 4th 4 400 m 3:25.12
2005 European Indoor Championships Madrid, Spain 3rd 4 × 400 m 3:29.81
2006 Commonwealth Games Melbourne, Australia 20th (sf) 400 m 55.35
(#) Indicates overall position in qualifying heats (h) or semifinals (sf)

References

  1. ↑ "AAA Championships (Women)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  2. ↑ "AAA Indoor Championships (Women)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  3. ↑ "Catherine Murphy". Olympics at Sports Reference. Retrieved 27 March 2018.



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