Jake Wightman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Jake Wightman
File:2022-08-19 European Championships 2022 – Men's 800 Metres by Sandro Halank–059.jpg
Wightman at the 2022 European Athletics Championships in Munich
Personal information
Born (1994-07-11) 11 July 1994 (age 31)
Nottingham, England[1]
EducationLoughborough University[2]
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight67 kg (148 lb)
Sport
CountryGreat Britain & N.I.
Scotland
SportAthletics
Event
Middle-distance running
ClubEdinburgh AC[3]
Coached byJohn Hartigan.[4]
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great Britain
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Eugene 1500 m
Silver medal – second place 2025 Tokyo 1500 m
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2022 Munich 800 m
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Berlin 1500 m
European U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Rieti 1500 m
Representing File:Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast 1500 m
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Birmingham 1500 m

Jake Wightman (born 11 July 1994)[5] is a British middle-distance runner who competes mainly in the 1500 metres. He won the gold medal at the 2022 World Championships, the first global gold in a middle distance event for a British male since Seb Coe's 1500 m title at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.[6][7] At the European Athletics Championships, Wightman earned a bronze in 2018 and a silver for the 800 metres in 2022. He won bronze medals at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games. Sidelined by injury in the two years immmediately after his world title, in his comeback year Wightman won the silver medal in the 1500 metres at the 2025 World Athletic Championships.

He holds two Scottish records (800 m and 1000 m) and is a two-time British champion.

Career

[edit | edit source]

As a junior athlete, Wightman was the 2013 European Under-20 champion in the 1500 metres.[8]

In April 2018, he won his first major senior medal, with bronze for the 1500 m at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, where he also finished fourth in the 800 m.[5] In June, he set a Scottish record for the 1000 m with a time of 2:16.27 at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm, breaking the previous record which had stood since 1984.[9] Wightman took bronze in the 1500 m at the Berlin European Athletics Championships in August.[5] That year he became the first Briton to run below 1:45 in the 800 m and 3:35 in the 1500 m since Peter Elliott in 1991.[10]

File:Jake Wightman at 2021 FBK Games.jpg
Jake Wightman at the 2021 FBK Games in Hengelo

The 25-year-old placed fifth in the 1500 m at the 2019 World Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar, running 3:31.87 in the final.[5]

In 2020, Wightman broke the Scottish 1500 m record with a time of 3:29.47, finishing in third place at the Monaco Diamond League.[11]

At the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he placed 10th in the event in a time of 3:35.09.[5]

2022: World 1500 m champion

[edit | edit source]

Wightman won the gold medal in the 1500 m event at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon in July with a personal best and world-leading time of 3:29.23, beating reigning Olympic champion and European record holder Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:29.47). It was the first British world 1500 m title since Steve Cram in 1983, the first Scottish world title on the track since Liz McColgan's 10,000 m gold in 1991, and ended a streak of seven consecutive golds in the event from Kenya-born runners. The mark moved him to third on the UK all-time list. His father, Geoff Wightman, former marathoner and long-time media commentator, called the race as in-stadium commentator.[12][13][6]

File:Jake Wightman Oregon 22.jpg
Wightman winning gold at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene

Wightman continued his good form in August by taking a bronze in his specialist event at the Commonwealth Games Birmingham 2022, and a silver for the 800 m at the European Championships held in Munich.[5][14]

In September, he broke the 1:44-barrier in the 800 m for the first time, improving Tom McKean’s 33-year-old Scottish record of 1:43.88 in his fifth overall Diamond League victory with a time of 1:43.65 in Brussels.[15] He capped his breakthrough season on the road a few days later, winning for the third time the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York (he also won in 2018 and 2021).[16]

Across the season, Wightman set also Scottish records in the 1000 m and one mile, as well as revised his personal bests in the indoor 3000 m and road mile.[17][18] He was named by Sports Journalists' Association Sportsman of the Year, while British Athletics Writers' Association awarded him John Rodda Award for British Male Athlete of the Year for the second time, among others.

2023: Injury

[edit | edit source]

Going into the 2023 season, Wightman had high hopes of defending his 1500 m title at the World Championships in Budapest. However in January, after sustaining a freak foot injury during a gym session in South Africa, he was forced to spend 5 weeks in a boot, while cross-training to remain in good shape.

He returned to running that spring, aiming to be ready for Budapest, being able to skip qualification given his status as the reigning world champion. However after numerous achilles, shin, and hamstring issues, he decided to play it safe and focus on the 2024 Olympic year, withdrawing from the World Championships.[19] In his absence, his childhood schoolmate and club colleague, Josh Kerr, succeeded him as world champion in the 1500 metres.

2024: More injuries

[edit | edit source]

After missing the British Championships due to a calf injury, Wightman was selected to represent Great Britain in the 800 metres at the Paris Olympics.[20][21][22] He pulled out just days before he was scheduled to race because of a hamstring injury.[23][24]

2024: Change in training base

[edit | edit source]

In the autumn of 2024 Wightman made the decision to switch his training base from Teddington to Manchester so he could be closer to his physiotherapist.[25][26]

2025: Coaching change

[edit | edit source]

March 2025 Wightman announced he would no longer be coached by his father Geoff.[27]

Wightman is now coached by John Hartigan.[28]

2025: Back on a global podium

[edit | edit source]

After missing the last two major championships with injury, Wightman returned to the global stage by winning silver in the 1500 metres at the 2025 World Athletic Championships.[29]

Personal life

[edit | edit source]

Wightman attended Stewart's Melville College and Fettes College, both independent schools in Edinburgh, before studying at Loughborough University.[30] Although born in England, Wightman moved to Linlithgow as a child and represents Scotland internationally.[31]

Wightman has a twin brother.[32] His father and coach Geoff Wightman represented England in the marathon at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, whilst his mother Susan Tooby and his aunt Angela Tooby represented Great Britain at the Summer Olympics Seoul 1988.[11][33][34]

Jake is engaged to former Irish international middle distance runner Georgie Hartigan.[35]

Achievements

[edit | edit source]

International competitions

[edit | edit source]
Representing File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great Britain & File:Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland
Year Competition Venue Position Event Time
2013 European Junior Championships Rieti, Italy 1st 1500 m 3:44.14
2014 Commonwealth Games Glasgow, Scotland 16th (h) 1500 m 3:43.87
2016 European Championships Amsterdam, Netherlands 7th 1500 m 3:47.68
2017 World Championships London, United Kingdom 20th (sf) 1500 m 3:41.79
2018 World Indoor Championships Birmingham, United Kingdom 6th 1500 m 3:58.91
Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia 4th 800 m 1:45.82
3rd 1500 m 3:35.97
European Championships Berlin, Germany 3rd 1500 m 3:38.25
2019 World Championships Doha, Qatar 5th 1500 m 3:31.87
2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan 10th 1500 m 3:35.09
2022 World Championships Eugene, OR, United States 1st 1500 m 3:29.23
Commonwealth Games Birmingham, United Kingdom 3rd 1500 m 3:30.53
European Championships Munich, Germany 2nd 800 m 1:44.91
2025 World Championships Tokyo, Japan 2nd 1500 m 3:34.12

Circuit wins, National titles

[edit | edit source]

Personal bests

[edit | edit source]

Awards

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ University bio Archived 2016-08-22 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ a b c d e f Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  17. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  18. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  20. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  21. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  22. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  23. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  24. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  25. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  26. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  27. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  28. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  29. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  30. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  31. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  32. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  33. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  34. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  35. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  36. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  37. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  38. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  39. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  40. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  41. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  42. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  43. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  44. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
[edit | edit source]
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Wikimedia Commons has media related to [[commons:Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 506: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).|Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 506: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).]].

Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 153: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=Jake_Wightman&oldid=3913566"