Allan Wells facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Allan Wells
MBE

Personal information
Born	(1952-05-03) 3 May 1952 (age 73) Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Sport
Country	Great Britain  Scotland
Event(s)	100 metres 200 metres
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games Gold 1980 Moscow 100 metres Silver 1980 Moscow 200 metres IAAF World Cup Gold 1981 Rome 100 m Silver 1981 Rome 200 m European Cup Gold 1979 Turin 200 m Gold 1981 Zagreb 100 m Gold 1983 London 200 m Silver 1981 Zagreb 200 m Silver 1983 London 100 m Bronze 1979 Turin 100 m Representing  Scotland Commonwealth Games Gold 1978 Edmonton 200 m Gold 1978 Edmonton 4 x 100 m Gold 1982 Brisbane 100 m Gold 1982 Brisbane 200 m Silver 1978 Edmonton 100 m Bronze 1982 Brisbane 4 x 100 m

Allan Wipper Wells (born 3 May 1952) is a famous British former track and field runner. He was a top sprinter who became the 100 metres Olympic champion in 1980. This happened at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

In 1981, he won gold medals at both the IAAF Golden Sprints and IAAF World Cup. He also won three gold medals at the European Cup. Allan Wells won many medals for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games. He earned two golds in 1978 and won both the 100 metres and 200 metres races in 1982.

Allan Wells: A Champion Sprinter

Early Days in Athletics

Allan Wells was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He went to Fernieside Primary School and then Liberton High School. When he was 15, he left school to start an engineering job.

At first, Allan was a triple jumper and long jumper. He even won the Scottish indoor long jump title in 1974.

Becoming a Sprint Star

In 1976, Allan started to focus on sprint races. By 1977, he won the indoor 60 metres title. He also won the first of his seven outdoor Scottish sprint titles.

The year 1978 was a big one for him. He set a new British record in the 100 metres. At the Commonwealth Games in Canada, he won a gold medal in the 200 metres. He also got a silver medal in the 100 metres. He helped Scotland win another gold in the 4 × 100 m race.

In 1979, his success continued. He won the European Cup 200 metres in Italy. He beat Pietro Mennea, who was a world record holder.

Olympic Glory in 1980

Before the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Allan faced some challenges. A new rule meant he had to use starting blocks, which he wasn't used to. He also had bad back pain right before the games.

Despite these issues, Allan Wells did amazingly well. He set a new British record in the 100 metres heats. In the final, it was a very close race. Allan won the gold medal by just a tiny bit. He became the oldest Olympic 100 metres champion at that time.

In the 200 metres final, he won a silver medal. He set another British record in that race. He also helped the sprint relay team set a third British record. Allan said that the challenges he faced actually helped him. He felt fresh and focused for the races.

After the Olympics, some people wondered if his gold medal was less important. This was because some countries had not attended the games. Allan then raced against top American sprinters in Germany. He won the race, proving he was a true champion.

World Cup Win and More Medals

In 1981, Allan continued his winning streak. He won the European Cup 100 metres. He also won the "IAAF Golden Sprints" event. This was a very important sprint meeting that year.

Later, he won the 100 metres at the IAAF World Cup in Rome. He even beat Carl Lewis, another famous sprinter. Allan finished second in the 200 metres at the World Cup.

Later Career and Retirement

In 1982, Allan Wells won two more Commonwealth Games titles in Australia. He won both the 100 metres and 200 metres races. He also earned a bronze medal in the relay.

In 1983, he won his third European Cup title. He won the 200 metres race in London. He also finished fourth in both sprint finals at the World Championships.

Allan continued to compete even at age 32. He reached the 100 metres semi-finals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He was also part of the relay team that finished seventh.

Later in his career, Allan was known for wearing new Lycra running shorts. He won a total of 18 medals at major championships. He retired in his mid-30s due to back injuries.

Life After Running

Since 1982, Allan Wells has lived in Surrey, England. He lives with his wife, Margot Wells, who was also a Scottish champion sprinter. After retiring, Allan coached the British bobsleigh team.

Today, Margot is a fitness consultant. Allan is a retired systems engineer. Allan also coached a sprint squad for the Bank of Scotland.

Allan Wells's fastest time for the 100 metres is 10.11 seconds. His best time for the 200 metres is 20.21 seconds. Both of these times were set at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. They are still Scottish records today.

Honours and Awards

Allan Wells has received many awards for his achievements.

• He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1982. This was for his great service to athletics.
• He was added to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. He joined other Scottish Olympic champions like Eric Liddell.
• In 2013, he was the first person to carry the baton for the Queen's Baton Relay. This was for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
• In 2014, he and his wife Margot received an Honorary Doctorate of Science. This was from Edinburgh Napier University.

See also

In Spanish: Allan Wells para niños