Christine Ohuruogu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Christine Ohuruogu
MBE

Ohuruogu at the victory parade in London following the 2008 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Born	(1984-05-17) 17 May 1984 (age 41) Newham, England
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	68 kg (150 lb)
Sport
Country	Great Britain
Club	Newham and Essex Beagles
Turned pro	2004
Achievements and titles
World finals	2007 – 1st 2013 – 1st
Olympic finals	2008 – 1st, 400m 2012 – 2nd, 400m
Highest world ranking	200 m: 11 (2008) 400 m: 2 (2007/2008)
Personal best(s)	100 m 11.35 200 m 22.85 400 m 49.41
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 1 2 World Championships 2 2 4 World Indoor Championships 1 0 1 European Indoor Championships 1 0 0 Commonwealth Games 1 0 1 World Athletics Final / Diamond League 0 1 2 European Team Ch'ships / Cup 2 1 1 European U23 / Junior Ch'ships 0 2 1 Total 8 7 12 Women's athletics Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing 400 m Silver 2012 London 400 m Bronze 2008 Beijing 4 × 400 m Bronze 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4 × 400 m World Championships Gold 2007 Osaka 400 m Gold 2013 Moscow 400 m Silver 2013 Moscow 4 × 400 m Bronze 2005 Helsinki 4 × 400 m Bronze 2007 Osaka 4 × 400 m Bronze 2009 Berlin 4 × 400 m Bronze 2011 Daegu 4 × 400 m Bronze 2015 Beijing 4 × 400 m World Indoor Championships Gold 2012 Istanbul 4 × 400 m Bronze 2014 Sopot 4 × 400 m World Athletics Final Silver 2008 Stuttgart 400 m Bronze 2007 Stuttgart 400 m Diamond League Bronze 2012 400 m European Indoor Championships Gold 2013 Gothenburg 4 × 400 m European Cup Gold 2005 Florence 4 × 400 m Silver 2008 Annecy 200 m European Team Championships Gold 2013 Gateshead 4 × 400 m Bronze 2009 Leiria 200 m European U23 Championships Silver 2005 Erfurt 400 m Silver 2005 Erfurt 4 × 400 m European Junior Championships Bronze 2003 Tampere 400 m Representing  England Commonwealth Games Gold 2006 Melbourne 400 m Bronze 2014 Glasgow 4 × 400 m
Updated on 20 August 2016.

Christine Ijeoma Ohuruogu, who is an MBE, is a British former track and field athlete. She was born on May 17, 1984. Christine was a specialist in the 400 metres race. She became an Olympic, World, and Commonwealth champion in this event.

Christine won the Olympic gold medal in 2008 and a silver medal in 2012. She is also a two-time World Champion, winning the 400m race in 2007 and 2013. She earned six World Championship medals as part of Great Britain's 4 × 400m relay team. She also won Olympic bronze medals in the 4 × 400m relay in 2008 and 2016. Christine holds a record with Merlene Ottey and Usain Bolt for winning medals in nine global championships in a row. This streak lasted from 2005 to 2016.

Her fastest time in the 400m is 49.41 seconds. She set this record at the 2013 World Championships. This time broke the UK record set by Kathy Cook in 1984. Christine was the first British woman to win two World Championship titles. She was also the first British woman to win three global titles. After her relay bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics, she became only the second British track and field athlete, after Steve Backley, to win medals at three Olympics in a row.

Christine was known for her strength and ability to keep her speed until the end of a race. She was also very good at performing her best in big competitions. She retired from athletics in 2017. After retiring, Christine planned to study law and become a lawyer. In 2022, she helped mentor fellow athlete Matthew Hudson-Smith. This led to him setting a new British 400m record and winning his first World Championship bronze medal.

About Christine Ohuruogu

Christine was born in Newham, east London. Her parents were from the Igbo community in Nigeria. She grew up in Stratford. As a young person, she competed in both netball and athletics at the London Youth Games. In 2009, she was added to the London Youth Games Hall of Fame.

Christine studied Linguistics at University College London and graduated in 2005. She also played netball during her time at university. She has eight brothers and sisters, including Victoria Ohuruogu, who is also a sprinter. Christine went to St. Edward's Church of England School and Trinity Catholic High School. In 2017, she started studying law at Queen Mary University of London. She is a member of the Newham and Essex Beagles Athletics Club.

In 2009, Christine was given the MBE award. She also received an honorary degree from the University of East London. Christine has written a series of children's books called "Camp Gold." These books are about a special training school for young athletes.

Christine's Athletics Journey

Early Career and First Medals

In 2003, Christine won a bronze medal in the 400m at the European Junior Championships. The next year, she became the AAA champion in the 400m. She also reached the semi-finals at the Athens Olympics in 2004. She was part of the 4 × 400m relay team that finished fourth.

In 2005, she won a silver medal at the European Under 23 Championships. She missed the gold by a tiny amount. She also won a silver medal in the 4 × 400m relay. After reaching the semi-final in the 400m at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics, she helped her team win a bronze medal in the 4 × 400m relay.

Commonwealth Games Gold

Christine won a gold medal for England in the 400m at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. She set a new personal best time of 50.28 seconds. She beat a strong competitor, Tonique Williams-Darling, in both the semi-final and the final.

Overcoming Challenges

In 2006, Christine faced a challenge when she was not allowed to compete for a year. This happened because she missed three "out-of-competition" drug tests. These tests are part of the rules for athletes to make sure everyone is competing fairly. It was made clear that there was no suggestion she had deliberately tried to avoid testing. She had passed other tests around that time. The ban ended on August 5, 2007.

The British Olympic Association also tried to ban her from future Olympic Games. Christine appealed this decision. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the ban at first, but later, on November 27, 2007, her Olympic ban was overturned. This meant she could compete in the Olympics again.

World Champion Comeback

Just one day after her ban ended, Christine was chosen for the British team for the 2007 Athletics World Championships. She had only run five races since her ban. Despite this, she won the gold medal in the individual 400m. This was the only gold medal for Great Britain at those championships. She also helped her team win a bronze medal in the 400m relay.

Christine Ohuruogu (in dark blue, center) winning the 400m at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka, Japan.

Olympic Glory in Beijing

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Christine won her heat and then her semi-final. In the final, she became the first British female Olympic 400m champion. She beat Sanya Richards and Shericka Williams with a time of 49.62 seconds. This was the fastest time of 2008. This win also marked Great Britain's 50th gold medal in athletics at the Summer Olympics. She also won a bronze medal with the 4 × 400m relay team.

Later Career Highlights

In 2009, Christine improved her personal best times in the 60m and 200m. She won the 400m national title at the UKA Championships. At the 2009 World Championships, she set her season's best time in the final, finishing behind Sanya Richards.

Injuries kept her out of the European Championships and Commonwealth Games in 2010. In 2011, she was disqualified from the individual 400m at the World Championships due to a false start.

In 2012, Christine helped Great Britain win their first ever medal in the Women's 4 × 400m relay at the Indoor World Championships. She then won a silver medal in the 400m at the 2012 London Olympics. She ran a season's best time of 49.70 seconds.

In 2013, Christine won her second world title in the 400m final in Moscow. She became the first British woman to achieve this. She set a new British record with a time of 49.41 seconds, beating Kathy Cook's long-standing record.

In 2014, she won a bronze medal with the 4 × 400m relay team at the World Indoor Championships. Despite injuries in 2015, she reached the 400m final at the World Championships in Beijing. She also helped the British 4 × 400m relay team win a bronze medal.

Final Olympics and Retirement

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Christine won a bronze medal in the 4 × 400m relay. She ran the final part of the race for the team.

In 2017, Christine did not qualify for the individual 400m at the World Championships in London. She announced that 2017 would be her last season. In June 2018, she officially confirmed her retirement from competition. She explained that injuries and her studies had limited her training.

Christine's Best Times

Major Wins and Titles

Preceded by Aliann Pompey	Commonwealth Champion in 400m 2006	Succeeded by Amantle Montsho
Preceded by Tonique Williams-Darling	World Champion in 400m 2007	Succeeded by Sanya Richards
Preceded by Tonique Williams-Darling	Olympic Champion in 400m 2008	Succeeded by Sanya Richards-Ross
Preceded by Amantle Montsho	World Champion in 400m 2013	Succeeded by Allyson Felix
Preceded by  United States Debbie Dunn DeeDee Trotter Natasha Hastings Allyson Felix	World Indoor Champion in 4 × 400 m relay representing  Great Britain with Shana Cox Nicola Sanders Perri Shakes-Drayton 2012	Succeeded by  United States Natasha Hastings Joanna Atkins Francena McCorory Cassandra Tate Jernail Hayes* Monica Hargrove*
Preceded by  Russia Kseniya Zadorina Kseniya Vdovina Yelena Migunova Olesya Forsheva	European Indoor Champion in 4 × 400 m relay representing  Great Britain with Eilidh Child Shana Cox Perri Shakes-Drayton 2013	Succeeded by  France Floria Gueï Elea-Mariama Diarra Agnès Raharolahy Marie Gayot

National Titles

• AAA Championships
  • 400 metres: 2004
• British Athletics Championships
  • 400 metres: 2009

See also

In Spanish: Christine Ohuruogu para niños