David Moorcroft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Moorcroft
OBE DL
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at Coventry walk of fame unveiling 16 May 2008
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| Born | 10 April 1953 Coventry, England
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| Known for | Setting a world record for the 5,000 metres, Chief Executive of UK Athletics. |
| Spouse(s) | Linda |
David Robert Moorcroft (born 10 April 1953) is a famous former long-distance runner from England. He once held the world record for the 5,000-metre race. His amazing running career was mostly in the late 1970s and 1980s.
After he stopped competing, David became the leader of UK Athletics. This is the main group for athletics in the UK. He held this job from 1997 to 2007. He also received special awards, called an MBE and later an OBE, for all his hard work in sports.
Contents
Early Life and Education
David Moorcroft was born in Coventry, England, on 10 April 1953. He went to Woodlands Comprehensive School and Tile Hill College. Later, he studied Physical Education and Sport Science at Loughborough University. This university even gave him an honorary degree later on!
Since 1964, David has been a member of the Coventry Godiva Harriers athletics club. Today, he is the president of this club.
Running Career Highlights
David Moorcroft first ran for Great Britain in 1973. His first big event was the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. He finished seventh in the 1,500-metre final.
He won a gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. This was for the 1500 metres race. Just a month later, he won a bronze medal at the European Athletics Championships.
At the 1980 Moscow Olympics, David had stomach problems. This meant he couldn't get past the 5,000-metre semifinals.
Setting a World Record
In 1982, David had an incredible year. He broke the 5,000-metre world record! He ran the race in 13 minutes and 0.41 seconds. This was almost six seconds faster than the old record. He did this without anyone helping him set the pace.
His record was set at the Bislett Games in Oslo. It stood for three years. David Moorcroft is still the last non-African runner to set a 5,000-metre world record.
In the same year, he won another gold medal. This was at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane for the 5,000 metres. He also set new British and European records for the 3,000-metre race. His 3,000-metre time was a British record until 2016.
David competed in his last 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He had a groin injury and finished 14th in the 5,000 metres. He kept running for Britain internationally until the late 1980s.
Even after he stopped competing at the highest level, David kept running. In 1993, he ran a mile in 4 minutes and 2.53 seconds. This was a world record for runners over 40 years old at the time.
Working in Broadcasting and Charity
David Moorcroft worked as a sports commentator for BBC television and radio. He covered athletics events from 1983 to 1997.
He also helped create the Coventry Sports Foundation. He was its Chief Executive from 1981 to 1995. This foundation runs sports facilities and projects in Coventry.
For the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, David helped with track and field analysis for Canadian TV. He also commentated for Channel 4 at the 2011 World Athletics Championships. He continued to work as an analyst for Canadian TV during the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He will also be part of the broadcasting team for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
David Moorcroft is also the Chair of the parkrun UK Board. Parkrun organizes free, weekly running events.
Leading UK Athletics
In 1997, David became the Chief Executive of the British Athletic Federation. At that time, the finances for athletics in the UK were in trouble. He helped create a new organization called UK Athletics. He stayed in charge until 2007.
Under his leadership, UK Athletics became financially strong again. They got money from sponsors, TV deals, and public funds. When he left, the organization was bringing in over £18 million each year. He also helped get a £50 million investment for athletics.
He helped make a new TV deal that brought athletics back to the BBC. Many televised events were held across the UK each year. Big championships were also held in the UK, like the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham in 2003.
New indoor training facilities were built across the UK. Many English tracks were also improved. This was thanks to a £41 million fund from the government.
The British team had mixed results during his time. They won five gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. This was more than in the previous three Games. David believed a new group of athletes was getting ready for the London 2012 Olympics.
Join In Initiative
In 2012, David Moorcroft became the Director of Sport for Join In. This was a UK-wide event to help local sports clubs. It aimed to get more volunteers involved in sports across the UK.
Personal Life
David Moorcroft married Linda on 5 July 1975. They have two children, Paul and Lucy. They also have four grandchildren.
See also
In Spanish: David Moorcroft para niños
