Jeanette Kwakye facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jeanette Kwakye
MBE

Kwakye in 2025
Personal information
Born	(1983-03-20) 20 March 1983 (age 42) London Borough of Waltham Forest, England
Height	5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Weight	61 kg (134 lb)
Sport
Country	Great Britain
Club	Woodford Green with Essex Ladies
Turned pro	2005
Retired	2014
Achievements and titles
World finals	2008 Indoor – 2nd
Olympic finals	2008 – 6th
Highest world ranking	60 m: 2 (2008) 100 m: 9 (2008) 200 m: 45 (2007)
Personal best(s)	60 m 7.08 100 m 11.14 200 m 23.11
Medal record Representing  Great Britain Women's athletics World Indoor Championships Silver 2008 Valencia 60 m
Updated on 17 August 2008.

Jeanette Boahemaa Kwakye (born 20 March 1983) is a British athlete who used to be a fantastic sprinter. She is now a well-known broadcaster. Jeanette is known for her speed on the track and her friendly personality on TV.

Jeanette Kwakye's Sprinting Career

Jeanette Kwakye had an exciting career as a sprinter. She competed in many big races around the world. Her speed made her one of Britain's top athletes.

Early Success in Athletics

Jeanette started her international career strong. In 2002, she won a bronze medal in the 4x100 metres relay race. This was at the World Junior Championships. She ran with teammates Jade Lucas-Read, Amy Spencer, and Vernicha James.

In 2007, Jeanette competed in the European Indoor Championships. She finished fourth in the 60 metres race. In an earlier race, she ran 7.17 seconds. This was the fastest time by a British woman in 60m since 1986.

Becoming British Champion

Jeanette became the British Champion in 2007. She won the 100m race with a time of 11.59 seconds. She beat Laura Turner and Joice Maduaka. The very next day, she also won the 200m title. She finished ahead of Emily Freeman and Donna Fraser.

Breaking Records and World Medals

In 2008, Jeanette went to the World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain. She equalled the British 60m record of 7.13 seconds. Then, she broke it with an amazing run of 7.08 seconds! This earned her a silver medal. She finished just behind Angela Williams from the USA. This made Jeanette the second-fastest female 60m runner in the world that year.

On 12 July 2008, Jeanette won her British 100m title again. She also won the Olympic trials. This meant she was chosen to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Her time of 11.26 seconds was her best time ever at that point.

Jeanette at the 2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics were held in Beijing, China. Jeanette Kwakye competed in the 100 metres race. She ran very well in the early rounds. She made it all the way to the semi-final.

In the semi-final, Jeanette finished third. Her time was 11.19 seconds. This was a big achievement! She became the first British woman to reach the 100 metres final since 1984. She was also the only European athlete in that final race. In the final, she ran her fastest time ever, 11.14 seconds. She finished in sixth place.

Jeanette also ran in the 4x100 metres relay for Great Britain. The team was expected to win a medal. Jeanette ran a strong first part of the race. However, the British team did not finish the race. There was a problem when passing the baton between Montell Douglas and Emily Freeman.

Dealing with Injuries

After the 2008 Olympics, Jeanette faced some tough times. She had injuries to her Achilles tendon and knee. This meant she missed the entire 2010 athletics season. She worked hard to recover and returned to racing in 2011. That year, she became the British 100m champion again.

In 2011, she reached the semi-final of the 100m at the World Championships in South Korea. In 2012, Jeanette won the British 60m Indoor title. However, injuries stopped her from qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Games. She did not compete at all in 2013. Jeanette announced she was retiring from competitive running in January 2014.

Jeanette Kwakye's Life Off the Track

Jeanette Kwakye has an interesting life outside of sports. She has family connections to Ghana. She also helps young people and has been involved in film.

Family Background

Jeanette's parents were born in Ghana, a country in Africa. They moved to England in the early 1980s. Jeanette has a younger brother, Louis, who is also an athlete. Her younger sister, Chelsea, is a writer. She co-wrote a book called 'Taking Up Space'.

Education and Friendships

Jeanette went to Loughborough University. She earned a degree in Politics and Economics. She is also good friends with the famous singer Estelle.

Working in Film and Football

Jeanette helped train actors for the 2012 British film Fast Girls. She trained Lily James and Lenora Crichlow to play athletes in the movie. She also appeared in a documentary film called "Personal Best" in 2012.

In 2016, Jeanette was part of a group that took over a football team. This team was Dagenham & Redbridge F.C..

Writing for Children

In 2017, Jeanette wrote her own children's book. It is called Femi the Fox.

Jeanette Kwakye's Broadcasting Career

After retiring from running, Jeanette started a new career in broadcasting. She is now a familiar face and voice on TV and radio.

Starting in Radio

Jeanette studied to become a journalist. She began working for BBC Radio Berkshire. In 2014, she joined the sports team at BBC Radio London.

She often hosts the 'Football Daily' podcast for BBC Radio 5 Live. She also fills in for other presenters on 5 Live Sport. Jeanette is a regular guest on Ian Wright's podcast, 'Wrighty's House'.

Presenting for BBC Sport

Jeanette has presented many sports shows for BBC Sport. She covered the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. She also reported on the World swimming championships in 2019 and the World athletics championships in 2019. She has presented 'The Women's Football Show'. She also reported for BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2019. She is the BBC's main reporter for athletics events right next to the track.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (which happened in 2021), Jeanette presented a highlights show every evening. She did this with Nihal Arthanayake. For the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Jeanette presented the morning coverage for the BBC. She also presented morning coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris with JJ Chalmers.

Jeanette used to have her own weekly show on BBC Radio London. It was called 'The Women's Sport Show'.

Other Broadcasting Roles

In December 2020, Jeanette became the main presenter for Channel 5's boxing coverage. In October 2023, she joined The Martin Lewis Money Show on ITV. She is now a co-presenter on the show.

Jeanette also enjoys writing. Her articles have been published in The Guardian and the Daily Mirror. She also works for the Youth Sport Trust. She is an Athlete Mentor on the Sky Sports 'Changing Lives' program. From 2013 to 2019, she was a reporter for the Sky Sports children's TV show Game Changers.

In 2021, Jeanette was given an award called the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This was for her great work in sport and sports broadcasting.

Jeanette Kwakye's Best Times

Here are Jeanette Kwakye's personal best times in her sprinting events:

See also

In Spanish: Jeanette Kwakye para niños