William Sharman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
William Sharman

Sharman at the 2010 Josef Odložil Memorial in Prague
Personal information
Nationality	British
Born	(1984-09-12) 12 September 1984 (age 40) Lagos, Nigeria
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	110 metres hurdles
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	110 m hurdles 13.16 s (European Championships)
Medal record Representing  Great Britain European Championships Silver 2014 Zürich 110 m hurdles Representing  England Commonwealth Games Silver 2010 Delhi 110 m hurdles Silver 2014 Glasgow 110 m hurdles

William "Will" Sharman, born on September 12, 1984, is a British athlete. He is famous for running the 110 metres hurdles race. He first started as a high jumper and a decathlete (an event with ten different sports). However, a shoulder injury made him focus only on hurdling.

Will first competed for Great Britain in 2006. He became well-known in 2009 when he finished fourth in the 110 metres hurdles final at the World Championships. This was the first of three times he reached the World Championship final. He also finished fifth in the 2011 and 2013 finals.

Will was coached by John Anderson. He also worked as a timekeeper for the TV show Gladiators. Besides sports, Will is a trained pianist and has two university degrees.

Will Sharman's Early Career

Growing Up and Starting Athletics

Will Sharman was born in Lagos, Nigeria, on September 12, 1984. His family soon moved to the United Kingdom. He grew up in Corby, Northamptonshire.

He first tried track and field as a junior high jumper. John Anderson, a famous coach, encouraged him to focus on athletics. Will trained at Corby Athletics Club. He started competing in the decathlon and the 110 metres hurdles.

Becoming a Top Junior Athlete

Will became the top-ranked British athlete under 20 years old in both decathlon and 110 metres hurdles. In 2003, he won the decathlon at the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) championships for under-20s.

His first big junior competition was the 2003 European Athletics Junior Championships. There, he finished fifth in the 110 metres hurdles final. In 2005, he just missed a medal at the 2005 European Athletics U23 Championships, finishing fourth. A shoulder injury that year made it hard for him to throw the javelin. So, he decided to stop decathlon and focus only on hurdling.

Will Sharman's Senior Breakthrough

First Major Championships

In 2006, Will did very well in British hurdles races. He won three races before the 2006 European Athletics Championships. He also won the AAA under-23 competition with his best time of 13.49 seconds. Because of this, he was chosen for the Great Britain team. This was his first major championship. However, he did not get past the first races in the 110 metres hurdles.

The next year, 2007, was a big step for Will. He was invited to important events like the Birmingham Indoor Games. Will moved to Loughborough University and started training with a new coach, George Maciukiewicz. He finished third at the UK Championships, both indoors and outdoors.

Aiming for the Olympics

In 2008, Will again finished behind other top British hurdlers at the Olympic trials. He hoped to reach the time needed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But his best time that season was not quite fast enough. So, he was not chosen for the British Olympic team.

World Championships and Commonwealth Games Success

Making a Big Impact

In 2009, Will's chances of going to the 2009 World Championships in Athletics seemed low. But he got a last-minute call to join the British team. He had set a new personal best time of 13.44 seconds in July, which met the needed standard.

At the World Championships, he was the fifth fastest in the first races. In the semi-finals, he made a big impact. The favorite, Dayron Robles, got injured. Will won his semi-final race with a new personal best of 13.38 seconds. In the final race, he finished fourth with an even better time of 13.30 seconds. This made him the fastest European in the final. His performance was one of the best for the British team.

Winning Medals

After the World Championships, Will said he wanted to win a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. He continued to do well in other races.

In 2010, a wrist injury kept Will from competing early in the year. But he came back for the national championships. He won his first outdoor title there. At the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, he won a silver medal. This was his first medal at a major international competition. He was part of an all-English podium, along with Andrew Turner and Lawrence Clarke.

Will Sharman's Life Outside of Athletics

Will Sharman has many talents beyond being a world-class hurdler. He plays the cornet and is a classically trained pianist. He has a university degree in economics from Leicester University. He also has a master's degree in banking and finance from Loughborough University.

As mentioned, he was a timekeeper for the Gladiators television series. Will comes from a sporty family. His brother, Richard Sharman, is also an international sportsman. He competed in bobsleigh. His father, David Sharman, played rugby union for Northampton Saints and was also a professional pianist. Will is a family man with three children. In his free time, he enjoys martial arts.

Will Sharman's Best Times

Here are some of Will Sharman's best times in different running events:

Here are some of his other best results:

Images for kids

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  Will Sharman competing in 2010.

See also

In Spanish: William Sharman para niños