Stephanie Davis (runner)

Stephanie Davis (born 26 August 1990) is a British marathon runner, who competed in the marathon event at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics, having won the British Olympic trial event. An unsponsored, part-time athlete, Davis' main career is in finance.

Stephanie Davis
Personal information
Born (1990-08-26) 26 August 1990 (age 34)
Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland
Alma materUniversity of Edinburgh
OccupationFinance
Years active2018– (Sport)
Sport
SportAthletics
University teamUniversity of Edinburgh
ClubClapham Chasers
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)1:11:15 (Half Marathon)
2:27:16 (Marathon)

Career

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Davis is a part-time marathon runner,[1] and as of 2021, she did not have a sponsor.[2] She is a member of Clapham Chasers athletics club,[1] and has previously run for the University of Edinburgh.[2] She is coached by Phil Kissi.[3]

Davis' first marathon was the 2018 Berlin Marathon, which she entered with her partner and a few friends.[4] She finished in a time of 2:41:16.[2] She ran the 2019 London Marathon in the mass participation event and with a hip injury. She finished in 2:32:38.[1][2] The same year, she recorded a personal best time of 2:27:40 at the Valencia Marathon; the time was faster than the Olympic qualification threshold.[1] It was also the ninth fastest marathon time by a Briton ever,[5] and the third fastest ever by a Scottish woman.[6] Davis had been scheduled to compete at the 2020 London Marathon, until it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It would have been her first marathon starting with the elite field.[2][5] She came third in the 2020 The Big Half race, in a personal best time of 1:11:15.[7][8] Later in the year, she was scheduled to compete at the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships,[8] although she later pulled out of the event due to an injury.[9] She had qualified to compete due to her time at The Big Half event,[7] and it would have been her first major international event.[4]

Davis competed at the 2021 British Athletics Marathon and 20km Walk Trial; it was her first marathon since the 2019 Valencia Marathon.[10] She won the race by over three minutes,[1] and she ran the second half of the race in a negative split of 1:13:10.[11] Her finishing time of 2:27:16 was a personal best,[12] and was over two minutes inside the Olympic qualifying time of 2:29:30.[11] As a result, Davis qualified to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[1][12] At the Games, Davis finished 39th.[13]

In April 2022, Davis was selected for the marathon event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. It was scheduled to be her first appearance for Scotland,[14][15] though she later withdrew from the squad due to a foot injury.[16]

Personal life

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Davis is from Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland.[17] She now lives in London, England.[6] Aside from running, Davis works in finance for Lazard,[1][6] three days a week.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Stephanie Davis reaches Olympics less than three years after first marathon". The Guardian. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Stephanie Davis, making big strides in a short time". Athletics Weekly. 2 March 2020. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Steph Davis with coach Phil Kissi". Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "'I can't wait to get on the plane': Stephanie Davis savouring Olympic marathon dream". The Independent. 2 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021 – via MSN.
  5. ^ a b "Stephanie Davis targets Olympics less than two years after first marathon". The Guardian. 16 January 2020. Archived from the original on 30 May 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Steph Davis chasing marathon greatness". Fast Running. 14 February 2020. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Kenenisa Bekele and Lily Partridge win Big Half in London". Athletics Weekly. 1 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Callum and Steph selected for World Half Marathon". Scottish Athletics. 24 September 2020. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Catch-up: Cheptegei and Jepchirchir compete in World Half Marathon Championships". BBC Sport. 17 October 2020. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Who is Britain's Olympic marathon contender Stephanie Davis?". Give Me Sport. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Davis And Thompson In Best Form To Seal Victory At Trials". Run 24/7. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  12. ^ a b "GB Marathon Trials: Chris Thompson and Stephanie Davis take Tokyo Olympics spots". BBC Sport. 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Athletics - Final Results". Olympics.com. 7 August 2021. Archived from the original on 8 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Davis Secures Place at Birmingham 2022". Commonwealth Games Scotland. 28 April 2022. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  15. ^ Beasley, Judy J. (28 April 2022). "Off To Birmingham! Steph Davis Lands [Her] First-Ever Scottish Cap – For The Commonwealth Games Marathon". apartmentsapart.com. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Commonwealth Games 2022: Scotland take 33 athletes to Birmingham". BBC Sport. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  17. ^ "Runner Stephanie Davis takes big strides to Tokyo thanks to diet of Scots porridge". The Times. 7 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
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