Phillips Idowu

Phillips Idowu

Medal record
Representing England and Great Britain
Men's athletics
World Indoor Championships
	2008 Valencia	Triple Jump
Commonwealth Games
	2006 Melbourne	Triple Jump
	2002 Manchester	Triple Jump
European Indoor Championships in Athletics
	2007 Birmingham	Triple Jump

Phillips Idowu (born December 30, 1978 in Hackney, London) is an English triple jumper. He is the current Commonwealth Games champion, and World and European Indoor champion.

Idowu, who has been described as a "likeable giant", is known for sporting a variety of hair colours and an array of facial piercings. Despite his successes he has at times been accused of inconsistency and of failing to fulfil his potential. He is a member of the London-based Belgrave Harriers athletics club and has been for much of his career.

His sister, Oluyinka, represented Great Britain in the Long Jump, in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Career

Idowu was a talented sportsman at school in both basketball and American football, yet he was most successful as a junior in athletics. In 1997 at the age of 17 he came to attention as a triple jumper when he won the English Schools Championships and the under-20s AAA title, rounding off the year by coming fourth in the European Junior Championships.

His success continued in 2000, when he was ranked in the top 10 triple jumpers in the world and placed sixth in the 2000 Olympic Games. In 2001 he won the European Cup, though later that year his form was found wanting at the World Championships in Edmonton. His first major international medal came when he won silver at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, setting a new personal best of 17.68 m but losing to world record holder and compatriot Jonathan Edwards. Later in 2002 he placed 5th in the European Championships.

Injury

A knee injury that required surgery ruled Idowu out of the whole 2003 season. His aim was to return to form in 2004 to compete at the Olympic Games in Athens. Despite his ambition for success in 2004 he failed to deliver at the Olympic Games, posting three no jumps in the final.

Championship success

In March 2006, Idowu triumphed at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, winning gold. However, he failed to maintain this form and once again finished in 5th place at the European Championships later that year.

In 2007, in the absence of world leader Christian Olsson, Idowu beat compatriot Nathan Douglas to gold in the European Indoor Championships in Birmingham. He recorded a championship record jump of 17.56 m, beating Olsson's world-leading jump by 12cm.

Idowu went on to win the IAAF Golden League Bislett Games in June 2007 with a distance of 17.35m (56' 11"). By July 2007 he was ranked the number thee triple jumper in the world, a new career high.

On March 9, 2008, Idowu won his first world title, taking the gold medal at the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain. His jump of 17.75 m also broke the British and Commonwealth Indoor record previously held by his compatriot and former adversary Jonathan Edwards, who presented him with his medal at the ceremony.

External links

• Phillips Idowu at World Athletics