Liz McColgan MBE

Liz McColgan MBE is a former middle and long distance runner who amassed 13 medals in her career, including a silver at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

Twice winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in the 10,000m, Liz first triumphed in 1986 in front of a home crowd in Edinburgh – winning Scotland’s only gold medal in Athletics at those Games. Four years later at Auckland 1990 she successfully defended her 10,000m title, also taking bronze in the 3,000m.

In 1991, Liz’s 10,000m best time of 30:57.07, moved her to second in the world at that time and stood as the Scottish record until 2022, when it was broken by her daughter Eilish McColgan.

In 1996, Liz won the London Marathon in a time of 2 hours, 27 minutes and 54 seconds.

Liz McColgan MBE was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1991 and was awarded an MBE in 1992 for services to athletics. In 2004 Liz was inducted to the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.

Liz is an in-demand motivation speaker especially for events such as International Women’s Day

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After Dinner Female Speakers International Women's Day Keynote Motivational Olympians Speaker

More About Liz McColgan MBE

Liz McColgan | Background

At the age of 12 Liz joined her local athletics club Hawkhill Harriers on the advice of her PE teacher. She soon discovered a talent for distance running and won her first UK titles aged 18.

Life had been hard for Liz from her childhood in Dundee. She was brought up in a block of flats in Whitfield, a tough area where one of her neighbours said after her victory: “That’ll show them there’s more than criminal records come out Whitfield.”

Years later McColgan said that without her love of athletics, and the encouragement of her PE teacher at school and her first coach Harry Bennett, she would not have had a good life.

Liz predicted that without athletics she would probably have ended up on the dole, smoking and drinking as that was the lifestyle she came from.

Liz recognises how lucky she was to find a different path from many other family members. Following the death of her coach, Liz coached herself in preparation for the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1986.

At the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Liz took the gold medal in the 10,000 metres, finishing nearly 12 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor, providing the hosts their only gold medal for the athletics.

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Liz McColgan | Athletic Family

Liz was married to northern Ireland athlete Peter McColgan and they had five children together, one of whom is Eilish McColgan who is also a middle and long distance runner. Liz and Peter were divorced in 2010. In 2014 Liz married John Nuttall, a coach who worked as head of endurance coaching for. Liz became stepmother to para-athlete Luke Nuttall and international athlete Hannah Nuttall.

Liz McColgan | Athletic Achievements

Olympic Games
Silver medal – 1988 Seoul 10,000 m

World Championships
Gold medal – 1991 Tokyo 10,000m

World Indoor Championships
Silver medal – 1989 Budapest 3000 m

World Half Marathon Championships
Gold medal – 1992 Newcastle Women’s race
Silver medal – 1992 Newcastle Women’s team

Commonwealth Games

Gold medal – 1986 Edinburgh 10,000 m
Gold medal – 1990 Auckland 10,000 m
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Auckland 3000 m

World Marathon Majors
Gold medal – 1991 New York City Marathon
Gold medal – 1992 Tokyo Marathon
Gold medal – 1996 London Marathon

World Cross Country Championships
Silver medal – 1987 Warsaw Women’s race
Bronze medal – 1991 Amoriebieta Women’s race

Liz McColgan MBE Scottish Olympic Commonwealth gold silver winner motivational speaker at agent Great British Speakers

Liz retired from competing in August 2001 after fracturing a bone in her foot, although she returned to racing in 2004 to win the Scottish Indoor Championships 3000 metres. In 2007, she ran the London Marathon, finishing 25th and ran the 2010 New York Marathon. Liz was still running in 2017 when she completed the inaugural Stirling Scottish Marathon in 3:18:32, aged 53.