Liz McColgan
Updated: 12/20/2025, 11:47:27 AM Wikipedia source
Elizabeth Nuttall (née Lynch, formerly McColgan; born 24 May 1964) is a Scottish former middle- and long-distance runner. She won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres at the 1991 World Championships and a silver over the same distance at the 1988 Olympic Games. McColgan earned a silver in the 3000 metres at the 1989 World Indoor Championships. She was a two-time gold medalist in the event at the Commonwealth Games, 1992 World Half Marathon champion and a two-time individual medallist at the World Cross Country Championships. She claimed three victories at the World Marathon Majors: at the 1991 New York City Marathon, 1992 Tokyo Marathon and 1996 London Marathon. McColgan's 10,000 metres best of 30:57.07 set in 1991, moved her to second on the world all-time list at that time and stood as the Scottish record until 2022, when it was broken by her daughter Eilish McColgan. Her marathon best of 2:26:52 set in 1997, stood as the Scottish record until 2019.
Infobox
Tables
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing Scotland | |||||
| 1982 | World Cross Country Championships | Rome, Italy | 71st | 4.7 km | 16:03 |
| 1986 | Commonwealth Games | Edinburgh, Scotland | 1st | 10,000 m | 31:41.42 |
| 1987 | World Cross Country Championships | Warsaw, Poland | 2nd | 5.1 km | 16:48 |
| 1990 | Commonwealth Games | Auckland, New Zealand | 1st | 10,000 m | 32:23.56 |
| 3rd | 3000 m | 8:47.66 | |||
| Representing Great Britain | |||||
| 1986 | European Championships | Stuttgart, West Germany | 12th | 3000 m | 9:02.42 |
| 7th | 10,000 m | 31:49.46 | |||
| 1987 | World Championships | Rome, Italy | 5th | 10,000 m | 31:19.82 |
| 1988 | Olympic Games | Seoul, South Korea | 2nd | 10,000 m | 31:08.44 |
| 1989 | World Indoor Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 6th | 1500 m | 4:10.16 |
| 2nd | 3000 m | 8:34.80 | |||
| 1991 | World Cross Country Championships | Antwerp, Belgium | 3rd | 6.4 km | 20:28 |
| World Championships | Tokyo, Japan | 1st | 10,000 m | 31:14.31 | |
| 1992 | World Cross Country Championships | Boston, MA, United States | 41st | 6.4 km | 22:21 |
| Olympic Games | Barcelona, Spain | 5th | 10,000 m | 31:26.11 | |
| World Half Marathon Championships | Newcastle, United Kingdom | 1st | Half marathon | 1:08:53 | |
| 1993 | World Cross Country Championships | Amorebieta, Spain | 5th | 6.4 km | 20:17 |
| 1995 | World Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 6th | 10,000 m | 31:40.14 |
| 1996 | Olympic Games | Atlanta, GA, United States | 16th | Marathon | 2:34:30 |
| World Marathon Majors | |||||
| 1991 | New York City Marathon | New York, NY, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:27:32 |
| 1992 | Tokyo Marathon | Tokyo, Japan | 1st | Marathon | 2:27:38 |
| 1993 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 3rd | Marathon | 2:29:37 |
| 1995 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 5th | Marathon | 2:31:14 |
| Tokyo Marathon | Tokyo, Japan | 7th | Marathon | 2:30:32 | |
| 1996 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 1st | Marathon | 2:27:54 |
| 1997 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 2nd | Marathon | 2:26:52 |
| 1998 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 2nd | Marathon | 2:26:54 |
| 2007 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 25th | Marathon | 2:50:38 |
| 2010 | New York City Marathon | New York, NY, United States | 129th | Marathon | 3:10:54 |
| Other marathons | |||||
| 2017 | Stirling Scottish Marathon | Stirling, United Kingdom | 16th | Marathon | 3:18:32 |
| Awards and achievements | ||
| Preceded by Paul Gascoigne | BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1991 | Succeeded by Nigel Mansell |
| Sporting positions | ||
| Preceded by Ingrid Kristiansen | Women's 5,000 m Best Year Performance 1987–1988 | Succeeded by Kathrin Weßel |
| Preceded by Tegla Loroupe | Zevenheuvelenloop Women's Winner (15 km) 1994 | Succeeded by Hellen Kimaiyo |
References
- Sports Reference Olympic Sportshttps://web.archive.org/web/20200417174613/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mc/liz-mccolgan-1.html
- The Heraldhttp://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12172276.Injuries_force_Scotland_apos_s_most_successful_female_athlete__Liz_McColgan__into_retirement_Fracture_is_final_straw_for_track_queen/
- Run Britainhttps://web.archive.org/web/20120425235402/http://www.runbritain.com/articles/liz-mccolgan-interview/
- The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/sport/mccolgans-long-run-from-factory-to-fame-1526011.html
- The Salt Lake Tribunehttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune-wildcats-dominate/183570622/
- The Birmingham Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news-mitchell-from-page-1/183569254/
- The Birmingham Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news-three-tiders-accepte/183568428/
- The Birmingham Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news-track-from-page-1d/183568634/
- The Birmingham Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news-bama-track-athletes/183568833/
- The Birmingham Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news-bama-from-page-1b/183568895/
- The Birmingham Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-news-ua-track-coach-quits/183568970/
- United Kingdom Athleticshttps://web.archive.org/web/20111012175144/http://uka.org.uk/e-inspire/hall-of-fame-athletes/liz-mccolgan/
- The Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/athletics/2019/10/16/liz-mccolgan-nuttall-exclusive-dropped-nike-pregnant-wanting/
- Eilish McColgan beats Letesenbet Gidey - and mother Liz's time - as she sets Scottish 10,000m best, BBC, 6 June 2022https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/61710527
- New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/31/sports/track-and-field-super-decathlon-effort-is-just-about-a-footnote.html
- New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/04/sports/new-york-city-marathon-a-brash-mccolgan-wins-with-bold-debut.html
- Daily Recordhttps://www.thefreelibrary.com/SILVER+MEDAL+AND+A+HEART+OF+GOLD!%3b+MALL+FOR+NOTHING%3a+Scot+McColgan...-a061020226
- The Scotsmanhttp://www.scotsman.com/sport/interview_liz_mccolgan_athletics_coach_and_former_athlete_1_1755715
- The Courierhttps://web.archive.org/web/20120203003152/http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Dundee/article/7882/liz-mccolgan-and-husband-peter-to-divorce.html
- The Scotsmanhttp://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/liz-mccolgan-settles-divorce-with-husband-peter-1-2830164
- Scottish Daily Recordhttp://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/athletics-star-liz-mccolgan-reveals-3037925
- University of New Mexico Lobos athleticshttps://golobos.com/roster/hannah-nuttall/
- BBC Sporthttps://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/sports-personality/24712337
- The London Gazettehttps://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/52767/supplement/15
- Scottish Sports Hall of Famehttp://www.sshf.co.uk/inductees/l-p/liz-mccolgan-mbe/