Name Becky Lyne | ||
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Education Loughborough University, Butler University, Tapton School | ||
Becky Lyne interview
Rebecca "Becky" Lyne (born 4 July 1982, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire), is an English middle-distance runner, specialising in 800 and 1,500 metre races.
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Lyne attended Tapton School in Sheffield.
Professionally, Lyne teaches athletics to primary school children. She is a member of the Hallamshire Harriers running club. Lyne is coached by Dave Turnbull and is managed by Australian athletics agent Nic Bideau, to whom she partly credits her recent success.
Her partner is British cross country international runner Steve Vernon. In 2002/03 she took a year out of studies at Loughborough University to attend Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
2006
Not selected for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March due to a series of injuries, the Stockport-based athlete leapt to third in the UK all-time 800 metre rankings with 1 min 58.20 sec in the Norwich Union British Grand Prix in Gateshead in June 2006, finishing second behind Kenyan Commonwealth champion Janeth Jepkosgei. Shortly afterwards she finished behind Jepkosgei again at the London Grand Prix in Crystal Palace with a time of 1:58.69.
At the EAA European Cup in Málaga at the end of June 2006 she fell and finished last, but in July 2006 she became the WAAA 800 metre champion in Manchester with a time of 2:00.31.
On 10 August, she won the 800 m bronze medal at the 2006 European Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg's Ullevi Stadium in Sweden, with a time of 1:58.45 minutes.
On 16 September 2006 she represented Europe in the 800 m at the Athletics World Cup in Athens. She came 4th with a time of 2:00.97 minutes.
As a result of her successes in 2006 the Hallamshire Harrier was the recipient of the prestigious Dame Marea Hartman Award awarded to the outstanding female athlete of the season.
2007
Lyne was injured for much of the early months in 2007. However, in July she started her come back. She was hoping to be selected to represent Great Britain in the World Championships over 800 m, however there were only three spaces, and Jemma Simpson, Marilyn Okoro and Jenny Meadows had all run faster than Lyne in 2007, however, in the past 12 months Lyne was the fastest runner, as well as having the fastest personal best by a long way.
In the first round of selection, only Simpson and Okoro were selected for the 800 m, and Meadows and Lyne had to race again. They did, and Meadows won the race, however, Lyne was much improving and starting to reach her best again, and the selectors decided to opt for her. However, just before the flight to Osaka, Becky had to pull out due to her injury. Jennifer Meadows then replaced her.