Holmes, Kelly (1970– )

English middle distance runner, who won double Olympic gold in 2004 over 800 and 1,500 metres, becoming, at 34, the oldest woman to win either event. She also became only the third woman in history to win over both distances at the Olympics.

Career highlights

Olympic Games gold 800 metres 2004; gold 1,500 metres 2004; bronze 800 metres 2000

World Championships silver 800 metres 2003; silver 1,500 metres 1995; bronze 800 metres 1995

World Indoor Championships silver 1, 500 metres 2003

Commonwealth Games gold 1,500 metres 1994, 2002

Awards BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2004

After a promising career as a junior, Holmes gave up athletics at age 18 to join the army. Three years after returning to athletics, she won two silver medals and one bronze medal at the 1995 World Championships. Injury hampered much of the rest of her career: a stress fracture prior to the 1996 Olympics led to a fourth-place finish in the 800 metres and she won bronze in the same event at the 2000 Olympics despite only being able to train fully for six weeks beforehand. In 2003 she won silver medals in the 800 metres at the World Championships and in the 1,500 metres at the World Indoor Championships. She was made a dame in 2005.