Phillips Idowu

Phillips Idowu

Phillips Idowu at the 2009 World Championships.
Personal information
Born	(1978-12-30) 30 December 1978 (age 38)
Height	1.97 m (6 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
Weight	87 kg (192 lb)
Sport
Country	United Kingdom
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Triple jump
Medal record Representing  Great Britain Olympic Games 2008 Beijing Triple jump World Championships 2009 Berlin Triple jump 2011 Daegu Triple jump European Championships 2010 Barcelona Triple jump World Indoor Championships 2008 Valencia Triple jump European Indoor Championships 2007 Birmingham Triple jump Continental Cup 2010 Split Triple jump Representing  England Commonwealth Games 2006 Melbourne Triple jump 2002 Manchester Triple jump
Updated on 15 August 2012.

Phillips Olaosebikan Idowu, MBE (born 30 December 1978) is a British athlete who specialises in the triple jump. He is a former World Outdoor and Indoor, European Outdoor and Indoor, and Commonwealth triple jump champion. He was also a silver medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Idowu is a member of the London-based Belgrave Harriers athletics club and has been for much of his career.

Despite his successes, Idowu has at times been accused of inconsistency and of failing to fulfil his potential, including his disappointing failure at the London Olympics 2012. His championship record since 2008, especially his gold medal at the 2009 World Athletics Championships, has addressed some of these criticisms; the Olympic Games is the only major championship to have eluded him, with a silver medal in 2008.

Idowu grew up in Hackney, and was a talented sportsman at school in both basketball and American football, yet he was most successful as a junior in athletics. In 1997 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.

Idowu's 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 metres but losing to world record holder and compatriot Jonathan Edwards. Later in 2002 he placed 5th in the European Championships.