Stéphan Buckland

Stéphan Buckland

Buckland at the 2005 World Championships
Personal information
Nationality	Mauritian
Born	(1977-01-12) 12 January 1977 (age 40) Floreal, Mauritius
Residence	Mauritius
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	100 metres, 200 metres
Medal record Representing  Mauritius Men's athletics African Championships in Athletics 2000 Algiers 100 m 2006 Bambous 200 m 2008 Addis Ababa 200 m Commonwealth Games 2006 Melbourne 200 m IAAF World Athletics Final 2008 Stuttgart 200 m 2003 Monaco 200 m 2004 Monaco 200 m Francophone Games 2001 Ottawa 100 m 2001 Ottawa 200 m 2001 Ottawa 4×100 m relay 2009 Beirut 200 m 2009 Beirut 4×100 m relay Indian Ocean Island Games 2003 Reduit 100 m 2003 Reduit 200 m 2003 Reduit 4×100 m relay 1998 Seychelles 100 m Mauritius National Athletics Championships 1995 Reduit 100 m 1997 Reduit 100 m 1999 Reduit 100 m 2002 Reduit 100 m 2003 Reduit 100 m 2004 Reduit 100 m

Stéphan Buckland (also written Stéphane Buckland; born 12 January 1977) is a retired Mauritian track and field athlete who competed in the 100 and 200 metres.

Buckland's international career began in 1999 after joining the IAAF High Performance Training Centre in Dakar, Senegal. Under coach Dr Herve Stephan, he has progressed to be ready in participating in many international world class track and field meetings. In 1999, he competed in several meetings in Italy and France. He ran a season best and personal best of 10.22 at the Meeting of La Roche Sur Yon in France which at that time was also a national record for Mauritius and eventually achieved the qualifying standards to enter the 100m event at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Sevilla, Spain. At these Championships, he reached the quarterfinals by finishing fifth in 10.39. After these Championships, he reached the final of the 100m at the All Africa Games finishing last and taking fifth place in the 4 × 100 m relay.

In 2000, Buckland broke his 100 record three times, running 10.16 at the Meeting Internacional Atletismo Funchal in Funchal, Portugal. In Funchal, Buckland also ran a national record of 20.31 smashing the former Mauritian record of 20.72 held by Eric Milazar. Earlier that year, he ran his first official 200m race at the Mauritian International Meeting and broke the meeting record as well as the national record with a time of 20.66. He ran a meeting record of 20.43 in the 200m at the Meeting Atletica Internazionale Barletta, which he still holds today. He also won the 100m in 10.29 at this meeting. Other performances include two silver medals at the African Athletics Championships, taking second places in the 100m in 10.20 and the 4 × 100 m relay. His major breakthrough that year was his amazing performance at the Sydney Olympic Games in Australia. He reached the quarterfinals of the 100m by winning his heat in 10.35. He impressed many again by reaching the 200m semifinal finishing fifth in 20.56 and missing the final by a couple of milliseconds. After this performance, Buckland decided to focus mainly on the 200m event and continued to specialize in it.

In 2001, Buckland became the first athlete in history to win the 100m, 200m and the 4 × 100 m relay at the Francophone Games in Ottawa, Canada. In the 100m, he beat Canadian Bruny Surin, one of the fastest man on Earth, in a time of 10.13, setting a new national record. He then won the 200m final in 20.33 after winning his qualification and semifinal races in 20.62 and 20.66 respectively. He then anchored the Mauritian relay team to gold with a new national record of 39.04. What followed was even better. At the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Edmonton, Canada, Stephan Buckland reached the final for the first time finishing sixth in 20.24. He broke the national record in his quarterfinal race running 20.23 and then again the following day, in his semifinal race with a time of 20.15. He also reached the semifinal of the 4 × 100 m relay with Eric Milazar, Fernando Augustin, and Arnaud Casquette by setting a new national record of 38.99 seconds. With all these amazing performances, many Mauritians had found their new national hero and Buckland was given an honourable welcome after his return from Edmonton. Together with Eric Milazar, who finished fourth in the 400m at the World Championships, they were congratulaed by the Prime Minister and treated with a parade in Port Louis. His performance also gave him entry to many Golden League competitions in Europe. He finisned seventh at the Weltklasse Golden League in Zurich, Switzerland and again at the Memorial Van Damme Golden League in Bruxelles, Belgium, in times of 20.63 and 20.42 respectively. He was also selected to represent Mauritius at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia where he took seventh place in 20.92. He ended his season by running his first 300m race at the Apres Midi Des Stars Meeting Reduit, taking second place and beaten by compatriot Eric Milazar. This race was more of a treat for the public who came in large numbers to see the island's two best athletes square off.