Christine Benning

Christine Benning (née Tranter, born 30 March 1955) is an English former middle-distance runner who competed mainly in the 1500 metres and the 3000 metres. In the 1500 m, she represented Great Britain at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, finishing fifth in the final. She won a silver medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. She also broke the UK record in 1979, with 4:01.53. As of 2014, she still ranks in the UK all-time top ten for the mile.

Christine Benning
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
1978 Edmonton 1500 m

Career

Benning was born in Urmston, Lancashire, England. In 1971, as Christine Tranter, she won the AAAs Under 17 800 metres title. In 1974, still a teenager, she was 15th at the World Cross Country Championships and won a gold medal in the team event. In 1975, she was 18th. She finished fifth in the 1500 m final at the 1977 World Student Games (Universiade) in Sofia in 4:09.7.

In 1978, Benning was 12th at the World Cross Country Championships in Glasgow. In the summer, she won the AAA Championships 3000 m title in 8:52.33.[1] Then at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, she won a silver medal in the 1500 m final behind Mary Stewart, running 4:07.53. In 1979, she broke Sheila Carey's seven-year-old UK record in the 1500 metres, running 4:01.53 in Zurich. The record would stand for five years.

In the early 1980s, Benning achieved two more top twenty finishes at the World Cross Country Championships, with 14th in 1981 and 18th in 1983. At the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki, she reached the 3000 metres final, finishing thirteenth in 8:58.01.[2]

Benning achieved her highest placement at the World Cross Country Championships in 1984, finishing sixth in New Jersey. Then in the summer, she added the AAAs 1500 m title to her previous wins at 800 m and 3000 m. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, she reached the 1500 m final, finishing fifth in 4:04.70. She ended the 1984 season by running her best ever times in both the 3000 metres and the mile, with 8:44.46 in Zurich and 4:24.57 in London.

In 1986, Benning won the AAAs 3000 m title, going on to place fourth at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. At the 1987 IAAF World Cross Country Championships she finished 20th, her seventh top twenty finish in the event. In the summer, she won the UK Championships 1500 m title. Then at the World Championships in Rome in September, she reached the 3000 m final for the second time, finishing 12th in 8:57.92.[3]

Benning is the only woman to have won AAAs Senior National titles at 800 m, 1500 m and 3000 m. On the UK all-time list (as of 2015) she ranks 12th in the 1500 m (4:01.53) sixth in the mile (4:24.57) and 12th in the 3000 m (8:44.46).[4]

National titles

International competitions
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Great Britain /  England
1974 World Cross Country Championships Monza, Italy 15th
1975 World Cross Country Championships Rabat, Morocco 18th
1977 World Student Games (Universiade) Sofia, Bulgaria 5th 1500 m 4:09.7
1978 World Cross Country Championships Glasgow, Scotland 12th
Commonwealth Games Edmonton, Canada 2nd 1500 m 4:07.53
1981 World Cross Cross Country Championships Madrid, Spain 14th
1983 World Cross Country Championships Gateshead, England 18th
World Championships Helsinki, Finland 13th 3000 m 8:58.01
1984 World Cross Country Championships East Rutherford, United States 6th
Olympic Games Los Angeles, United States 5th 1500 m 4:04.70
1986 Commonwealth Games Edinburgh, Scotland 4th 3000 m 9:03.85
1987 World Cross Country Championships Warsaw, Poland 20th
World Championships Rome, Italy 12th 3000 m 8:57.92

Note: At the World Cross Country Championships, representing England, Benning won three team medals, gold in 1974, bronze in 1978 and
silver in 1984.

References
  1. "British Athletics Championships".
  2. Krastev, Todor. "Women 3000m World Championship 1983 Helsinki (FIN) - Wednesday 10.08".
  3. http://www.todor66.com/athletics/women/1987/World_3000m.html%5B%5D
  4. "Rankings".
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