Mark Richardson (sprinter)

Mark Ashton Richardson (born 26 July 1972, in Slough)[1] is an English former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres and 4 x 400 metres relay for Great Britain and England. He won the gold medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay at the 1997 World Championships, and again in the same event at the 1998 European Championshipss. At the Olympic Games, he won relay silver and bronze medals in 1992 and 1996. In the individual event, Richardson's most significant international results were silver at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and bronze in the 1998 European Championships, in addition to three domestic championships gold medals between 1995 and 2002.

"Mark Richardson (athlete)" redirects here. For other sportspeople with this name, see Mark Richardson (disambiguation).

Mark Richardson
Personal information
Full nameMark Ashton Richardson
Nationality British
Born (1972-07-26) 26 July 1972
Sport
SportRunning
Event(s)Sprints
Medal record
Men’s Athletics
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta 4×400 m relay
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Barcelona 4×400 m relay
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1997 Athens4×400 m relay
European Athletics Championships
Gold medal – first place1998 Budapest4×400 m relay
Bronze medal – third place1998 Budapest400 m
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place1990 Plovdiv4×400 m relay
Bronze medal – third place1990 Plovdiv400 m
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 1998 Kuala Lumpur 400m
Silver medal – second place 1998 Kuala Lumpur 4×400 m relay

As of July 2022, Richardson was ranked joint third in the all-time Great Britain lists for 400 metres[2]

Athletics career

He competed for Great Britain in the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, United States in the 4 x 400 metre relay where he won the silver medal with his team mates Iwan Thomas, Jamie Baulch and Roger Black. This team set a UK record, 2:56.60, in the process.

At the 1997 World Championships in Athens, Richardson ran the anchor leg for Great Britain in the 4 × 400 m relay, winning the silver medal. His unofficial split time was 43.5. On 7 January 2010 it was announced that Great Britain's 1997 World Championship 4 × 400 m relay team are to be awarded the gold medal; they were beaten by a U.S. team that included Antonio Pettigrew, who admitted in 2008 to using performance-enhancing drugs.[3]

He represented England and won double silver in the 400 metres and 4 x 400 metres relay, at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[4][5][6]

Doping case

Richardson received a two-year ban from the IAAF after he failed a drugs test which was taken on 25 October 1999. He was suspended in March 2000 and subsequently missed the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.[7] He tested positive for banned substance nandrolone, but claimed that he was unaware of taking the substance.[8] Unlike fellow competitors Linford Christie, Gary Cadogan and Doug Walker, Richardson accepted the ban and chose not to pursue his case to arbitration.[8] The IAAF did re-instate Richardson in June 2001, under their "exceptional circumstances" rule.[9] UK Athletics also cleared Richardson (as they did with Christie, Cadogan and Walker) as they believed there was enough reasonable doubt over the intention to take a banned substance.[8] The IAAF overrule such decisions because they hold athletes completely responsible for drug samples under a "strict liability rule".[8]

Later career and retirement

Although he was re-instated to competition in 2001, Richardson was never able to deliver on the potential that he showed prior to his ban when he became one of the few athletes ever to beat Michael Johnson over 400m in 1998.[10] He never managed to win a solo gold medal at a major championship and retired from the sport after failing to recover from an Achilles tendon injury towards the end of 2003.[11]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Mark Richardson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  2. "Ranking List".
  3. Great Britain's relay heroes will finally be honoured
  4. "1998 Athletes". Team England.
  5. "England team in 1998". Commonwealth Games Federation.
  6. "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
  7. Richardson suspended over drugs test bbc.co.uk
  8. "Two year drug ban cut short for Richardson". independent.co.uk. 15 June 2011. Archived from the original on 21 November 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  9. Mark Richardson reinstated under Exceptional Circumstances rule IAAF.org
  10. Star still waiting for solo gold bbc.co.uk
  11. Richardson forced to call time on career guardian.co.uk
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