Colin Jackson

2.1. Start of career

Jackson's transition to hurdling proved highly successful from an early age. He made his international debut at the 1985 European Athletics Junior Championships in Cottbus, East Germany, where he secured a silver medal in the 110 metres hurdles with a time of 13.69 seconds. The following year, he won a gold medal at the 1986 World Junior Championships in Athletics in Athens, Greece, clocking 13.44 seconds in the 110 metres hurdles. This early success propelled him into the senior ranks, where he quickly established himself on the global stage. At the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, he earned a silver medal in the 110 metres hurdles, marking the beginning of his illustrious senior career.

2.2. Major competition results

Jackson's career was adorned with numerous medals across major international championships:

• Olympic Games:** He secured his only Olympic medal, a silver, in the 110 metres hurdles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, finishing behind Roger Kingdom. Despite his long and dominant career as a world record holder, this remained his sole Olympic medal. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, he eased through his first-round heat with a time of 13.10 seconds, which was faster than the gold medal-winning time in the final, but an injury sustained in the next round limited him to a seventh-place finish. He placed fourth at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and fifth at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
• World Championships:** Jackson won three World Championship medals in the 110 metres hurdles: a bronze at the 1987 Rome World Championships, and two golds at the 1993 Stuttgart World Championships and the 1999 Seville World Championships, where he was visibly emotional upon regaining the title after six years. He also earned a silver medal as part of the British 4×100 metres relay team at the 1993 Stuttgart championships and another silver in the 110 metres hurdles at the 1997 Athens World Championships.
• World Indoor Championships:** In the 60 metres hurdles, Jackson won one gold medal at the 1999 Maebashi World Indoor Championships and three silver medals at the 1989 Budapest, 1993 Toronto, and 1997 Paris World Indoor Championships.
• European Championships:** He dominated the 110 metres hurdles at the European Championships, winning four consecutive gold medals from 1990 to 2002: 1990 Split, 1994 Helsinki, 1998 Budapest, and 2002 Munich. This remarkable achievement solidified his unbroken reign as European Champion for 12 years.
• European Indoor Championships:** Jackson also excelled in indoor European competitions, securing four gold medals in the 60 metres hurdles (1989 The Hague, 1994 Paris, 2002 Vienna) and one gold in the 60 metres sprint (1994 Paris). He also won a silver medal in the 60 metres hurdles at the 1987 Lievin championships.
• Commonwealth Games:** He claimed two gold medals in the 110 metres hurdles at the 1990 Auckland and 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games, and two silver medals at the 1986 Edinburgh and 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.
• Other Major Competitions:** Jackson also achieved success at the IAAF World Cup, winning gold in the 110 metres hurdles at the 1992 Havana World Cup and silver at the 1989 Barcelona and 1998 Johannesburg World Cups. He won gold at the 1994 Goodwill Games in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and two golds at the IAAF Grand Prix Final in London (1993) and Paris (1994), along with a silver in Munich (1999).

2.3. World records and personal bests

Jackson's career is highlighted by his setting of two significant world records.

• 110 metres hurdles:** On 20 August 1993, at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics in Stuttgart, Germany, Jackson set a new world record of 12.91 seconds in the 110 metres hurdles, securing his first World Championship gold medal. This record shaved 0.01 seconds off the previous mark held by Roger Kingdom and stood for nearly 13 years. It was equalled by Liu Xiang at the 2004 Summer Olympics and finally surpassed by Liu Xiang on 11 July 2006 with a time of 12.88 seconds. Jackson's 12.91 seconds remains the European record and the World Championship record.
• 60 metres hurdles (Indoor):** He also held the indoor world record for the 60 metres hurdles with a time of 7.30 seconds, set in Sindelfingen, Germany, on 6 March 1994. This record stood for nearly 27 years until February 2021.

His other notable personal bests include:

• Outdoor:**
  • 110 metres hurdles - 12.91 seconds (1993)
  • 200 metres hurdles - 22.63 seconds (1991)
  • 100 metres - 10.29 seconds (1990)
  • 200 metres - 21.19 seconds (1988)
  • High jump - 5.9 ft ^{(1.81 m)} (1982)
  • Long jump - 25 ft ^{(7.56 m)} (1985)
• Indoor:**
  • 50 metres hurdles - 6.40 seconds (1999), which is the current British record.
  • 60 metres hurdles - 7.30 seconds (1994)
  • 110 metres hurdles - 13.40 seconds (2003)
  • 60 metres - 6.49 seconds (1994), which was a former European record, just 0.01 seconds shy of Linford Christie's mark at the time.

2.4. Running style and characteristics

Jackson was renowned for his distinctive athletic technique, which contributed significantly to his consistent success. He was particularly known for his mastery of the "dip," a skill involving leaning forward at the end of a race to advance the position of the shoulders, thereby improving times and potentially race positions. Additionally, he was celebrated for being an exceptionally fast starter, a characteristic that often gave him an advantage, especially in 60-metre events. His superior technical ability in hurdling distinguished him from many of his competitors, regardless of their raw speed.

2.5. Major winning streaks and seasons

The period between 1993 and 1995 marked one of the most dominant phases of Jackson's career. He embarked on an extraordinary undefeated streak, winning 44 consecutive races between 29 August 1993 and 9 February 1995. This remarkable consistency underscores his peak performance years and his ability to maintain winning momentum at the highest level of the sport. His winning time at the 1994 Commonwealth Games also set a Commonwealth Games record.

2.6. Controversies

In 1998, Jackson faced controversy when he chose to compete for prize money in Tokyo, Japan, rather than participate in the 1998 Commonwealth Games for Wales. This decision sparked debate regarding athlete loyalties and financial incentives. Furthermore, Jackson has stated that he felt discriminated against by British Athletics concerning selections and sponsorship, attributing this discrimination more to his Welsh identity than any other factor.

2.7. Retirement

Colin Jackson concluded his competitive athletics career at the 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom. This event marked his final appearance as a professional athlete, transitioning him into a new phase of his life and career.

3.1. Coaching and mentoring

Jackson has actively engaged in coaching and mentoring fellow athletes, sharing his vast experience and expertise. He coached his close friend, the swimmer Mark Foster, until Foster's retirement in April 2016. He also mentored two of Wales' promising Olympic prospects, 400m runner Timothy Benjamin and 400m hurdler Rhys Williams, contributing to the development of emerging talent in track and field.

3.2. Broadcasting and media career

Jackson has become a prominent figure in broadcasting and media, particularly for the BBC. His work as a BBC athletics commentator and pundit began with the 2004 Athens Olympics, and he has since been a regular member of the BBC team covering athletics events. He also co-hosted the BBC reality TV programme Born to Win with Sally Gunnell in 2004.

Beyond sports commentary, Jackson has participated in a variety of popular entertainment and factual television programs. In 2005, he appeared as a celebrity contestant on the BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing, where he finished second with his dance partner Erin Boag, narrowly losing to cricketer Darren Gough. The following year, he became the first contestant who had not won the main series to win the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special.

His other media appearances include starring as the 'hidden celebrity' in an episode of the CBBC gameshow Hider in the House in 2007. In 2008, he co-hosted the Sunday morning show Sunday Life on BBC One with Louise Minchin. Jackson was also the subject of the BBC One documentary The Making of Me in 2008, which explored the factors contributing to his athletic talent, including the discovery of his exceptionally high percentage of super-fast twitch muscle fibres (25%, compared to a typical 2% in other athletes tested).

In 2010, Jackson was a competitor on the BBC television programme Celebrity MasterChef. He made a cameo appearance as himself in an episode of the UK TV comedy drama Stella in 2012, and in 2015, he starred in the historical experience 24 Hours in the Past. In 2021, he participated in the thirteenth series of Dancing on Ice, partnered with Klabera Komini, and finished in 3rd place.

Jackson was also the face of BBC Raise Your Game with Colin Jackson, a series where he interviewed high-profile international stars about the importance of learning, including figures like Luol Deng and Jenson Button. He is a Director of Red Shoes, a multimedia production company whose clients include the IAAF and UEFA.

3.3. Writing career

Jackson has authored three books. His first, The Young Track and Field Athlete, was published in March 1996 by Dorling Kindersley. His autobiography, Colin Jackson: The Autobiography, was released in April 2004 by BBC Books. His third book, Life's New Hurdles, was published in March 2008 by Accent Press Ltd as part of the Quick Reads Initiative, a program aimed at promoting literacy. He has also shared writing tips on the adult learning website "BBC raw words," including a comedy short with Nina Wadia, Rowland Rivron, and Anneka Rice about structuring a story.

3.4. Public service and civic activities

Jackson has taken on several significant public and civic roles since his retirement. He was a key member of the successful London 2012 Olympic bid team, contributing to bringing the Olympic Games to London. Since 2014, he has served as the race director for the Wings for Life World Run, a global charity running event.

In December 2018, it was announced that Jackson would become the Chancellor of Wrexham Glyndŵr University in Wales, an appointment that was inaugurated in February 2019. He had previously been awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the university in 2016 for his contributions to sport. In July 2022, he participated in the 2022 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay, carrying the baton into Basildon Sporting Village, further demonstrating his ongoing involvement in major sporting events. He also joined Sport4Kids (S4K) in 2016 as their International Director and Brand Ambassador, with responsibilities for developing the S4K brand and helping transform children's sport across the UK and international markets through the company's franchise network.

3.5. Charity work

In 2013, Jackson founded his own charitable fundraising event for men, Go Dad Run. The initiative aims to raise awareness of men's health issues and generate funds for male-focused charities such as Prostate Cancer UK, Bowel Cancer UK, Orchid, and CALM, as well as local cancer care charities and hospices. The event has garnered support from various ambassadors, including Mark Foster, Donovan Bailey, Suzanne Packer, Fernando Montano, Siân Lloyd, and Jamie Baulch.

3.6. Cultural activities

In 2020, Jackson participated in a new S4C television series titled `Iaith ar Daith<sub>Language Road Trip</sub><sup>Welsh</sup>`, alongside other celebrities. The program involved a crash course in the Welsh language while traveling around Wales. By the end of the series, Jackson was able to conduct an interview in Welsh, reflecting his engagement with cultural heritage and personal growth. An additional episode, `Iaith ar Daith 'Dolig<sup>Welsh</sup>` (Language Road Trip: Christmas), broadcast at the end of 2020, revisited the celebrities to discuss their continued use of Welsh and opportunities during the lockdown.