Sarah Rowell

Sarah Louise Rowell (born 19 November 1962) is a German born, British former long-distance runner who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Biography

Born in Hostert, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, she ran 2:39:11 at the age of 20 at the 1983 London Marathon. Later that year she won the gold medal in the women's marathon at the 1983 Universiade in Edmonton. Also in 1983, Rowell finished third behind Glynis Penny in the marathon event at the 1983 WAAA Championships.

At the 1984 London marathon she improved her best to 2:31:28 to qualify for the British team for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In the inaugural women's Olympic marathon, she finished 14th. At the 1984 WAAA Championships, Rowell second behind finished Priscilla Welch.

Rowell broke the British record when running her personal best for the marathon with 2:28:06, when finishing second behind Ingrid Kristiansen at the 1985 London Marathon. Rowell also became British marathon champion after winning the British WAAA Championships title at the 1985 WAAA Championships.

Later in her running career, Rowell was a prominent fell runner, winning the Three Peaks Race four times, the Fellsman three times, as well as Wasdale, Borrowdale and Ben Nevis. She finished second in the 1992 World Mountain Running Trophy and won both the British and English Fell Running Championships in 1995 and 1996.

Achievements