Kelly Sotherton

Kelly Sotherton

Kelly Jade Sotherton (born 13 November 1976) is an English former heptathlete and 400m sprinter. She was the bronze medallist at the 2004 Summer Olympics and was fourth at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She also was a bronze at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics, and was the heptathlon gold medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. In November 2010, she announced her decision to retire from the heptathlon, due to foot and back injuries. After considering "the Rebecca Romero route" she then chose instead to focus on the 400 m. Sotherton's funding from UK Athletics was cut in 2010 but in 2011 she returned to heptathlon training.

As a teenager, Sotherton played netball for Hampshire, but also won two English Schools’ championships in the heptathlon. She moved to the Midlands in order to train with 2000 Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis. She made her senior British team debut in 2002. She is a member of Birchfield Harriers athletics club.

The javelin throw is considered her weakest discipline and has been cited as the main reason for her lack of medals at the 2005 World Championships and 2006 European Championships.