Charlotte is our latest athlete to join the squad thanks to a generous sponsorship to Blue Group International. We are also delighted that we have agreed some initial kit from Nike.
Profile
Name: Charlotte Anne Best
Height: 166cm
Date of birth: 07/03/1985
Weight: 60kg
World Ranking 800m (U20) 14th
Charlottes sporting career started after she came third at a secondary school competition at the age of 13, prompting her to join Crawley Athletics club. After a few months she joined her present coach: Matt Quinns group, and started to show potential in cross-country. During that first season she achieved a place at the English schools cross-country championships gaining her first Surrey vest. From that successful first season she has had the honour to represent her county, region, country and her nation at home and abroad.
Personal Bests:
200m - 25.5 seconds
400m - 55.14/53.6 - relay split, seconds
800m - 2.03.9 min
1500m - 4.29.19 min
2000
1st- AAA National Championships- 800m
2nd- AAA National Indoor Championships- 800m
1st- Surrey County Championships- 800m & 1500m
1st- Surrey Schools Championships-800m
4th- English Schools Championships- 800m
2001
2nd- AAA National Championships- 800m
1st- Surrey County Championships- 800m & 1500m
3rd- South of England Championships- 800m
1st Surrey Schools Championships- 800m
4th- English Schools Championships: Qualified for international representing England- 3rd-800m, & 1st- 4x300m relay
2002
3rd- AAA National Championships- 1500m: Qualified for Great North Mile Representing England- 4th
1st- Surrey County Championships- 1500m & 800m
1st- Surrey Schools Championships- 1500m
4th- English Schools Championships- 1500m
2nd- South of England Championships (Senior)- 800m
2003
1st- South of England Championships- 800m: Qualified for the Loughborough International Athletics Championships Representing Great Britain- 800m
2nd- South of England Championships- 400m
6th- AAA National Championships- 800m
1st English Schools Championships 400m
2004
1st South of England Championships 800m & 400m: Qualified for the Loughborough Athletics Championships representing Great Britain 800m & 4x400m
AAA National Championships 3rd
1st Manchester GB vs AUS meeting 800m & 4x400m
5th World Junior Championships 4x400m
Cross Country
2000/2001
1st- Surrey County Championships
1st- Surrey Schools Championships
2nd- Southern Womens League
Selected to run for South of England, in Belgium- Roeselare
3rd- Inter-counties
2001/2002
2nd- Surrey County Championships
2nd- Southern inter-counties
1st- Selected to run for South of England in Belgium- Hannut
2nd- South of England Championships
Selected to run for South of England in Belgium- Roeselare
3rd- inter-counties
6th- Selected to run for England in Milan For the European Cross cup.
4th- AAA Nationals Championships
Selected to run At the Great American Run, in North Carolina for surrey.
2002/2003
4th- South of England Championships
Ran for South of England in Belgium- Roeselare
5th- AAA National Championships
9th- National inter-counties- was selected to be part of the Great Britain Training Squad.
7th English Schools Championships
2003/2004
6th- European cross country trials- 1st reserve for the European cross country Championships for Great Britain.
2nd- Lotto Cross cup in Belgium- Roeselare
7th- Lisbon GB
6th-National Intercounties World Trials-1st reserve for Worlds
3rd-Overall Reebok Challenge
4-Year Plan
Charlottes main aim for the next 4 years is, in the short-term, to qualify for the European U23 Championships. Also to reduce her overall times for 800m and the 400m.
Long-term aims are to compete in the World Championships 2005 in Helsinki, Commonwealth Games 2006 in Melbourne, European Championships 2006 in Gothenburg, World Championships 2007 in Osaka in Japan and the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing.
Any funding or support will help towards achieving my goals. By enabling me to afford the costs of travel, accommodation, training and competition kit, also to travel and compete at overseas meetings where the conditions will help gain qualifying standards for GB selection for major meetings. Charlotte Best.
University and Education
At the moment Charlotte is studying Sports science with Management at Loughborough University. She will be aiming to represent Loughborough at the University Games. Whilst being coached by World-renowned coaches like, George Gandy.
Charlotte is part of the World-Class Potential Plan, where she has the support of UK athletics, medical, physiotherapy and physiological testing. This plan is designed to help potential athletes to achieve medals at major meetings including the Olympic Games for Great Britain.
In the last year Charlotte was fortunate enough to be part of the Born To Win series sponsored by Norwich Union and the BBC. There were 5000 competitors who went through 3 trials which concluded to 10 girls and 10 boys. Having qualified as one of the final 10 girls, the BBC media trained the participants to have experience in giving press interviews. The programme was filmed in Austria. It was a great experience, which Charlotte will remember for the rest of her life. She learnt a lot from the mentors Sally Gunnell, Colin Jackson and athletic legend Michael Johnson. In the future Charlotte wishes to participate in televised events and programmes. |
