Bio

Jo Pavey MBE, OLY
European Champion, World & Commonwealth Medallist

Born
Honiton, Devon 20th September 1973

Lives
West Hill, Devon

Family
Married with two children

Represents
Great Britain, England, European Team 2002, 2014 (2014 Team captain)

Coach
Gavin Pavey (Husband)
British Milers Club National Coach of the Year 2014

Clubs
Life member of Exeter Harriers
Honorary life member of Bristol & West AC
Ambassador for Sidmouth Harriers
President of Exeter & East Devon Sports Association for the Disabled

Performance

Achievements (Selection of track results only)
2014 European Championships 10000m Gold 
2014 Commonwealth Games 5000m Bronze
2014 World / Continental Cup 5000m Bronze
2012 European Championships 10000m Silver
2007 World Championships 10000m Bronze
2006 Commonwealth Games 5000m Silver
2004 Olympic Games 5000m 5th
2003 World Athletics Final 3000m bronze, 1500m 4th
2002 World / Continental Cup 5000m Bronze

Records (Not an exhaustive list)
Commonwealth Record 3000m indoors 2004 & 2007. Jo also holds a number of masters world records including 5000m, 10000m and ten miles.

Best Times
1500m 4min 1sec - 3000m 8min 31sec - 5000m 14min 39sec - 10000m 30min 53sec

Jo has been ranked European number one on numerous occasions at various distances between 2004 & 2014 and has also ranked in the world’s top 3 in 2004 & 2007. Jo is the oldest European Champion in history & the only British runner to have competed in five Olympic Games.

Honours & Awards
National Awards
(A selection of some of Jo’s 2014 awards)
BBC Sports Personality of the Year     Third Place
Sports Journalist Association        British Sports Women of the Year
British Athletics (Governing body)    British Athlete of the Year
British Athletics Supporters Club    British Athlete of the Year
British Athletics Writers Association    British Female Athlete of the Year
Daily Mirror Pride of Sport Awards    British Inspirational Performer of the Year
Cosmopolitan Magazine        Ultimate Sports Star of the Year
Daily Mail                The Ian Wooldridge Sports Person of the Year Award
Inspiration Awards            Inspirational Celebrity of the Year
British Milers Club            British Athlete of the Year
Athletics Weekly            British Athlete of the Year
Athletics Weekly            Best Performance of the Year
Athletics Weekly            British Master of the Year


Other Awards & Honours (A selection of other awards)
MBE for services to athletics 2015
Freedom of the City of Exeter 2015
Honorary Doctorate (LLD) University of Exeter 2015
European Female Track Distance Runner of the Year 2012
BBC Southwest Sports Personality of the Year 2014

Runners World Magazine Awards Contribution of the Year 2017
BBC West Sports Personality of the year 1997
Devon Sports Awards Elite Performer of the Year 2014
Pride of Exeter City Ambassador 2014
Exeter Sports Awards Sports Personality of the Year 2014
Laureus World Sports Awards nominee 2015


Manager

Gavin Pavey

and
Jonathan Marks MTC Sports and Entertainment Management

Positions

Commentator for Eurosport
Contributing editor of Runners World Magazine (UK)

Charity
Jo is promotor, supporter, patron or ambassador for: Running at 40 Plus, Coach Core, Dreams Come True, Exeter Leukaemia Fund, Exeter & East Devon Sports Association for the Disabled and the Stroke Association.

Education
The Kings School

Exeter College

Bristol University and the Avon & Gloucestershire College of Health
A Levels Maths, Biology and Chemistry and BSc(Hons) Physiotherapy MSCP

Employment
Worked as a Chartered Physiotherapist at the Royal United Hospital, Bath 1995 - 1996
Full time athlete since 1997

Other info
Jo’s book, This Mum Runs, was released in 2016. It tells the story of a free spirited school girl who refused to stop running when medical professionals told her to and her lengthy career that eventually resulted in a busy forty year old mum wining a gold medal. The paperback edition was published in March 2017. Jo’s book is one of the nominees for the Cross Sports National Book Awards - autobiography of the year.

Jo is very active in public speaking. She regularly visits schools, clubs and businesses to talk about physical activity and her love of running. Her passion is to promote the joy of running and physical exercise and how it has the power to change people lives.

Interests & Family
Jo enjoys reading fiction, listening to music, cooking, hiking, cycling, camping trips, boogie boarding and paddle boarding. Most of her free time is spent with her two children, Jacob (14) and Emily (10).

Personal Life
Jo was born, grew up and now lives and trains in Devon. She has been running with her husband and coach Gav since the late 1980’s and they were married in 1995 after they graduated from University. Gav became Jo’s coach whilst they were backpacking around the world in 1996 and took over the role full time in 2001. Gav qualified as a level 3 coach in 2001 and is a former coaching consultant to UK Athletics (2004-2008). Gav is the lead coach and Jo is a mentor to elite and up and coming athletes including Innes FitzGerald, Jake Smith, Atsede Giday, Jess Martin, Gemma Steel, Becky Briggs and Charlie Arnell. They also coach a development squad in Exeter: Bella, Daisy Rowe, Ellie Birchall (England International), Henry Birchall, Isla Bryson, Isla Mayne, Joe Steer, Lyra Webb, Olivia Steer, Oscar Purchase, Martin Falle and Will Birchall (England International)