Callum Priestley
Personal information
Born13 February 1989 (1989-02-13) (age 34)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Great Britain
European U23 Championships
Bronze medal – third place2009 Kaunas110 m hurdles

Callum Priestley (born 13 February 1989) is a British former track and field athlete who specialised in sprint hurdling. He was banned after a positive sample for banned substances, namely clenbuterol, was found in a urine sample whilst training with the UK team in South Africa in January 2010. Despite evidence of tainted food, the ban was upheld. Subsequent to the ban, Priestley retired from competitive athletics.

He began competing in athletics while at school and finished second in the 110 metres hurdles at the 2005 English Schools' Athletic Association Championships. Progressing through the ranks at youth level, he represented Great Britain at the 2007 European Athletics Junior Championships and reached the hurdles final, although he did not finish the race.[1]

The 2009 season proved to be a breakthrough at national level as he took third in the 60 metres hurdles at the UK Indoor Championships.[1] He followed this with second-place finishes outdoors at the England U23 Championships and the UK World Trials/National Championships.[2] At the 2009 European Athletics U23 Championships he won the bronze medal behind Artur Noga and compatriot Gianni Frankis, running a personal best time of 13.63 seconds. A win at the McCain UK Challenge Final in Cardiff meant he earned a share of the £5000 jackpot as he won his race and topped the event rankings in the national competition.[3] He gained lottery funding at the end of the year as part of the 2012 London Olympics development programme.[4]

The next season, he became the national champion indoors with a 60 m hurdles win in Sheffield.[5][6] Following the victory, he went to train in the UK Athletics winter camp in South Africa that February. There he failed an out-of-competition drugs test, after the prohibited substance clenbuterol was found in his system.

He claimed he ingested the substance unintentionally. Additionally he claimed that he and a number of athletes in the team came down with food poisoning. The team doctor attended and confirmed his symptoms.

Disillusioned with the sport following his ban, he did not return to the sport after its conclusion.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Callum Priestley Profile. Power of 10. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
  2. ↑ Kessel, Anna (2010-03-05). Callum Priestley suspended after positive drugs test. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
  3. ↑ Trio Scoop Golden Jackpot. UK Athletics (2010-08-15). Retrieved on 2010-09-04.
  4. ↑ British hurdler Callum Priestley given drugs ban. BBC Sport (2010-09-03). Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
  5. ↑ Callum Priestley suspended after drugs charge. BBC Sport (2010-03-05). Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
  6. ↑ Broadbent, Rick (2010-03-05). Callum Priestley fails test in blow to Britain’s stand on drugs. The Times. Retrieved on 2010-09-03.
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