Todd Bennett

Todd Bennett first came to prominence when he won the European Junior Championships 400 m title in 1981. In 1982 he became a member of the Great Britain team at senior level and was part of the team that won the silver medal in the 4×400 metre relay at that year’s European Championships and the following year he added another relay medal, a bronze, at the inaugural IAAF World Championships in Helsinki. Bennett was chosen for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic where, after being eliminated in the 2nd round of his individual event, he closed a gap of 15 metres on Nigeria and Australia on the penultimate leg to helped Britain to a silver medal. He also competed in Seoul though without great success. At the Commonwealth Games he helped England take gold in the 4×400 metres in both 1982 and 1986 and at the latter championships also took a surprise second place in the 200 metres ahead of Ben Johnson.

Being of below average stature he was more comfortable than most athletes at running indoors – a situation he used to great effect to become twice European Indoor 400 m champion in 1985 and 1987 and a silver medallist at the World Indoor Games in 1985. In winning his 1st European title he set a new world record of 45.56 seconds.

Injury took its’ toll on the latter part of his career and he retired from the track in the early 90s. Bennett became a popular and successful member of the UK Athletics coaching team and worked with the women’s senior and junior teams until he was diagnosed with cancer in late 2012.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.46 (1986); 200 – 20.36 (1984); 400 – 45.27 (1988); 400H – 51.5 (1985).