Dai Greene
Great Britain

  • Full name David Greene
  • Birth date April 11, 1986
  • Birth place Felinfoel, Llanelli
  • Current age 37 years 343 days
  • Height 6 ft 1 in
  • Weight 77 kg
Dai Greene poses with his gold medal
Profile

Dai Greene became one of Team GB's brightest gold medal hopes for London 2012 after a strong final straight at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu saw him clinch victory over a world-class field in the 400 metres hurdles.

The Welsh-born athlete had already clinched European and Commonwealth golds in the preceding season, underlining his talent and bringing fitting reward for the hard work that has helped turn his career around.

A promising junior athlete, Greene did not look set to deliver on his undoubted promise as he graduated into the adult ranks until two distinct decisions set him on the path to greatness. Firstly, after a fit in the airport following the European Championships in 2006 he decided to come off his medication for epilepsy - a move that enabled him to train harder and run faster, but also forced him to live a cleaner life in order to keep his condition under control.

Secondly, the departure of his long-term coach Benke Blomqvist back to his native Sweden enabled Greene to link up with fabled hurdling coach Malcolm Arnold. The two proved perfectly compatible - the veteran instructor a man of few compliments, and his charge one who doesn't love to receive them - as Greene went from a 49.50s runner struggling to make national squads to the foremost athlete in his discipline.

Extensive, and brutal, training in Bath - where he lives and studies - paid early dividends in 2010, when he went to the European Championships in Barcelona and claimed gold, before returning for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later in the year and repeating the feat.

That inspired him to work even harder into 2011 and, after a fairly uneventful season prior to Daegu, he showed his killer instinct as he overhauled Javier Culson down the final straight to clinch Team GB's first gold of the championships.

With great expectations weighing on his shoulders going into London 2012 Greene was tipped to repeat his Daegu success on the Olympic stage, but he agonisingly missed out on a medal by finishing fourth in the final.

Career high: Winning the 400m hurdles final at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu cemented Greene's place as the top athlete in his discipline, and raised his profile immeasurably ahead of London 2012.

Career low: Being diagnosed with epilepsy - and the medication he required to keep it under control - threatened to undermine any athletic ambitions he had, especially as he failed to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.

Quote: "I've worked really hard to get to where I am. I remember when I wasn't winning the races so now that I am it's a nice change and I'm not going to shy away from it. Everyone was there in that World Championship final so you can't say that I had it easy in any way.

"I've just been putting in the hard work and that's what gives me my confidence - the fact that when I step on the start line I know I have prepared better than anyone else and I will do the best I can to be in the best shape possible."

Trivia: Greene - who knocked out one of his front teeth in one particularly violent epileptic fit - once scored a goal against Real Madrid while a member of Swansea City's youth football side.

Top

Latest Articles
Latest Photos

Aug 6, 2012

Felix Sanchez crosses the finish line ahead of Dai Greene

Aug 4, 2012

Dai Greene finishes fourth in the 400m hurdles semi-final

Aug 3, 2012

Dai Ggreene measures a hurdle in the 400m hurdles

Sep 13, 2011

Dai Greene shows off his gold medal

View the full list of related photos »

Top