Athletes

Jazz singer, human rights campaigner and emerging international 800m star – Marilyn Okoro is multi-talented.

The Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier was born in London to Nigerian parents and is good friends with Britain’s 400m world champion Christine Ohuruogu, another Londoner of Nigerian stock.

Marilyn’s father was a doctor who spent the bulk of his time in the USA while her mother moved between Nigeria and England.

An accomplished lacrosse player, reaching junior England level, Okoro took up athletics on the recommendation of her PE teacher, Mrs Phillips.

She initially featured as a sprinter, winning the 2003 AAA Under-20 400m title and the AAA Under-23 title the following year. However, under her first coach George Harrison she was starting to flirt with the 800m and finished fourth over that distance at the AAA Championships.

Okoro, a politics and French graduate from the University of Bath, enjoyed more success over 800m in 2005: she finished sixth at the National Championships before posting a lifetime best of 2:01.90 to win bronze at the World University Games in Turkey.

She started the 2006 season in fine form, setting a new PB – 2:00.84 – in the Commonwealth Games semi-finals in March before finishing seventh in the final. She missed out on the European Championships 800m after winding up fifth at the National Championships. but had the consolation of winning a place in the Great Britain 400m team.
The versatile Okoro performed with distinction, setting a 400m PB – 52.02 – to reach the semi-finals.

Okoro enjoyed an encouraging indoor season in 2007, landing the national 800m title in Sheffield and finishing fourth at the European Indoor Championships. Now coached by Ayo Falola, she qualified for the 800m at the World Championships but was eliminated inthe semi-finals, placing fourth in 1:59.63. She then ran the second leg of the 4x400m and helped the GB quartet win a bronze medal and set a national record of 3:20.04.

Later that year she smashed her 800m PB – 1:58.76 – to finish third at the IAAF World Athletics Final less than a second behind world champion Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya.

Interview

Q What attracted you to athletics and how did you become involved?

A I loved all sports: lacrosse, tennis, netball. I had aspirations to be a full international lacrosse player. But in athletics, which I started when I was 12 years old, I liked the fact that I only had myself to blame if things went wrong. Athletics is also a sport that takes you all over the world. And lacrosse can be a bit dangerous.

Q Where do you get your sporting talent from?

A I think it’s in the genes. My mum and dad are of Nigerian origin and my tribe, the Igbo, is known for being tough, which you have to be in athletics. My mum is also quite strong, but I don’t think she was a runner.

Q You were sometimes left to look after your two younger siblings. Was this tough?

A Yes. I am not in any way ungrateful for the upbringing I’ve had, but it has been tough and I think that’s what has fuelled my athletics career; I use it as a focus and an outlet.

Q Is it difficult to find time for your music?

A It’s really hard. I don’t sing with the jazz band anymore. I sing if I’m invited to weddings, but mostly I sing with my church. That’s really important to me. I do it every Sunday.

Q Tell us about your passion for human rights…

A I’m not going to stand on a tall building shouting about it, but it is important because it’s one of our fundamental rights. I went to Senegal recently and saw situations there… Often it comes down to decisions taken for the benefit of governments, not the people.

Q You are one of a raft of quality British female 800m runners. Does this act as a huge motivation?

A At first it was daunting. But I don’t want an easy ride. I’m an athlete who revels in being pushed along. I compete because I want to get the best out of myself.

Q What is your favourite distance?

A Last year it was the 800m. The 800m is just edging it at the moment, but I still love it 400m. I think I’m designed for both.

Q What has been your highlight to date?

A The 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final. I ran my PB and finished third.

Q What are your ambitions?

A Beijing. And, obviously the London Olympics are always in the back of my mind. I also hope to acquire as much experience as I can. After that there are loads of things I’d like to do. Most of all I would like to start a family.

Q Which parts of training do you like and which do you dislike?

A I used to find it hard to find a session I absolutely dreaded. Not anymore. It has to be mile reps. The good news is I’ve survived them during the winter months. My favourite session is anything that gets my legs turning over, like 200s.

Q Which is the best and which is the worst part of being an athlete?

A The best part is that you get to see the world. My passport is so full, and I only got it in 2004. The worst is that you don’t get to spend a lot of time with your friends and family.