Eilish McColgan | Background

Eilish McColgan was born in Dundee and is daughter of Liz McColgan MBE and Peter McColgan, both athletes.  Like her mother before her, she is a member of Dundee’s Hawkhill Harriers Club and is now coached by her mother, former 10,000 metres World Champion and Olympic silver medallist.

Despite still competing as a professional athlete – including at the Olympic Games, Eilish studied mathematics and accountancy at the University of Dundee, graduating in 2013.

Eilish McColgan | Successes

In 2021, Eilish won the Great South Run in Portsmouth, clocking 54:43 in her first run at the 10 mile distance. Her mother had won the race twice previously, in 1995 and 1997. In the same year, she set a British 5000m record, beating the 17-year record held by Paula Radcliffe.

2022 was a good year for Eilish, with her beating another long-standing British record held by Paula Radcliffe, when she clocked 14:48 in the 5 km road race in Dubai, a record Paula Radcliffe had held since 2003.

Again in the same year Eilish won the first major title of her career as she won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres final at the Commonwealth Games. Her winning time of 30:48:60 was a new Games record, breaking that held by her mother for 32 years.

Later in 2022 Eilish ran the joint-fourth fastest women’s half marathon in British history at the Big Half in London with a time of 67m 35s.

Eilish McColgan | Giving Back to Track

Eilish and her partner fellow Olympic athlete Michael Rimmer set up Giving Back to Track, a charity set up to inspire children from all backgrounds to enjoy athletics. Their aim is to encourage kids in Scotland to lead an active lifestyle and they wish to give back to the sport that has given them so many incredible opportunities throughout their careers.

The charity provides bursaries and after-school running clubs in Dundee and Glasgow, allowing  more youngsters in Scotland the opportunity to try the sport and eliminate some of those barriers to entry.

The pair believe that no child should be priced out of athletics, so their hope is that Giving Back to Track can be an avenue to provide support to individuals who need it the most – which could be covering the cost of track facilities, buying training kit or paying for club fees.

Eilish McColgan | Inspiring Inclusion

Eilish took part in the first in a four part Sky Sports series called Inspiring Inclusion where she talked about her struggles with body confidence as a teenager. Feeling she wasn’t attractive like other girls, Eilish believed she would never get a boyfriend.

Eilish speaks openly about her body image struggles and the social media abuse she has encountered over the last 20 years – all because of the way she looks.

At school she didn’t feel she looked like other girls and she often hid her body with baggie hoodies and jogging bottoms. It was only when joining her local running club  that she met like-minded individuals who provided her with a welcoming social environment and where she saw other girls that looked like her.

Eilish is now proud of and loves her body, and she hopes to help other teenagers see that there isn’t only one way to look.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book record breaking athlete Eilish McColgan for your next event.  Contact us.