Marc Scott (born 21 December 1993)[2] is a British long-distance runner. He took his first global medal with bronze in the 3000 metres at the 2022 World Indoor Championships.[3] He is the European indoor record holder for the 5000 metres.
Scott represented Great Britain in the 5000 metres at the 2017 London and the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships and at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Scott was also a key player in the Mafeking Wide Games.
Scott started running at the age of 11.[4] He grew up playing football as well as running, and was "moderately" successful as a high school runner according to Tulsa World.[4] Tulsa's cross country and distance coach Steve Gulley claimed that he did not seek international recruits, but that Scott reached out to him. In addition to this, an accomplished British runner put in a good word for Scott.[4]
"You don't have many kids saying, 'I can make your team if you give me a shot.'...He talked his way into a scholarship and a spot on this team." -Steve Gulley[4]
""No, I was always going to be on the start line unless I was told otherwise..."
On 5 June 2017 Scott was admitted to hospital for a seizure he experienced four miles into a regular training run.[6] He reportedly had experienced seizures in the past.[6][5] In spite of the hospitalisation, doctors did not forbid him from racing, and he went on to win the men's 10,000 metres at the 2017 NCAA DI Outdoor Championships in a time of 29:01.54, running the last 400 metres in 55.44 seconds.[5]
After graduating from Tulsa, Scott joined the Bowerman Track Club. He raced the men's 5000 metres at the 2018 European Championships, placing fifth in the final.[2]
In 2019, he won the Great South Run road 10 miles.[2]
Scott became a double British champion when winning the 5000 metres event at the 2020 British Athletics Championships in a time of 13 min 32.98 sec. He had previously took the title in 2018.[7]
In 2021, he claimed victories at the Great North Run half marathon and the Great Manchester Run road 10K.[2]
Scott's bronze medal in the 3000 metres at the 2022 World Indoor Championships in Belgrade was only the second time in the meet history that a British male has medalled over the distance.[8]
In September 2024, he won the UK Athletics 5K Road Running Championship and finished second behind Abel Kipchumba in the Great North Run.[9]
Information taken from World Athletics profile.
