Lorna M Boothe MBE, OLY

Lorna is a double Olympian for GB and has represented England in 2 Commonwealth Games where she has won a Gold and a Silver medal in the 100m Hurdles.  She is also a former Commonwealth Games and British Record holder, as well a Former American and Cuban All comers record holder.

Lorna was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours in 2019 for services to Sports Coaching and administration and voted Women’s’ Sporting Ambassador of the year for 2018.

She is a former banker and was based both in the UK and US in operations which included working closely with 3 of the largest escrow companies in California.

Once she retired from competition Lorna also moved away from banking and returned to the sport as a GB Athletics Team Manager for 9 years which included leading the Senior team in the Sydney Olympic Games and other major international championships.  Lorna has worked for World Athletics, formerly known as the IAAF, and was part of the Academy Management Group responsible for the setting up of the IAAF Academy and World Class Coaches Club. Lorna was also a part of the consultation team and then a Sport England officer responsible for the setting up and management of the Lottery Funded World Class Performance Programme. 

Lorna is and has been active on a number of Councils and advisory groups. Notably as a member of English Sports Council Racial Equality Advisory Group, where she worked with the Commission for Racial Equality to set up the now high-profile Sporting Equals programme to support those less fortunate to get more access to sport. She is currently a Council member on the European Athletic Coaches' Association’s and is an England Athletics Board Observer.

Lorna is an England Athletics coach mentor and also delivers coach and athlete workshops.  She was the England Speed Coach for the last two Commonwealth Games (2014, 2018) and until recently the GB U20 speed coach also looking after the junior relay teams.  Lorna is a successful and respected coach and is enjoying coaching and mentoring young people, supporting them to achieve both in sport and in life skills.