Kim Wall from Chelmsford has been one of the best athletes from the Essex since Sally Gunnell’s success in the 400 m hurdles and 400 m relay in the 1992 Olympic Games. Kim has been competing for 14 years, since she was 15 years old. She has represented Great Britain at international level and was hoping to represent Team GB in the 4×400 relay this summer.
Kim was not selected for the London Games and has decided that it is time for her to retire from athletics. She told BBC Essex that her body was now completely exhausted from 14 years of intensive training and she needs a good long rest.
Ranked No.1 in the UK
In 2008 Kim Wall ranked number 1 in the UK over 300 metres. In 2010 she ranked no. 1 for the 400 metres indoors.
In 2005 she was ranked no. 2 in the under 23 age group for the 400 m.
Olympic Ambition
Kim has been dreaming of taking part in the Olympic Games since she was a girl and her failure to qualify for the London 2012 Games has left her devastated and this has obviously had an impact on her physically too.
She missed out by a margin in 2008 which left her feeling deflated, but she battled on for the next 4 years, focussing all her energy on London.
She explains that she really could not have done any more than she has to prepare for the games.
Loughborough and Basildon
Kim Wall is a member of Baslidon Athletics Club and also Loughborough University where she read her degree and trained. She read Sport and Exercise Science at Loughborough from 2001 to 2004. After this she stayed on at Loughborough to study for an MSc in Finance and Management.
Loughborough is a very popular University for athletes. Seb Coe was a Loughborough student and Loughborough has a long history of producing excellent athletes. Olympic hopeful Lisa Dobriskey is another Loughborough student.
A Financial Move
Kim Wall has decided that she will now focus her energy on her academic career in finance, building on the Masters in Finance and Management that she already holds. Her previous role involved education funding advice for students at Brunel University. According to Kim’s LinkedIn profile page she is looking for new ventures, career opportunities and expertise requests.
We wish Kim the best of luck in her future.
