Charles Lawrence Somerset Clarke

AP
Born in Westminster, London in 1990, Lawrence was a professional 110m hurdler representing Great Britain. He has competed at Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth Championships around the world since 2008. He trained originally in Bath with Malcolm Arnold OBE then in Paris, France with Giscard Samba-Koundys. He has Captained both the British Senior and British U23 Teams.
His most notable performances are:
Olympic Games 2012 (Final, 4th Place)
Commonwealth Games 2010 (Final, Bronze Medal)
Commonwealth Games 2014 (Final, 8th Place)
European Championships 2014 (Final, DNS)
European Indoor Championships 2015(Final, 5th Place)
European Junior Championships 2009 (Final, Gold Medal)
Commonwealth Youth Games 2008 (Final, 4th Place)
European U23 Championships (Final, Bronze Medal)
World Indoor Championships 2015 (10th Place)
World Championships 2011 (Heats)
World Championships 2015 (Semi-Final)
World Indoor Championships 2016 (Semi-Final)
Olympic Games 2016 (11th, Semi-Finals)
His most notable performances are:
Olympic Games 2012 (Final, 4th Place)
Commonwealth Games 2010 (Final, Bronze Medal)
Commonwealth Games 2014 (Final, 8th Place)
European Championships 2014 (Final, DNS)
European Indoor Championships 2015(Final, 5th Place)
European Junior Championships 2009 (Final, Gold Medal)
Commonwealth Youth Games 2008 (Final, 4th Place)
European U23 Championships (Final, Bronze Medal)
World Indoor Championships 2015 (10th Place)
World Championships 2011 (Heats)
World Championships 2015 (Semi-Final)
World Indoor Championships 2016 (Semi-Final)
Olympic Games 2016 (11th, Semi-Finals)

© GH/Dave Shields 2014
Career
Taking up athletics rather late in comparison to most elite athletes, Lawrence began training at the age of 18 having been introduced to Coach Malcolm Arnold by Olympic Gold Medallist Jason Gardener MBE. When he joined the elite training group at Bath University’s training facility in November 2008 he was ranked 63rd in the UK with a personal best of 15.3 seconds for the 110m hurdles. Shortly Arnold had turned the relative athletic sapling into a mature and proficient hurdler. In the summer of 2009 Lawrence made a break through by winning the European Junior Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia. Since then his career has been on a steady progression with Lawrence winning Bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Late 2010 and most of 2011 were plagued by injuries to his hamstrings and hip-flexor muscles, resulting in limited performances in the summer of 2011.
Despite these setbacks Lawrence won the Aviva World Trials and UK Championships to gain selection for the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in 2011. He also won a Bronze medal at the European Under 23 Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic, where he was Captain of the Great Britain team.
Taking up athletics rather late in comparison to most elite athletes, Lawrence began training at the age of 18 having been introduced to Coach Malcolm Arnold by Olympic Gold Medallist Jason Gardener MBE. When he joined the elite training group at Bath University’s training facility in November 2008 he was ranked 63rd in the UK with a personal best of 15.3 seconds for the 110m hurdles. Shortly Arnold had turned the relative athletic sapling into a mature and proficient hurdler. In the summer of 2009 Lawrence made a break through by winning the European Junior Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia. Since then his career has been on a steady progression with Lawrence winning Bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Late 2010 and most of 2011 were plagued by injuries to his hamstrings and hip-flexor muscles, resulting in limited performances in the summer of 2011.
Despite these setbacks Lawrence won the Aviva World Trials and UK Championships to gain selection for the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in 2011. He also won a Bronze medal at the European Under 23 Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic, where he was Captain of the Great Britain team.