Robbie Fitzgibbon
 Fitzgibbon in 2019 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| National team | Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| Born | 23 March 1996 Brighton, England |
| Died | 7 October 2024 (aged 28) |
| Years active | 2008–2024 |
| Sport | |
| Event | 1500m |
| Club | Brighton Phoenix |
| Coached by | Joel Kidger, Paul Collicutt, Jon Bigg |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best | 3:36 – 1500m |
Robbie Fitzgibbon (23 March 1996 – 7 October 2024) was an English middle-distance runner specialising in the 1500 metres.[1] As a junior he was an English Schools champion and would go on to represent his country at both junior and senior competition.
Biography
[edit]Fitzgibbon's first race was in 2008 at age 12. As a junior competitor, he joined the Brighton Phoenix running club.[2] In 2014, aged 18 he won the English Schools title in the 1500m representing Sussex.[3]
In 2015, he placed fifth in the 1500m final at the European Athletics Junior Championships in Sweden.[4]
In 2017, he set a personal best over the metric mile of 3:36.97 at the Nijmegen Global Athletics competition. That year, he placed 13th in the 1500m at the London Anniversary Games[5] and set the male record for the Hove Promenade Parkrun at 14:31.[6] At the 2017 European Athletics U23 Championships in Poland, Fitzgibbon placed eighth in the 1500 metres.
In 2018, he set a season's best in the 1500m at the Internationales Soundtrack-Meeting in Tübingen, Germany with a time of 3.39.37.[7]
In 2019, Fitzgibbon represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Glasgow European Indoor Athletics competition, making the final and placing 8th overall.[8][9] It would be his last international level competition.
After Glasgow, he experienced a severe injury to his ankle that would prevent him from elite competition and would impact his mental health.[8][3] After recovery, began distance and cross county running.[2][10]
In 2022, Fitzgibbon was diagnosed with psychosis.[8] He actively spoke out about his mental health,[1] describing coping with his diagnosis as "difficult".[11]
In June 2024, Fitzgibbon won the Bexhill 5km with a time of 15:13. That year, he began training for the 2025 Brighton Marathon, which he planned to run in support of the charity Mind.[4]
Fitzgibbon died on 7 October 2024, at the age of 28.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Robbie Fitzgibbon 1996 - 2024". British Athletics. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ a b c "In Memory". Brighton Phoenix. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ a b "Robbie's fundraiser for Mind". JustGiving. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ a b "Robbie Fitzgibbon". www.sussexathletics.net. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "'A true fighter' - Tributes paid to former senior athlete from Sussex". The Argus. 2024-10-12. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ hovepromenadeoffice (2018-04-01). "Hove Promenade parkrun #136 – 31 March 2018 | Hove Promenade parkrun". www.parkrun.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ "WEEKEND UPDATE". British Athletics. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ a b c Richards, Alex; Blosse, Benjamin (2024-10-12). "Tragedy as ex-Team GB star, 28, dies". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Johnson-Thompson takes pentathlon pole position". guernseypress.com. 2019-03-01. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
- ^ "Athlete Profile". www.thepowerof10.info. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Robbie Fitzgibbon: Former British international athlete dies aged 28". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
