Liz Barnes
# Liz Barnes

Elizabeth Ann "Liz" Barnes (married name Laban; born 3 August 1951) is an English former middle-distance runner. She represented Great Britain in the women's 800 metres at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and won a bronze medal in the 800m at the 1980 European Indoor Championships.

## Career

As Liz Barnes, she ran her lifetime best for the 800 metres with 2:01.35 on 10 July 1976 in Zurich, before going on to compete at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, where she was eliminated in the heats of the 800m, running 2:01.70, and finished seventh in the final of the 4 × 400m relay, along with Gladys Taylor, Verona Elder and Donna Murray.

At the 1978 Commonwealth Games representing England in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Barnes finished fourth in the 800 m final in 2:03.41. Three weeks later, she reached the semifinals at the 1978 European Championships in Prague, running 2:01.69.

Barnes finished second behind Christina Boxer in 2:02.04 at the 1979 UK Championships and third in 2:02.74 behind Chris Benning and Janet Prictoe at the 1979 AAA Championships, before going on to win a bronze medal at the 1980 European Indoor Championships in Sindelfingen. Her time of 2:01.5 moved her to second on the British Indoor all-time list behind Jane Colebrook's 2:01.12 from 1977. She would remain second on the British indoor all-time list until Kelly Holmes ran 1:59.21 in 2003.

## International competitions

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Representing Great Britain / England ||||||
| 1976 | Olympic Games | Montreal, Canada | 15th (h) | 800 m | 2:01.70 |
| 1976 | Olympic Games | Montreal, Canada | 7th | 4 × 400 m | 3:28.01 |
| 1978 | Commonwealth Games | Edmonton, Canada | 4th | 800 m | 2:03.41 |
| 1978 | European Championships | Prague, Czechoslavkia | 11th (sf) | 800 m | 2:01.69 |
| 1980 | European Indoor Championships | Sindelfingen, Germany | 3rd | 800 m | 2:01.5 |
| (#) Indicates overall position in qualifying heats (h) or semifinals (sf) ||||||
