{{Short description|English high jumper (born 1978)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Ben Challenger | nationality = British (English) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|3|7|df=y}} | birth_place = Loughborough, England | sport = Athletics | event = High jump | club = Belgrave Harriers | height =186 cm | weight =75 kg | spouse = Lucy Challenger | medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport | Men's athletics}} {{Medal|Competition|Commonwealth Games}} {{MedalSilver| 1998 Kuala Lumpur | high jump}} {{Medal|Bronze| 2002 Manchester | High Jump}} {{Medal|Competition|Universiade}} {{Medal|Gold| 1999 Palma de Mallorca | High Jump}} }}
'''Benjamin Arthur Challenger''' (born 7 March 1978) is an English retired high jumper. His career highlight is winning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games and competing at the 2000 Summer Olympics.<ref name=oly>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/86910 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref>
==Biography == Born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, Challenger attended Shepshed High School and later he studied sports science at Loughborough University (a course he later abandoned in favour of full-time high jump training).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sydney/story/0,,364578,00.html |title=Interview: Ben Challenger | Special reports |website=Guardian.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2014-07-03}}</ref> As a youth he considered a career in basketball, and toured the US with the Leicester Riders, leading to offers from NBA talent scouts acting for US universities, which he turned down.
He represented England at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, winning a silver medal,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/kuala-lumpur-1998/athletes |title=Malaysia 1998 Team |website=Team England |access-date=11 July 2025 }}</ref> and his personal best jump of 2.30 metres was achieved when he won the 1999 Summer Universiade. At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, he represented Great Britain in the high jump event.<ref name=oly/>
He represented the England team again at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and won a bronze medal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/manchester-2002/athletes |title=Manchester 2002 Team |website=Team England |access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref>
Challenger was a five-times British high jump champion after winning the British AAA Championships title from 2000 to 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=11 July 2025}}</ref>
He is the son of the Showaddywaddy drummer, Romeo Challenger, and the brother of singer Tamzin Challenger.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/15449047.adver-chat-romeo-challenger-on-life-with-showaddywaddy/ | title=ADVER CHAT; Romeo Challenger on life with Showaddywaddy | date=2 August 2017 }}</ref>
Challenger is married to recruitment consultant and fitness instructor Lucy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lucychallenger.com/about/|title=About|first=Adrian|last=Deaconu|website=Lucychallener.com|accessdate=27 January 2020}}</ref> Together they run Studio Challenger in Berkshire, a pilates school.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.studiochallenger.com/|title=Pilates: Personal Trainer & Coach - Studio Challenger|website=Studiochallenger.com|accessdate=27 January 2020}}</ref>
==Competition record== {| {{AchievementTable}} |- !colspan="6"|Representing {{GBR2}} and {{ENG}} |- |1996 |World Junior Championships |Sydney, Australia |bgcolor=silver|2nd |2.21 m |- |rowspan=2|1997 |European Junior Championships |Ljubljana, Slovenia |bgcolor=silver|2nd |2.20 m |- |Universiade |Catania, Italy |11th |2.10 m |- |rowspan=2|1998 |European Indoor Championships |Valencia, Spain |10th |2.22 m |- |Commonwealth Games |Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |bgcolor=silver|2nd |2.28 m |- |rowspan=3|1999 |Universiade |Palma de Mallorca, Spain |bgcolor=gold|1st |2.30 m |- |European U23 Championships |Gothenburg, Sweden |bgcolor=gold|1st |2.30 m |- |World Championships |Seville, Spain |25th (q) |2.20 m |- |2000 |European Indoor Championships |Ghent, Belgium |14th (q) |2.16 m |- |2001 |World Championships |Edmonton, Canada |17th (q) |2.20 m |- |rowspan=2|2002 |Commonwealth Games |Manchester, United Kingdom | style="background:#c96;"|3rd |2.25 m |- |European Championships |Munich, Germany |16th (q) |2.15 m |- |2005 |World Championships |Helsinki, Finland |14th (q) |2.24 m |- |2006 |Commonwealth Games |Melbourne, Australia |8th |2.15 m |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{World Athletics}}
{{Footer U23 European Champions High Jump Men}} {{Footer Universiade Champions High Jump Men}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Challenger, Ben}} Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Loughborough University Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1998 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Commonwealth Games Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England Category:English men high jumpers Category:British men high jumpers Category:English people of Antigua and Barbuda descent Category:Sportspeople of Antigua and Barbuda descent Category:Medalists at the 1999 Summer Universiade Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain Category:Sportspeople from Loughborough Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for Great Britain Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field) Category:Medallists at the 1998 Commonwealth Games Category:Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in athletics