Jonathan Bigg is a British athletics coach and former 800-metre runner whose life has remained closely connected to elite track and field. He represented England as a young athlete before an injury curtailed his competitive running career and later moved into coaching. He is also widely known outside athletics as the husband of Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sally Gunnell. Public records and athletics coverage show that Bigg has continued working with middle-distance athletes, including Jemma Reekie and other British competitors.
His story is therefore broader than his connection to one of Britain’s best-known athletes. From competing himself to developing runners, Bigg has spent decades around competitive athletics, with his coaching work becoming the more significant part of his professional identity.
Quick Facts About Jonathan Bigg
| Quick Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jonathan Bigg |
| Also Known As | Jon Bigg |
| Nationality | British |
| Born | November 1965 |
| Age | 60 as of September 2026 |
| Profession | Athletics coach; former 800m runner |
| Sport | Track and field |
| Main Event as Athlete | 800 metres |
| Wife | Sally Gunnell |
| Children | Three sons |
| Known For | Athletics coaching and his connection to Sally Gunnell |
| Current Professional Role | Athletics coach |
Companies House records identify Jonathan Bigg as British and give his birth month and year as November 1965. Because the public company record does not provide a full birth date in the accessible listing, an exact birthday should not be assumed.
Who Is Jonathan Bigg?
Jonathan Bigg is a British athletics coach and former 800m runner. During his younger years, he represented England in athletics, but a leg injury interrupted his competitive career. A 1994 profile in The Independent described Bigg, then 28, as a former England junior 800m representative who was returning to club competition after an injury. At the time, he was also working as a freelance graphic designer and spending much of his professional time with his wife, Sally Gunnell.
Bigg later established himself in coaching, particularly around middle-distance and endurance running. British Athletics records have repeatedly identified him as a coach for international-level athletes. His coaching links include Jemma Reekie, Elliot Giles, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and Ellie Baker at different stages of their careers.
Early Life and Family Background
Detailed information about Jonathan Bigg’s childhood, parents and early family life is limited in reliable public sources. What is documented is his early involvement in athletics and his connection to Brighton Phoenix, where he competed as a young runner.
His relationship with athletics began well before his marriage to Sally Gunnell became part of his public identity. The 1994 Independent feature described him as an England junior 800m runner, showing that competitive athletics was already an important part of his life before he moved into coaching.
There is no reliable public evidence that supports filling in additional details about his parents, childhood or upbringing, so those areas are best left limited rather than padded with speculation.
Education
Jonathan Bigg’s formal education has not been extensively documented in authoritative public sources. Unlike his athletics career and later coaching work, there is no consistently reported university degree or academic qualification that can be confidently included as part of his biography.
For that reason, claims about a specific school, college or degree should be treated cautiously unless supported by a primary or reputable source.
Jonathan Bigg’s Athletics Career
Bigg’s first professional identity was as an athlete. He competed over 800 metres and represented England during his younger years. His competitive ambitions were affected by a leg injury, which helped push his career in a different direction.
Rather than leaving athletics behind, Bigg remained involved in the sport. His later work as a coach allowed him to apply his own experience as a middle-distance runner to the development of other athletes.
That transition is important to understanding his career. Bigg’s public profile today is primarily associated with coaching rather than his own racing record.
Jonathan Bigg as an Athletics Coach
Coaching eventually became the central part of Bigg’s professional life. His work has been associated with middle-distance athletes competing at British and international level.
British Athletics has documented Bigg’s coaching relationship with athletes over many years. In 2018, Charlie Da’Vall Grice was listed with Jon Bigg as his coach. In 2019, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke was also listed with Bigg during international competition.
The record continued into the 2020s. British Athletics identified Jemma Reekie as a Jon Bigg-coached athlete at the 2024 World Indoor Championships and again for major British teams in 2025 and 2026. Elliot Giles has also appeared under Bigg’s coaching in British team selections.
In 2025–26, British Athletics also listed Shaikira King with Jon Bigg in its Olympic Futures Programme, demonstrating that his coaching work extends beyond established senior athletes to developing competitors.
Jonathan Bigg and Jemma Reekie
Jemma Reekie has become one of the clearest current examples of Jonathan Bigg’s coaching role. British Athletics listed Reekie with Jon Bigg for the 2026 World Indoor Championships, where she competed in the women’s 1500m.
Reekie has also spoken publicly about rebuilding her career under Bigg. In a 2026 podcast appearance, she discussed working with Jon Bigg following the difficult period surrounding her 2024 Olympic experience.
British Athletics had already established their professional relationship several years earlier, including during Reekie’s 2024 World Indoor Championships campaign.
Jonathan Bigg and Sally Gunnell’s Relationship
Jonathan Bigg and Sally Gunnell met through athletics when they were young. In a 1994 Independent interview, Gunnell described meeting Bigg through junior athletics circles and recalled travelling with him on an under-23 trip to Australia in January 1985.
Their shared sporting background became an important part of their relationship. Gunnell went on to become Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles, while Bigg developed his own career within athletics.
The couple married in 1992. Gunnell has also publicly described Bigg as a major source of support during her competitive career. In a 2011 Guardian feature, she said she met her husband at an athletics meeting when they were 19 and described his support during her running career.
Marriage and Family Life
Jonathan Bigg and Sally Gunnell have built their family life largely around sport and have kept many personal details away from the public spotlight.
The couple have three sons: Finley, Luca and Marley. Their children have grown up with athletics as a familiar part of family life, although the family has generally maintained a degree of privacy. Gunnell discussed the family’s active lifestyle in interviews, while a 2016 Belfast Telegraph feature publicly identified the three boys alongside their parents.
Finley has also had a connection with athletics, while Luca has appeared in Brighton Phoenix competition records, where he was listed as being coached by Jon Bigg.
Where Is Jonathan Bigg Now?
As of 2026, Jonathan Bigg remains active in athletics coaching. British Athletics continued to identify Jon Bigg as Jemma Reekie’s coach in its 2026 international team information. He was also listed as coach to Shaikira King within the 2025–26 Olympic Futures Programme.
This makes coaching his most recently documented professional role. His public profile is therefore still connected to competitive middle-distance athletics rather than simply being a historical association with Sally Gunnell.
His professional profile also identifies Bigg Performance and describes him as a British Athletics endurance coach.
Jonathan Bigg’s Net Worth
There is no reliably verified public figure for Jonathan Bigg’s net worth. Although public records document business involvement and his professional career includes athletics coaching, those records do not establish his personal wealth.
Online estimates should therefore be treated cautiously. Coaching income, company positions, property information or household finances cannot legitimately be combined into a precise personal net-worth figure without reliable financial documentation.
Conclusion
Jonathan Bigg’s public story is rooted in athletics. He began as an 800m runner representing England, saw his own competitive career affected by injury, and subsequently built a long-running career as a coach. His marriage to Olympic champion Sally Gunnell has also made him familiar to a wider audience. In 2026, his professional identity remains closely tied to British middle-distance athletics, with current coaching relationships documented by British Athletics.
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(FAQs)
Who is Jonathan Bigg?
Jonathan Bigg is a British athletics coach and former 800m runner. He represented England as a young athlete before moving into coaching and is also known publicly as the husband of Olympic champion Sally Gunnell.
How old is Jonathan Bigg?
Jonathan Bigg was born in November 1965, according to Companies House records. That makes him 60 years old in September 2026. The publicly accessible company record does not establish a full day of birth.
Who is Jonathan Bigg’s wife?
Jonathan Bigg’s wife is Sally Gunnell, the former British 400m hurdler and 1992 Olympic champion. The couple met through athletics when they were young and married in 1992.
Does Jonathan Bigg have children?
Yes. Jonathan Bigg and Sally Gunnell have three sons named Finley, Luca and Marley. Their family has maintained a strong connection with sport, and Luca has competed in 800m races under Jon Bigg’s coaching.
What is Jonathan Bigg known for?
Jonathan Bigg is known primarily as an athletics coach and former 800m runner. His coaching career has included athletes competing for Britain at major international championships, including Jemma Reekie and Elliot Giles.
Is Jonathan Bigg still coaching?
Yes. British Athletics records from 2026 identify Jon Bigg as Jemma Reekie’s coach, while its Olympic Futures Programme also lists him as coach to Shaikira King.
