Jonathan Bigg: Athlete, Coach, Family and Career Guide 2026

Jonathan Bigg, also known as Jon Bigg, is a former England 800m runner who later became a respected athletics coach. British Athletics records sometimes use the name John Bigg for the same coach. His career has remained closely tied to Sussex and Brighton, where he competed for Brighton Phoenix before moving into elite endurance coaching. Bigg has worked through PHX/TRK and Bigg Performance and has coached national champions, including Jemma Reekie. He is also the husband of Olympic champion Sally Gunnell. The couple has three sons. In 2026, Bigg remains connected to British middle-distance running through his current coaching career.

Who Is Jonathan Bigg?

Jonathan Bigg is a British former middle-distance runner and athletics coach based in the Sussex area. As Jon Bigg, he represented England over 800m and recorded a personal best of 1:48.3.

His early athletics base was Brighton Phoenix in Brighton. He later became associated with PHX/TRK, an elite middle-distance group, and Bigg Performance. His work covers athletics coaching, performance development and sports management.

Bigg is widely known outside the sport as Sally Gunnell’s husband. Within British athletics, however, his profile comes mainly from coaching elite endurance athletes such as Jemma Reekie and developing runners from national level toward international competition.

Jonathan Bigg’s Early Athletics Career

His 800m Career and Brighton Phoenix Years

Bigg competed as an 800m middle-distance athlete and represented England at international level. His best recorded performance was 1:48.3, a strong mark during his competitive career.

Brighton Phoenix formed an important part of those years. Training in Brighton also placed him within a strong Sussex Athletics community.

Bigg developed endurance, speed work and tactical awareness around the two-lap event. His background also connected him with British half-milers and with the training culture around Olympic 800m champion Steve Ovett.

That racing experience later shaped his approach to race planning, recovery sessions and elite competition.

Injury and the Transition Away From Elite Competition

A leg injury interrupted Bigg’s progress as an international athlete. In 1994, he was reported to have been injured four years earlier and was considering a return to club-level competition.

The setback reduced the scope of his competitive career, but athletics remained central to his work. His understanding of endurance, tactical awareness and race intelligence later fed into performance development as a coach.

During this period, he also worked as a freelance graphic designer in Brighton rather than relying solely on athletics for employment.

How Jonathan Bigg Became an Athletics Coach

Brighton Phoenix, PHX/TRK and Bigg Performance

Bigg’s move into coaching began when Tim Baylie asked for help while moving from 400m to 800m. That request turned Bigg’s own middle-distance experience into a coaching career.

His work developed through Brighton Phoenix and later PHX/TRK in Sussex. The group focused on middle-distance running, endurance athletes and performance development.

Bigg Performance became another part of his professional identity. His training programmes have ranged from development athletes to national champions competing in elite sport.

British Athletics Roles, Affiliations and Coaching Timeline

Bigg has also worked within the wider British Athletics performance system. In a 2017 coaching profile, he described holding a part-time endurance role that exposed him to major international championships from a coach’s perspective.

His wider affiliations have included Sussex Athletics and elite coaching groups in southern England.

Public profiles do not clearly set out every formal coaching qualification or licence he has held. His professional coaching record is better established through the athletes, championship performances and long-term development work linked to him.

Jonathan Bigg’s Coaching Philosophy and Training Methods

Individualised Training, Testing and Athlete Monitoring

Individualised coaching sits at the centre of Bigg’s system. He has said that training should change according to each athlete rather than follow one fixed programme.

PHX/TRK used TrainingPeaks as a communication and athlete-monitoring tool. Bigg also described testing athletes every 4-6 weeks, setting clear goals and adjusting training as results developed.

That process links training stimulus with recovery sessions, speed, endurance and race awareness. It also gives athletes more responsibility for their own performance.

Endurance, Speed, Race Tactics and Mental Preparation

Bigg has described successful middle-distance preparation as a mix of altitude training, mileage and speed. He expects an 800m or 1500m athlete to combine endurance with sprint ability and tactical intelligence.

His sessions have included tempo runs, hill sessions and strength and conditioning. Older examples also included 3x800m work, 5x400m sessions and training suited to athletes ranging from 200m to 5000m.

A synthetic track at his Sussex training base supported technical work, while about 12 acres of land provided space for grass running.

Mental strength is another part of the programme. Bigg has trained as a neuro-linguistic programming practitioner and has discussed NLP alongside sports psychologists and race preparation.

His influences have ranged from Steve Ovett to observing Alberto Salazar’s work with Mo Farah. The aim was not to copy another system, but to keep learning how different athletes respond to training.

Athletes Coached by Jonathan Bigg

Jemma Reekie and Her Work With Jonathan Bigg

Jemma Reekie has become one of Bigg’s most visible elite athletes. British Athletics listed Jon Bigg as her coach during the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow and continued to link them through 2025 and 2026.

Reekie won the British indoor 1500m title in February 2026 with a 4:26.27 performance. Later that year, she reached the Birmingham 2026 European 800m final.

She finished fifth in 1:59.15, marking a return to a major international final.

Shaikira King and the Next Generation

Shaikira King represents a younger part of Bigg’s coaching work. British Athletics listed Jon Bigg as her coach during the 2026 season.

King won British indoor 800m bronze in February with an indoor personal best of 2:01.49.

Her season later produced a bigger international result. At the World U20 Championships on August 9, 2026, she won women’s 800m bronze in 2:03.52.

The result strengthened Bigg’s record in junior athlete development and international middle-distance competition.

Other Notable Athletes Coached by Jonathan Bigg

Bigg’s coaching history stretches across several generations. Charlie Grice and George Mills both trained under him during key stages of their 800m and 1500m development.

His groups have also included Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and Michael Rimmer. Robbie Fitzgibbon and Spencer Thomas added further depth to his middle-distance work.

Other athletes linked to Bigg include Elliot Giles and Kyle Langford. Ellie Baker was part of his 2020 PHX/TRK group, while Toby Harries brought a 200m sprint background.

Finley Bigg also appeared in his earlier coaching group as an English Schools 800m champion. These athletes reached national championships, Commonwealth Games, World Indoor competition and other international championships at different stages of their careers.

Jonathan Bigg and Sally Gunnell

How Jonathan Bigg Met Sally Gunnell

Jonathan Bigg met Sally Gunnell through athletics when both were young competitors. Their relationship developed during an under-23 international trip to Australia in January 1985.

Both were 19 at the time. Their connection grew within the British athletics community after earlier contact through junior athletics.

Brighton later became central to their life together, linking Bigg’s Brighton Phoenix background with Gunnell’s international career.

Their Marriage, Athletics Partnership and Wellbeing Work

Gunnell became one of Britain’s leading 400m hurdles athletes while Bigg remained closely involved in athletics. Her coach Bruce Longden also influenced Bigg’s thinking about long-term planning.

Gunnell won Olympic gold at Barcelona 1992. She followed it with a world title and world record at Stuttgart in 1993, then added further Commonwealth titles.

Their later professional interests expanded into health and wellbeing. SallyGunnell.com has supported Gunnell’s public work, while corporate speaking became another part of the family’s professional activity.

A Jacuzzi UK feature published on 29 September 2020 showed the couple discussing ageing, fitness levels and range of movement. The wellbeing feature also appeared through Instagram.

Jonathan Bigg’s Family and Personal Life

Finley, Luca and Marley Bigg

Jonathan Bigg and Sally Gunnell have three sons: Finley Bigg, Luca Bigg and Marley Bigg. Their family has maintained a close link with athletics while keeping much of its private life outside constant media attention.

Finley competed in the 800m and became an English Schools champion. World Athletics later described him as a 1:49 runner.

Luca and Marley have generally had lower public athletics profiles.

Jonathan Bigg’s Age and Sussex Connection

Companies House lists Jonathan Bigg’s date of birth as November 1965. He is therefore 60 years old in August 2026.

His life has remained closely tied to Sussex, including Brighton, Steyning and Fulking in West Sussex. Fulking sits within the South Downs area.

The family has lived in a farmhouse-style rural home with about twelve acres. Bigg has used parts of the land for training, including grass routes and conditioning work.

Jonathan Bigg’s Business and Professional Roles

Active Company Appointments

Companies House records eight appointments for Jonathan Bigg. His active company directorships include the following public records.

Company	Number	Appointment	Status
Power of 10 Limited	16191494	17 January 2025	Active Director
Charlton Farm Limited	05075690	16 March 2004	Active Director
The Bigg Trading Company Limited	03287804	4 December 1996	Active Director

The records list him as British and resident in England. They also connect several company directorships with Sussex addresses and show completed identity verification for the active roles.

Former Company Appointments

Bigg’s earlier company history covers several different business activities.

Company	Number	Appointment	End or Status
Purple Trail Events Limited	07921798	24 January 2012	Dissolved
Bigg Vision Limited	04387451	30 May 2003	Dissolved
The Point Foundation	06553113	19 June 2008	Resigned 14 August 2014
The Wilson Memorial Trust	04168010	7 February 2012	Resigned 21 January 2014
Design Quarter Management Limited	05315372	31 March 2005	Resigned 3 November 2008

These roles list Bigg as a director in England. Several records use addresses around Steyning and West Sussex.

Other Professional Background

Before coaching became his main public role, Bigg worked as a freelance graphic designer in 1994.

His later professional identity has included Bigg Performance and involvement with SallyGunnell.com. Public professional profiles also associate him with athletics coaching, sports coaching and sports management.

His work overlaps with health, fitness and performance development, while Gunnell’s career has expanded into wellbeing and corporate speaking.

Jonathan Bigg Net Worth

There is no verified public figure for Jonathan Bigg’s net worth. Any precise estimate would therefore be speculation.

His professional income has been linked to athletics coaching and Bigg Performance. His company directorships also form part of his business record, while Sally Gunnell has built separate work around wellbeing and corporate speaking.

Public records confirm business appointments but do not disclose household finances, property equity or personal wealth. For that reason, coaching income and business associations should not be converted into an unsupported net worth estimate.

Jonathan Bigg in 2026: Latest Coaching Activity

Recent Results From Bigg-Coached Athletes

Bigg’s 2026 coaching results include major performances from Jemma Reekie and Shaikira King.

Reekie won the British indoor 1500m title before competing at the World Athletics Indoor Championships. She later reached the Birmingham 2026 European 800m final and finished fifth in 1:59.15.

King earned World U20 Championships bronze over 800m on August 9, 2026. British Athletics recorded Jon Bigg as her coach.

Current Coaching and Professional Activity

In 2026, Bigg remains active in athletics coaching and endurance athlete development. British Athletics continues to connect him with leading middle-distance competitors.

His coaching history links PHX/TRK with athlete monitoring through TrainingPeaks. Bigg Performance remains part of his professional profile.

His wider professional activity also includes Power of 10 Limited, where he became a director on 17 January 2025.

Jonathan Bigg’s Influence on British Middle-Distance Running

Bigg’s influence on British middle-distance running comes from athlete development rather than his own 800m career alone.

His coaching has reached British runners across 800m and 1500m competition. Charlie Grice progressed to senior national level, while George Mills developed within his Sussex training environment.

Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and Michael Rimmer brought international experience to his groups. Robbie Fitzgibbon and Spencer Thomas represented another generation of developing talent.

Elliot Giles and Kyle Langford were part of his later PHX/TRK roster. Jemma Reekie and Shaikira King now provide current examples of elite competition under his coaching.

Across national championships, Commonwealth Games, World Indoor events and World U20 Championships, his methods have centred on endurance, race intelligence and tactical awareness. That long record gives him an established place in Sussex Athletics and the wider British Athletics coaching landscape.

Conclusion

Jonathan Bigg has moved from an international 800m runner into a long career as an athletics coach and elite endurance coach. Brighton Phoenix shaped his early years, while PHX/TRK and Bigg Performance became part of his later coaching work. His family life with Sally Gunnell remains closely connected to Sussex. His current coaching career includes Jemma Reekie and Shaikira King, adding fresh results to a record that already includes national champions and international athletes. That combination of endurance knowledge, race intelligence and athlete development continues to define Bigg’s coaching legacy in British athletics.

FAQs

Who is Jonathan Bigg?

Jonathan Bigg, also known as Jon Bigg, is a British former 800m runner and Sussex-based athletics coach who is married to Sally Gunnell.

How old is Jonathan Bigg?

Jonathan Bigg was born in November 1965 and is 60 years old as of August 2026, based on his Companies House date-of-birth record.

Was Jonathan Bigg a professional athlete?

Jonathan Bigg competed internationally for England in the 800m, represented Brighton Phoenix and recorded a 1:48.3 personal best before injury limited his competitive career.

Who does Jonathan Bigg coach?

Jonathan Bigg currently coaches athletes including Jemma Reekie and Shaikira King, while former groups have included Charlie Grice, George Mills and other British middle-distance runners.

How did Jonathan Bigg meet Sally Gunnell?

Jonathan Bigg and Sally Gunnell became close during an under-23 athletics trip to Australia in January 1985, when both were 19 years old.

Is Jonathan Bigg still married to Sally Gunnell?

Yes. Jonathan Bigg remains married to Sally Gunnell, and the couple have built their family life around athletics, wellbeing work and their three sons.

How many children do Jonathan Bigg and Sally Gunnell have?

Jonathan Bigg and Sally Gunnell have three sons named Finley Bigg, Luca Bigg and Marley Bigg.

What is Jonathan Bigg’s net worth?

Jonathan Bigg’s net worth has not been publicly verified, so no reliable figure can be given for his coaching income, businesses, property or personal finances.