A Cumbrian teenager has set a new British record time in an under-20 5k race event.
Jess Bailey, who hails from Ulverston, recorded a remarkable time of just 15:25 at the Adidas Running 10 years of Podium meet in Barrowford on November 9, taking seven seconds off the previous record.
The 18-year-old looks destined for a big future in the running world having previously won a silver medal in the European U18 Championships and finished in the top eight of the World U20 Championships.
Speaking to Athletics Weekly, Bailey said: "We’ll see how long the record lasts! I wasn’t thinking about the time and it was just about the competition. It’s my first proper shoulder-to-shoulder race for a while and I had an adrenaline rush that got me through in the end.
“I’ve been building throughout the year and have just been getting stronger and stronger. I’m going in the right trajectory and there’s nothing better than going to races and just getting progressively better. It’s about seeing how long it lasts but I’m enjoying the ride.”
Bailey was the second quickest female athlete at the Podium 5k meet behind Hannah Nuttall, who clocked 15:19.
Following her record time, she said: "I probably need to do a bit more thinking. I quite like to go into it and hope for the best. Sometimes I find myself asking before the start if I'm fit or not but it doesn't really matter. Whether I'm fit or not, I'm going to show up and run as hard as I can. It's just a race. It's just who can get from point A to point B the fastest."
Bailey started cross country through school and moved onto track following the pandemic, and was following the Olympics closely throughout the summer.
She added: "No matter what sport or race you watch at the Olympics, everybody is crazy impressive and it's great to know it is possible."
With trail running taking a back seat, Bailey is focused on developing as an athlete over a range of distances.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here