Eilish McColgan sets new British 10,000m record to surpass Paula Radcliffe ahead of London Marathon debut
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Published 05/03/2023 at 14:13 GMT
It was a day to remember for Eilish McColgan after breaking Paula Radcliffe's long-held British 10,000m record at the Soundrunning Ten event in California. McColgan has been tipped for success at the Paris 2024 Olympics by ex-European champion Jo Pavey, who said: "She can be up there challenging for medals with the best in the world." Elsewhere, Emile Cairess broke the European 10-mile record.
Eilish McColgan broke the British 10,000m record
Image credit: Getty Images
Eilish McColgan broke the British 10,000m record in California after setting a time of 30 minute 00.86 seconds.
McColgan’s time surpassed Paula Radcliffe’s time of 30:01.09, which was set more than 20 years ago in Munich in 2002.
The 32-year-old, training at altitude in Colorado of late, registered the time at the Soundrunning Ten event.
"I'm absolutely buzzing," McColgan said afterwards.
"Two years ago, I ran a big PB [personal best] here so it's nice to be back with the crowds. I knew I was in really good shape but to have it all come together on the day doesn't always happen."
The achievement is all the more remarkable considering that McColgan has had to contend with knee issues ahead of her debut marathon appearance in London on April 23.
She also holds the British records for the 5,000m, 10,000m, 5km, 10km and half-marathon, in what has been a stellar athletics career.
McColgan is being tipped for Olympic gold at Paris 2024 by former European champion Jo Pavey after she won the 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last year.
Speaking at the time, Pavey said: "I think she's definitely got a good chance the way she is running because what was impressive was the overall time that she ran in the 10,000 of 30:48, it's such a quick pace.
"Yet she still produced the sixty-three last lap, which is really up there with being competitive with the best in the world going forward.
"She did not have such a good World Championship, she was coming off feeling not well, and I think things had not gone brilliantly going into the World Champs compared to how she then was able to pick herself up and perform even better at the Commonwealth Games.
"The way she performed at the Games, bearing in mind she seems to be getting better all the time, the way she produced such an impressive last lap, is showing that she can be up there challenging for medals with the best in the world."
Elsewhere, her British compatriot Emile Cairess broke the European 10-mile record, with London also set to mark his first-ever marathon appearance.
Cairess registered a time of 45:57 at an event in Barrowford, Lancashire, surpassing Richard Nerurkar's record of 46:02 which was set back in 1993.
Cairess is also in esteemed company alongside Mo Farah, after equalling the latter's UK 10km record last year.
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