Elise Thorner described her participation in the European Championships as “an experience I will remember for a long time,” despite narrowly missing out on a medal.
At 25 years old, the Bridgwater athlete entered the competition in Birmingham as a strong contender, having secured a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and set a new personal best earlier in the year. During the women’s 3,000m final, Thorner was competitive for most of the race, holding fourth place at the bell lap.
However, she was unable to summon a final sprint and finished fifth with a time of 9 minutes 18.14 seconds. The race was won by Germany’s Gesa Felicitas Krause.
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Reflecting on the race, Thorner said, “It was absolutely mad to be out there. It was definitely a different sort of race to what I have had all year. There were a lot more people around me than I thought there would be at that kind of pace.”
She added, “It was just amazing to be in the mix but when I wanted to move, I couldn’t move, and I haven’t had that this year. Whenever I’ve wanted to move, I’ve been able to make an impact, but I couldn’t do that here. It was very busy and I’ve not learned how to get out of a pack yet when I want to.”
Despite the disappointment, Thorner praised the competition and remains optimistic about the remainder of her season. “Everyone was incredible out there and it is so great to have different experiences. Next time I want to finish up higher. I have two Diamond Leagues left and fingers crossed I have enough points for the final. I have two, hopefully three, more races to go this season.”
Over the past year, representing Wells City Harriers and Yeovil Olympiads, Thorner has made significant strides, including approaching Elizabeth Bird’s national record of 9:04.35, set during the 2024 Olympic final. She admitted that beating this record seemed essential to earning a podium spot at the European Championships.
The pace in Birmingham was slower than anticipated, but Thorner counts the race as a valuable learning opportunity. “Each race I’ve done, I’ve felt incredible and if I haven’t, I’ve been able to put forward a performance I’m proud of. This was no different. I just want to take each race as it comes and even though I didn’t win this one, which is definitely what I was aiming to do, I am still really proud of myself.”
Thorner also expressed her appreciation for competing at a home championship. “I really took it out with me that this could be one of very few home championships I have the chance to compete in. It was just amazing when they called my name at the start and there were so many cheers. It’s something I will remember for a long time.”