Elise Thorner, representing the Wells City Harriers, delivered a commanding performance at the British Championships on Saturday, smashing the 3000m steeplechase Championship record and solidifying her status as a leading contender ahead of the European Championships.
The 25-year-old defending champion approached the race with clear determination to not only retain her title but also to push the pace. Thorner crossed the finish line in an impressive 9 minutes 16.95 seconds, cutting a remarkable six seconds off the previous championship best—a record she herself set just last year.
Currently ranked sixth worldwide and holding the No. 1 spot in Europe, Thorner’s record-breaking run was a perfect tune-up on the Birmingham track. This is the same venue where she aims to compete for Great Britain, and potentially for England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, pending selection.
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Improving on her previous championship time of 9:22.05 from last year, Thorner’s latest effort complemented her recent personal best of 9:07.39, achieved earlier this season in the United States.
Reflecting on her race, Thorner told Athletics Weekly, “I definitely wanted to have a fast first kilometre; I haven’t had that opportunity yet this season. I have been quite reserved in my first kilometre in other races, so I thought I would put it out today. I gained a lot of confidence from my performance in Stockholm last week, so I really wanted to get back out there and make it an honest race, and I think I did that.”
She continued, “It is definitely a different year compared to last year. There were a lot of unknowns back then, but I feel like a new person in every way this year.”