Comeback 5000: 23 Belgravians among 70 PBs as Battersea hosts first races after lockdown
Euan Campbell (36) and Will Stockley (108) go in the men’s B-race. Photograph by Tom Hook.
Twenty-three Belgravians ran a total of 14 personal bests on a brilliant night of 5000m racing at Battersea Park.
Belgrave and Herne Hill co-hosted the Comeback 5000 night, which was the first licensed racing since the December-March lockdown and the first open 5000m races since 2019.
With spectators still banned under Covid restrictions, more than 7,000 watched the coverage streamed live on YouTube. Viewers contributed a total of £1505 to the crowdfunded prize pot, which was split between the winners of the two elite races.
In near perfect conditions in SW11, British steeplechase champion Phil Norman took the prize for the men in a time of 13:46 (PB), while Welsh Commonwealth Games finalist Jenny Nesbitt won the women’s elite race in 15:46.
All eight races can we watch back here: (race-by-race reports below)
Women’s elite
2:42:52 on the video feed
Won by Jenny Nesbitt in 15:46, with a big PB for Guildford’s Hannah Irwin in second. Paced by Belgravians Arne Dumez and Callum Stewart.
Men’s elite
2:20:40 on the video feed
Won by British steeplechase champion Phil Norman in a thrilling final lap from 2020 Armagh 5k winner Adam Clarke. Juniors Rory Leonard (3rd) and Henry McLuckie (4th) both qualified for the European U23/U20 championships. Belgrave’s Nick Goolab, a strong pre-race favourite, fell off the pace after the first mile, feeling the effects of 15 miles of pacemaking at the Olympic marathon trials just five days earlier.
Race 6 (men’s B-race)
2:01:07 on the video feed
Sam Gebreselassie (57) tucked in behind clubmate Euan Campbell (36). Sam was kept at work late and arrived by bike with 10 minutes to go before the start, hence the handwritten race number. Photo: Nigel Bramley
Won by Cambridge student and 4’00 miler Jeremy Dempsey who used his middle distance speed to devastating effect in the final 600m.
Race 6 featured the standout Belgravian performance of the night in Sam Gebreselassie, racing for the first time ever on the track. He’d only started running a year ago with a 19:10 parkrun and then began taking running seriously during the first lockdown. Just 14 months later he broke 14:30 and in doing so beat some athletes of serious calibre.
Teammates Euan Campbell (14:42) and Will Stockley (14:53) probably both hoped for slightly quicker times - and they will come - but both ran big PBs and took away learning and experience as they move up from their 1500m specialities.
Much-missed former Belgravian Andy Fyfe, now running for Edinburgh AC, finished second in a PB of 14:21.
Race 5
1:39:58 on the video feed
Race 5 featured