FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mini Marathon Memories: Laura Weightman
09/03/2018
The Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon is one of the most prestigious
youth events in the country and has seen some of the cream of British
runners come through the system and then go on to make their mark on the
world stage.
This year is the 10th year the Mini Marathon has been the British
Championships for under-13, under-15 and under-17 athletes and held over
the three mile distance.
For the next six weeks, until the eve of the 2018 Virgin Money London
Marathon, we will be looking at some of the athletes from across the United
Kingdom & Northern Ireland who have come through the ranks of the Mini
Marathon to make it on the global stage.
Laura Weightman, England (2008: Fifth under-17 women's race)
She might still only be 26, but it feels like Laura Weightman has been
among the cream of British middle-distance athletes for a lot longer.
Weightman was just 21 when she made her first Olympic Games, reaching the
final of the 1500m at London 2012, and has since gone on to win
Commonwealth Games and European Championship medals, as well as reaching
her second Olympic final in Rio and finishing sixth in the World
Championship 1500m final in London last summer.
Like most athletes, Weightman's athletic career began at her local club
Morpeth, in the North-East of England, where she showed early promise on
the track and cross-country.
She won her first English Schools title on the track as an under-17 athlete
over 1500m in 2007 and the next year made her debut at the Mini Marathon in
the under-17 women's race.
And despite having competed at a number of high-profile events before,
Weightman can still remember the excitement at being part of the
Northumberland team heading down to the capital.
"Oh, it was definitely a big event," said Weightman. "I had been to quite a
few English Schools championships and won the 1500m at the English Schools
on the track the previous year, but this was still big.
Laura Weightman at the 2008 Mini London Marathon
"It was a long trip from the North East down to London on the bus which
seemed to take forever but we were all part of a team and it was a really
exciting trip to be part of.
"I can remember seeing and hearing about other people running the Mini
Marathon in previous years and always thought how much I'd love to do it
and it was fantastic to be part of it. The whole weekend was like a
whirlwind but it was really cool to run the last three miles of the London
Marathon course and to represent my county which was always special."
Weightman can't remember much about the race itself, but there is one thing
she won't forget.
"I honestly can't remember the actual race that well," she said. "I know I
didn't think I performed that well and I didn't feel too good. But you
always remember one thing and I'll always remember it was a dead heat
between me and another girl for fourth place. The other girl (LouLou
Rowlands of Surrey) was given fourth and I think it all came down to the
position of her timing chip on her leg.
"I wasn't too disappointed. I was pretty happy to have finished fifth. I'd
got to travel to London, run the last three miles of the London Marathon
course and have some fun so overall I was happy."
The under-17 women's race that year was won by Louise Small, representing
Hampshire, who just pipped Lauren Howarth (Greater Manchester) to victory.
Both Small and Howarth have gone on to represent Great Britain in the
senior ranks and are among the country's leading distance runners.
But of the class of 2008 in the under-17 women's race, Weightman has
indisputably gone on to have the most success.
She will head to the Commonwealth Games on Australia's Gold Coast looking
to add to the silver medal she won in the 1500m in Glasgow in 2014.
She will be stepping up to the 5000m for the first time in a major
championship in Australia after close consultation with her coach Steve
Cram, the former world champion and world record holder for 1500m who is
now the BBC's leading athletics commentator.
Weightman said: "I'm really excited about heading to Australia and doing
the 5000m which is something different for me. It's a change from the 1500m
and I'm looking forward to it.
"Me and Steve thought about how to get the most of a year with a
Commonwealth Games in April and a European Championships in August. I think
this is a good opportunity to try the 5000m and then I can hopefully step
back down to the 1500m for the European Championships."
Cram will once again be commentating on the Virgin Money London Marathon
this year, but first he will be in Australia commentating on the
Commonwealth Games and plotting a successful championships for Weightman.
"You get used to hearing Steve on commentary," laughed Weightman. "We
always have a laugh about his London Marathon commentaries because he
always seems to be talking about the weather. He really should have been a
weather man. He has always got a forecast for when the best time for
training is and when I hear him reading out the weather in London I know he
has fully researched it because he loves the weather!"
2008 Mini London Marathon Under-17 women results
1. Louise Small (Hampshire) 16:19
2. Lauren Howarth (Greater Manchester) 16:21
3. Beth Carter (Kent) 16:55
4. Lolou Rowlands (Surrey) 17:04
5. Laura Weightman (Northumberland) 17:04
6. Vicky Graves (North Yorkshire) 17:08
7. Louise Webb (Hampshire) 17:09
8. Hannah Walker (Herts) 17:10
9. Ciara Dullaghan (Surrey) 17:10
10. Isabel Brinsden (Surrey) 17:19
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