Jo with Harriers friends: from left, Emma Dixon, Ellie Doolan, Georgia Fear and Hattie Brock

Published: 14 August, 2014
by STEVE BARNETT

NEW European champion Jo Pavey will have had a string of young fans from across Camden and Islington cheering her on to victory on Tuesday when she raced into the record books in Zurich. 

The 40-year-old became the oldest woman ever to claim gold at the European Athletics Championships when she clocked a time of 32 minutes 22.39 seconds to earn a thrilling victory in the 10,000m.

It came just 10 days after taking a bronze medal in the 5,000m at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. 

The mother of two, who only gave birth to her younger child Emily 11 months ago, earnt her place in the Great Britain squad after winning the British Championships, which were hosted by Highgate Harriers Athletics Club in May. 

Not only did four-time Olympian Pavey win the women’s elite race, but she also won the support of scores of star-struck Harriers too as she completed the “25-lap party” at Parliament Hill Fields athletics track in 32:11.04 – a faster time than she ran to be crowned European champion on Tuesday!