close
close

Phoebe Gill’s Olympic qualification should come as no surprise

Posted on by angelo

The teenager became the British 800m champion in Manchester and thus made it into the British Olympic team

If you hadn’t heard of Phoebe Gill before the UK Athletics Championships (29-30 June), you will now.

The 17-year-old put in a stunning performance to win the 800m final with a time of 1:58.66, securing her place at the Olympic Games.

In doing so, Gill became the youngest British Olympian in athletics since 16-year-old Linsey MacDonald qualified for the 1980 Games in Moscow.

Gill, who set a European under-18 record of 1:57.86 at the Belfast Irish Milers Meet (May 11), has now run sub-two minutes in the 800m three times this season.

The other time was the 1:58.07 she recorded at the British Milers Club Grand Prix in Manchester (May 25), a BMC record for any competitor.

The teenager has consistently led the pack, with her opening laps in Belfast and Manchester clocking 56.56 and 54.95 respectively.

At the UK Championships, Gill was never intended to run until the final lap but he crossed the bell in 59.78 and looked immense in the final 100 metres.

Phoebe Gill and Ciara Mageean (James Rhodes)

That she held off Jemma Reekie, who finished fourth in the 800m final at the Tokyo Olympics and won a silver medal at the world indoor championships over the distance in March, is nothing short of remarkable.

Gill also beat Ciara Mageean – the new European 1,500m champion – at the BMC Grand Prix two months ago, on the same track where she won the British 800m title.

The 17-year-old not only set times that caught the attention of others, but he also beat major world medalists.

“I haven’t realized (qualifying for the Olympics) yet,” Gill said. Oh, immediately after becoming British 800m champion. “It’s crazy, I can’t believe I’m in this situation.

“I was just focusing on the European Under-18 Championships or maybe the World Under-20 Championships, but the fact that I can compete at the senior level event (the Olympics) that everyone dreams of is crazy.

“It’s every young athlete’s dream to be able to say they’re an Olympian. I was so emotional on the track when it happened that I can’t even describe it. I know I keep saying it, but it’s a dream come true.”

Phoebe Gill (Getty)

Such an achievement at this age is the culmination of a lot of hard work by Gill and his team over many years.

The Briton, who has been playing for St Albans AC since the age of 12, is coached by Deborah Steer and has a great support system of family and friends behind her.

Unsurprisingly, the teenager’s recent progress has been exceptional.

In four years, Gill lowered his 800m personal best from 2:13.70 to 1:57.86.

Last July, she broke the British 1500m record held by 12-year-old Jess Warner-Judd in 4:14.21, with a time of 4:11.96. It won’t come as a surprise to learn that Gill has since improved on that record, running a staggering 4:05.87 just three months ago.

Surprisingly, the Brit can also boast a parkrun time of 17:37, which highlights her versatility over medium distances up to 5km.

“I’ve started taking this sport very seriously,” Gill said after her win in Manchester. “I’m now training like a professional athlete (I spent time in St Moritz last season) and I know it sounds crazy because I’m 17, but I love this sport so much.

“That includes nutrition and the mental side. I’ve also stepped up my indoor training and focused on more running-specific techniques.”

Gill added that Steer was “such an incredible coach” and that she and Adrian Pattison – cross country and middle distance coach at St Albans AC – had “really helped (Gill) to flourish and grow in the sport”.

For those who have followed Gill’s journey in the sport closely, Olympic qualification has always been a possibility.

Although Gill is still in sixth form and studying for his A-levels next year, his development in sport has been impossible to ignore.

A product of the English school system, Gill has won several 800m titles in different age groups and also claimed a comprehensive victory over the distance at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Then, at last December’s England Cross Country Relays in Mansfield, Gill anchored St Albans Striders to victory over 2.5km in wet and muddy conditions.

Plummeting personal bests, a plethora of junior titles and victories in a variety of events. It’s the perfect mix.

So when Gill beat Reekie to become British 800 metres champion, obvious comparisons were made with Keely Hodgkinson, who was also part of the British Olympic team as a teenager.

Keely Hodgkinson (Mark Shearman)

Like Gill, Hodgkinson ran for English schools, competed in national cross-country events and then beat Reekie – Hodgkinson also finished ahead of Laura Muir – over 800m at the trials to qualify for the Games.

If Gill can follow in Hodgkinson’s footsteps, she will have an incredible career.

“I loved watching her (Hodgkinson) and saw a lot of her racing,” Gill said. AW last year. She is mentally an incredible athlete and her running performances are incredible.

“I’m usually a pistol-to-ribbon rider, but I’ve studied the tactics of the heats and finals at the championships and you have to be smart.”

A word of caution though. History teaches us that athletes who strive to reach the podiums of major championships will eventually be marred by injuries. Managing these injuries is as crucial, if not more so, than anything else.

After all, Gill is still 17. She needs to be protected and properly supervised. Competing at the Olympics will be unlike anything she has ever experienced. From the village itself to the grandeur of the event, the Games have a way of absorbing you. It’s not just about the physical, but also the mental toughness.

But perhaps this is Gill’s greatest strength.

I first interviewed Gill, then 16, after she won last year’s English Schools Championship at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.

My most vivid memory of the event was Gill’s attitude, both on and off the track. Not only did she waltz to a sublime victory in the 800m, but she spoke with such eloquence and authority in the interview that she seemed twice her age.

If you first saw Gill running at the Olympic trials for Paris, you may have been blown away and wondered, “Who is this 17-year-old?!”

Well, now you know. Gill’s qualification for the Olympics is not a surprise. It was expected.

The most exciting thing is now being able to follow her journey. The Olympics are a whole different story, but the teenager has risen to every challenge she has faced so far. If Gill continues to run with the freedom that has brought her to where she is, then anything is possible.

» Subscribe to AW Magazine here