Harriers Alice Bennett has been selected to represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland at the European U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland, from August 7-10
Alice Bennett selected to represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland for the first time
Alice earned her spot in the 800m event after an impressive performance at the England Athletics Trial race last weekend, where she finished second to Shakira King, who will also compete for GB in the 800m, along with Bronze medallist Bethany Trow.
Despite a delayed start to her season due to a small operation in late March, Alice has shown remarkable resilience and is in great form. Under the guidance of Luke Gunn at Birmingham University, she has set a new personal best in the 400m and shaved over two seconds off her 800m time in recent races. Her current PB of 2:04.72, while just outside the UK standard, comfortably meets the Euro U20 standard of 2:07.
Alice Bennett in great from, reducing her 800m time this season by over 2 seconds
Alice is thriving in her new environment at Birmingham and is thrilled to represent GB at her first European Championships.
She said, "I am incredibly honoured and excited to represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland for the first time at the European U20 Championships. This was my aim at the beginning of the season and this opportunity means the world to me, especially after overcoming the challenges earlier this season. I am grateful for the support from my coaches, teammates, and family, and I can't wait to compete against the best athletes in Europe in Tampere."
Alice Bennett, looking forward to competing against the best U20 athletes in Europe
Alice has previously represented England at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2023 and the Home Countries International in 2024. Her selection for the European stage is a testament to her hard work and dedication.
Kettering’s head endurance coach Shane Smith, who coached Alice's from 2019 to 2024 praised her achievements: "Alice has worked incredibly hard in her first year at Birmingham University, adapting to a new squad, setup, and lead coach, as well as the changes that come with university life. She has consistently shown her quality over many years, and I am delighted for her. She richly deserves this opportunity, and it will be fantastic to see a Kettering athlete competing on the European stage again."
We wish Alice the very best of luck in Tampere.