It’s been a busy few weeks for Kettering’s Alice bates, who has been competing in two British University’s National Championships, winning two Silver medals for Birmingham University where she is a 2nd year student studying Philosophy.
The BUCS short course (6km) XC in Cardiff was a chance for Bates to get back on the Country before the start of the indoor/ outdoor track season. Bates went out hard, sticking with the leading pack throughout, and was just unable to cling on to the in-form Eleanore Stevens who took the victory in 18:33, but bates stormed through for a brilliant Silver medal in 18:44, helping Birmingham to a team victory with the University taking all the podium positions.
Alice Bates (right) with Hannah Blundy (left) and Eleanor Strevens for a perfect Birmingham 1,2,3
Just day’s later Bates easily won the Inter University Steel Cup 3000m at the Sheffield Indoor arena. Pacing the race to perfection Bates slashed almost 20 seconds from her outdoor 2022 PB winning the scoring match with ease in 9:22.87. Alice also set a New Senior Women's 3000m Club record.
10 days later at the BUCS indoor championships, Bates skilfully navigated the 3000m heats to qualify in a comfortable 2nd place in 9:58, to qualify for the final the following day.
In the final Bates put in a brilliant performance to stick with a keen early pace, but when the pace wound up with GB athlete Emily Parker hitting the front with 3 laps to go, Bates seemed to struggle to respond, finding herslf in 4th place leading to be bell lap, but as she has shown in the past, she has an explosive kick, and she managed to claw her way into the Silver medal position with a blistering last lap to reel in early leader Mia Walerman & Laia Guardia who had opened a 30-40m gap on Bates, clocking another 4 second PB with 9:18.04, and setting another senior woman’s club record.
Alice Bates with a Blistering last lap to secure a BUCS indoor 3000m Silver
Alice Bates next turns her attention to the road with a podium 5k race in a few weeks where she will be hoping to dip below the 17:00 minute mark for the first time.