Britain’s Olympic hopefuls will descend on Hampstead Heath on Saturday night with Paris 2024 places on the line at this year’s Night of the 10,000m PBs.
The hugely popular north London event, staged by Highgate Harriers, will be headlined by the men’s and women’s Olympic Trials, with the first two British athletes home in each contest booking their spot on the team for Paris, provided they have also run the qualifying standards of 27:00 and 30:40, respectively.
Pat Dever became the second fastest British man in history over the distance, behind only Mo Farah, when running 27:08.81 at The Ten meeting in California last month. The 27-year-old will be looking to dip below that Paris standard in a race that features a strong international contingent, including last year’s winner and two-time Olympic medalist Paul Chelimo of the USA.
In the women’s race Megan Keith already has the qualifying mark and needs only a top-two finish among the Brits to be sure of going to her first Olympics. The 22-year-old, however, faces a stellar field of home rivals including last year’s winner Jessica Warner-Judd.
Warner-Judd is the third-fastest Brit of all-time having set her PB of 30:25.93 in 2022 but has not run the Olympic qualifying time within the window for Paris selection having failed to finish at The Ten.
“The night of the 10,000m PBs is such a great event every year its bigger and better than it was before,” Judd said. “I can't wait to compete on Saturday and be part of such a great day of athletics. My last 10k didn't quite go to plan, so my aim this weekend is to finish and I can't think of a better place to try and put the demons of my last race behind me!”
Night of the 10,000m PBs launched in 2013 with the aim of providing more opportunities for top-level domestic racing but has since blossomed into one of the circuit’s most popular events, attracting athletes from around the world and often doubling as the trials for the summer’s major championships.
The meeting is renowned for its raucous atmosphere, with spectators positioned in the track’s outer lanes and admission both free and ticketless.
Tonight’s event will be the first since the Parliament Hill track underwent a major £2million refurbishment late last year.
“Once more our Highgate Harriers community comes together to showcase to the world how enthralling our sport can be to watch,” said race director Ben Pochee. “UK grassroots club athletics is a hidden gem of philanthropic volunteer energy, a whole sport on offer with almost no money requested, talk about low barrier to entry!
“Night of the 10,000m PBs aims to show what we as a club can deliver to inspire the next sporting generation. Our sport is exciting, inspiring and fuelled by goodwill that needs to be seen to be believed. Who will go to the Paris Olympics? Come down to Parliament Hill track on Saturday to find out.”
