Shropshire athletes on international duty

Shropshire athletes Beth Trow and Zoe Gilbody have enjoyed a stint of international duty with Great Britain.

The duo headed to Finland to represent GB in the European Under-20 Track and Field Championships in Tampere.

GB only selected three athletes in each event, with the call-up highlighting the impressive strides the Shropshire duo have made.

Trow, who runs for Shrewsbury Athletic Club and Thomas Telford School, was selected in the 800m - an event in which she currently ranks sixth in the UK with a personal best time of 2.05.07 set earlier this year.

Gilbody, who runs for Telford Athletic Club and has just left Thomas Telford School, took part in the 3000m - an event she won at the English Schools Championships in July.

They followed in the footsteps of other Shropshire athletes who have been on GB teams for these European Championships in recent years.

Iris Downes, from Shrewsbury AC, competed in the Under-18 Championships in 2022 and the Under-20 event in 2023, while Telford AC's Charlie Carvell was also selected for the 2021 Championships in Tallin and the 2023 Championships in Jerusalem.

Gilbody came an impressive fourth in the heats of the 3000m in a time of 9.26.77. That qualified her for the final, where she came home in 12th in 9.30.98.

The run lifted Gilbody up from 19th to 12th in the European rankings.

GB's Innes Fitzgerald won the race in 8.46.39, to follow up from the 5000m gold medal she won earlier in the Championships.

Trow finished seventh in her 800m heat in 2.09.47.