St Mary’s athletes shine with record-breaking performances at Valencia 10K

St Mary’s University, London, athletes delivered a series of outstanding performances at the prestigious Valencia 10K road race, led by Joe Wigfield, who equalled the British record with a time of 27:38.

Joe’s run places him as joint holder of the British record alongside Rory Leonard, another St Mary’s athlete from the England Athletics Talent Hub, who set the mark at the same event last year. Joe’s strong form this season included breaking the Sir Mo Farah Athletics Track record at the University’s BMC Record Breaker Athletics Meet in June, further underlining his standout performance on both track and road ahead of Valencia. The result underlines St Mary’s continued presence at the very top of British distance running.

Scott Beattie also impressed in Valencia, finishing just seconds behind in 27:41 - a time that makes him the fourth-fastest British athlete ever over 10K on the road. On the women’s side, Izzy Fry produced a breakthrough performance of 31:01, moving to the brink of an exclusive group, with only a handful of British women having ever broken the 31-minute barrier for the distance.

Izzy’s run marked a significant step forward, improving her personal best by 40 seconds and highlighting her rapid progression. Joe and Izzy are both alumni of the Endurance Performance Centre (EPC) at St Mary’s, while Scott is a current member of the England Athletics Talent Hub and is supported by the St Mary’s Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS). Joe is also part of the England Athletics Talent Hub, reflecting the vital role played by national governing bodies and funding partners in supporting elite athletes at St Mary’s.

The university’s strength was further demonstrated by strong performances elsewhere in the field. Josh Hobbs, a current St Mary’s student and EPC athlete, set a new personal best of 29:11, while Sam Harry, a member of St Mary’s staff and the TASS physiotherapist, also recorded a personal best with a time of 31:52.

Head of Sport at St Mary’s, Andrew Reid-Smith, said: “These performances are exceptional and a real credit to the athletes and the support around them at St Mary’s. Joe equalling the British record, Scott becoming the fourth fastest Brit ever, and Izzy making such a big breakthrough puts all three firmly in the conversation for England selection ahead of this summer’s Commonwealth Games.”

Craig Winrow, EPACC Coordinator and Performance Coach at St Mary’s, added: “The excellent results in Valencia by EPC athletes are a true reflection of the hard work, commitment, and the outstanding support system that St Mary’s provides. Personally, I am delighted to see Joe Wigfield equal the British record. Having worked with him for eight years, I know this achievement is only the beginning of what promises to be a remarkable career over the long distances. Well done to all athletes on what was a brilliant day.”

The results from Valencia reinforce St Mary’s reputation as one of the UK’s leading environments for endurance athletes, combining academic study with world-class performance support.