The Jones girl adds a smashing indoor win to her growing reputation

Photo credit James Rhodes

On a relatively quiet competition weekend for Herne Hill Harriers athletes, the standout performance again came from the club’s newest international athlete, Lucy Jones.

Jones produced a huge 3000m PB to win a prestigious indoor British Milers Club race in Sheffield on Sunday. This followed up the midweek announcement from England Athletics of her selection to represent her country at the World Athletics Tour Gold Level cross-country event at the Hannut CrossCup in Belgium on Sunday 26th January.

The 26-year-old Wimbledon based runner went into the Sheffield race with one of the slower PBs in the field but set about revising her 9:47.13 all the way down to 9:11.48, an improvement of over 35 seconds since her last track race in the summer of 2024. In the process Jones scored a surprise win in the BMC women’s A 3000m race with a very strong final 200m lap of the indoor track.

Afterwards she said she felt more nervous than before most races but was able to reframe this into positive thought with the knowledge she is in good shape and the nerves might mean something very good was about to happen. Jones now looks forward to her England team debut this Sunday, where she will be moving up to another level of racing. 

In fourth place in the same race, Harriers were both excited and delighted to see the return after nearly two years on the sidelines of Saskia Millard, who also ran a PB as she clocked 9:16.03 behind her club mate. 

For the former Great Britain junior international this marked the culmination of a lengthy battle with injury with many hours of rehabilitation and strength work in a gym in Balham before eventually being able to reintroduce more run training a couple of months ago. Like Jones, she now looks forward to 2025 with big anticipation.

Another Herne Hill athlete came away from Sheffield with a PB and a win, as not to be outdone, Arlo Ludewick was a clear margin ahead in the men’s 3000m C race. His time of 8:13.12 was a PB by nine seconds and kicks of his year in the best fashion.

In road racing on Saturday and also in the north of England, Harry Roberts placed 29th in the RunThrough Top Flight Newcastle 10km. Roberts was another to claim a PB as his 32:35 was four seconds quicker than his previous best mark set in Telford last month.

As well as having Jones in action on the continent on Sunday, this weekend also sees the South of England Cross-Country Championship in Beckenham Place Park on Saturday with all age groups competing for area medals.

Geoff Jerwood