A sixth-form student at King’s Ely has won the prestigious Westminster Mile for the second successive year.
Hollie Parker, who trains with Enfield Harriers, won the junior women’s under 20 race in 5mins 3secs, a second faster than last year’s winning time.
Parker has received 52 offers from US universities to study abroad.
The first half of the race was run at a fairly slow pace but, over the second half, Parker had to battle hard to win. This was a particularly impressive performance, given that she had moved up an age group and had run, and won, a 400m race the previous day in Cambridge.
The event marked 30 years since Steve Cram set the British track mile record of 3mins 46.32secs at the Deam Mile, in Oslo, in July, 1985, and Cram himself was on hand to present Parker her trophy and medal.
The principal of King’s Ely, Sue Freestone, said: “Hollie is an outstanding young athlete who has brought great credit to the school and, I have every confidence, in time she will bring credit to her country. We are immensely proud of her achievements.”
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