Laura Weightman (Morpeth Harriers - right) finished in an excellent sixth place in the 1500m final at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada, on Sunday 25 July in a new personal best of 4:14.31.

The final started at a brisk pace with Kenyan Nancy Chepkwemoi leading the field through the first 400m in a quick 61 seconds.  She was closely followed by fellow Kenyan Nelly Ngeiywo, Ethiopian Tizita Bogale and Genzeb Shumi of Bahrain, with Laura in seventh place leading the main chasing pack.  

Unsurprisingly the leaders were unable to sustain the fast early pace with Chepkwemoi leading them through 800m in 2:10.14.  With Shumi falling back and American Jordan Hasay and Ireland’s Ciara Mageean moving through there was now a lead group of five with Laura in sixth place.  When they reached the bell Ngeiywo had also fallen behind and Bogale moved into the lead around the bend with only Mageean able to go with her.  As both athletes tired Bogale pulled away on the home straight for the win in a personal best of 4:08.06, with Mageean setting an Irish junior record of 4:09.51 in second.  Chepkemoi held on for third in 4:11.04, also a personal best.  Hasay took fourth in 4:13.95 and Laura was closing fast on fifth place, finishing just behind Romanian Ioana Doaga who clocked 4:14.27 to Laura’s 4:14.31, well clear of Ngeiywo in seventh (4:18.50).

After the race Laura said: “To be honest I’m a bit disappointed.  I felt so good in the race so I thought I might come a little a bit higher up than that, but it’s still a PB so I can’t really complain.  It’s amazing being sixth in the world and it’s my first GB selection so I’ve got to be happy with it, but I’d like to have done better for myself.”

Laura had qualified comfortably from her heat on Friday 23 July.  She lined up in heat three knowing that a place in the top three would secure her place in final and that was what she achieved, finishing third in 4:17.11 behind Chepkwemoi who clocked 4:11.42 and Serbia’s Amela Terzic in 4:13.46.  Behind Laura was the quickest athlete in the field with a personal best of 4:08.30, Ethiopian Asemerawok Bekele, who was fortunate to qualify for the final as a fastest loser.

After the race Laura explained how it went:  “We went through 400m in 63 seconds and I thought ‘I’m not going to get through here’, but I just kept calm and worked my way through the field and I knew the girls in front would slow down.  Coming into the last lap I knew I had third so I slowed down the whole way.  Down the home straight I eased right off because I knew I had the third place.  The first lap really took it out of me, it was five seconds faster than I’m used to but after that it did slow down a bit, but the pace kept picking back up then slowing down.  I had a bit of trip when I was spiked on the knee but I’m fine, it didn’t bother me too much.”

The two other heats were won by eventual gold medallist Bogale in 4:12.95 and silver medallist Mageean in 4:16.73.

Click here for full results on the IAAF website.