According to latest Parkrun news, Nick Griggs, a 19-year-old athlete from Tyrone has set a new record time for the Parkrun, completing the 5-kilometer run in 13 minutes and 44 seconds at Victoria Park in Belfast.
This feat took place on Saturday, 9 November 2024, as Griggs outpaced the previous best Parkrun time set by Andy Butchart, an Olympian from Great Britain by one second.
Nick Griggs gained early recognition in athletics when he won the European Under-20 3,000m title at just 16 years old.
Over the past three years, he has built on this momentum earning multiple European Under-20 medals in both track events and cross-country.
According to latest Parkrun news, In 2024, his achievements continued as he represented Ireland in the 1500m at the European Championships held in Rome.
This year, Nick Griggs narrowly missed qualifying for Ireland’s Olympic team with the 1500m spots going to athletes Andrew Coscoran, Luke McCann and Cathal Doyle.
Undeterred by this setback, Nick Griggs has since regrouped and achieved personal bests across the 1500m, 3,000m and 5,000m distances.
Nick Griggs set a Northern Ireland record in the 3,000m with a time of 7:36.59 at the Diamond League event in London, moving up to fourth on the Irish all-time list.
His 5,000m record-breaking time of 13:13.07 at the Morton Games propelled him to fourth on Ireland’s all-time list.
According to latest Parkrun news, Griggs’ record-breaking Parkrun took place on Belfast’s Victoria Park course known for its swift layout and its role as a hub for achieving some of the fastest times.
This venue has a history of speed, as seen in December 2023 when Ciara Mageean, another Irish international athlete set the women’s Parkrun best of 15 minutes and 13 seconds on the same course.
Nick Griggs is recognized as a leading young talent in Irish athletics. He holds the Irish U18 record in the 5,000m (14:15.98) and a personal best in the 3,000m (8:11.15).
His achievements include a gold medal in the 3,000m at the 2021 European U20 Championships and a silver in the same event two years later in Jerusalem.
With over 2,000 global Parkrun events and 39 weekly Parkrun locations across Northern Ireland alone. In Northern Ireland, Parkrun’s popularity has surged since the first event held in 2010 at North Belfast’s Waterworks Park and Griggs’ record is expected to inspire participants.
This latest Parkrun news has arrived just before the European Cross Country Championships, where Griggs will transition from his U20 success to compete in the U23 category.
Nick Griggs’ record-breaking form follows an autumn training regimen in the French Pyrenees, aimed at elevating his stamina and endurance for cross-country races.
He is known for his achievements in U20 races, Nick Griggs is gearing up to face older, more experienced athletes in the U23 division, testing his growth as he moves forward in his athletic career.
According to latest Parkrun news, Nick Griggs has consistently set Irish records in various categories including his U18 Irish-best 5000m time of 14:15.98 and an Irish U23 5000m record of 13:13.07 earlier this year at the Morton Games in Santry.
This talented runner already holds a European U20 gold medal in the 3000m, won in 2021 and added a silver in the same event two years later in Jerusalem.
In the European Cross Country Championships, Nick Griggs has contributed to team victories while also securing an individual bronze.
Ahead of the European Cross Country Championships, other athletes including Finn McNally and Efrem Gidey showcased fine form with standout performances.
McNally and Andrew Milligan representing the North Belfast Harriers also demonstrated competitive prowess over the weekend.
According to latest Parkrun news, Milligan clocked 14:13 at Burnley’s Podium 5K. With a strong sixth-place finish at the Cardiff Cross Country Challenge and an eighth-place at the Atapuerca Cross Country in Spain, Gidey has positioned himself as a top contender for the upcoming National Cross Country Championships in Irvinestown.
At Cookstown’s Davagh Forest, Foyle Valley runners Jamie Westerman and Gary McCay finished first and second, respectively, with Westerman clocking 35:15. Both the men’s and women’s teams from Queen’s University Belfast achieved results at the Irish Universities’ Road Relay, with the men finishing fifth and the women taking fourth in a competitive field.
With the National Championships in County Fermanagh approaching, the weekend saw competitive action from athletes striving for selection in the European Championships.
Many athletes like Nick Griggs have been incorporating altitude training to improve endurance, a strategy that can impact performance in both cross-country and track events.
Irish Olympian Andrew Coscoran, another runner eyeing future championships delivered a solid performance in Burnley, finishing the 5K in 14:07.
According to latest Parkrun news, following Ciara Mageean’s women’s Parkrun best time set in December 2023, both records are now linked to Belfast’s Victoria Park.
Mageean, like Nick Griggs has made strides on the international stage and her record run in Belfast has strengthened the city’s reputation within the running community.
Her time of 15:13 for the 5K also contributed to the recognition of Northern Ireland as a leading region for elite running talent.
