17-year-old schoolgirl Phoebe Gill ‘in a dream’ after storming to place in Olympic team

Phoebe Gill celebrates winning the 800m at the Manchester Regional Arena and earning at place at the Olympics at just 17 years old. Photograph: David Davies/PA

Another Olympics, another British teenage 800m sensation. Three years ago it was the 19-year-old Keely Hodgkinson who burst on to the global stage with a stunning Olympic silver. Now the conveyor belt has unearthed an even younger successor in the form of the 17-year-old Phoebe Gill.

It was only last month that Gill’s cover was broken when she clocked the second-fastest under-18 time in history, behind only a highly suspect Chinese mark from 1993. If anyone in the athletics world had somehow missed that, her astonishing performance in claiming a first British title here on Sunday will surely have corrected that.

With a confidence belying her meagre years, Gill dominated an illustrious 800m field that included Olympic finalists Jemma Reekie and Alexandra Bell. Seizing control with more than half the race remaining, Gill dictated from the front with such authority that no one was able to lay a glove on her. Pulling ever clearer as the finish line approached, she triumphed in 1 min 58.66 sec, with Reekie trailing in her wake for silver. Both will now run at the Paris Olympics, alongside Hodgkinson, who contested the 400m in Manchester.

It is a remarkable ascent for someone yet to even begin their final year of secondary school, and who raced in mismatching kit. That, like so many aspects of her life, is due to change imminently, with a kit sponsor to be unveiled before she lines up in the French capital.

“It’s a whirlwind,” Gill said. “I still feel like I’m in a dream. I can’t think of another way to describe it. It’s just unbelievable that this is happening.

“It’s crazy because these are all my idols that I’ve looked up to and watched their races for so long. To think that I’ve been racing with them. It’s just such an achievement for myself.”

Watching from the sidelines, Hodgkinson was suitably impressed. “I don’t want to put any pressure on her, but I think she is definitely up there with making the [Olympic] final if it goes the right way,” she said. “She kind of reminds me of myself.”

Meanwhile, there was drama in the men’s 800m, with world 1500m champion Josh Kerr falling in the home straight as Ben Pattison took gold in 1.45.49sec. Kerr, who was uninjured, is assured of his Olympic place over 1500m.

Dina Asher-Smith ran a British Championships record of 22.18sec to win the women’s 200m ahead of Daryll Neita, while Matthew Hudson-Smith took the men’s race in 20.34sec. Amber Anning and Charlie Dobson showed why they are being touted as Olympic finalists with comprehensive 400m victories, while Neil Gourley edged George Mills for the 1500m title.

There was also a shock in the women’s 1500m where Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir could finish only second behind Georgia Bell. And Katarina Johnson-Thompson clocked 23.20sec as she tested herself over 200m – her fastest time since winning world heptathlon gold in 2019.