Atkin makes huge breakthrough with an amazing display

SAM Atkin has stormed into 2021 on a high after a major track breakthrough that has caught the attention of the athletics world.

The 27-year-old Grimsby-born runner has incredibly shot up to number four on the UK all-time rankings for 10,000m. Atkin, who used to live in Healing and is now based in the United States, ran a stunning 27:26.58 in California.

His stellar performance puts him behind only Mo Farah, Jon Brown and Eamonn Martin, a remarkable feat given Great Britain’s rich heritage in distance running.

His time puts him in front of Dave Bedford, Brendan Foster, Chris Thompson, Nick Rose, Julian Goater, Steve Jones and Mike McLeod on the all-time lists. Atkin, who competed for Cleethorpes AC as a junior, also achieved the Olympic standard and has his sights firmly set on Tokyo this summer.

His amazing 10,000m came just one day after he clocked 13.18 in the 5,000m – which was just 4.5 seconds outside the Olympic qualifying mark for that distance.

Atkin believes the frustration at narrowly missing out on his target time in the 5,000m inspired him to push on to greater heights the next day.

He actually started the 10,000m race as a pacemaker, but felt strong enough to carry on and finish in fine style.

He told Athletics Weekly: “It’s hard to put into words. I wasn’t too happy with the 5000m because I wanted the Olympic standard (13:13.50) and I still feel I’m better shape than the 13:18 I ran. “People had been telling me to try the 10,000m but I’d always refused to do it. But here I decided to go in and pace the race and do the job that I intended to do, because I’d already committed to that and wanted to help the other guys hit a really good time, but at the same time I felt in really good shape and decided to keep going … and it kind of paid off!

“I was very stunned. With about a mile to go I was trying to stay focused but I was thinking ‘I only need a 4:24 last mile and I can do that’. With every lap I was thinking ‘I can do this’ and ‘keep going, keep going’.”

Atkin started his running at an early age with local clubs Grimsby Harriers and Cleethorpes AC before switching to Lincoln Wellington.

He then moved to United States to study at Lewis-Clark College in Idaho, on a sports scholarship.

Despite having his athletics ambitions written off by doctors at various times due to a rare and painful foot condition called Freiburg disease, he has defied the odds and has now fulfilled his promise with a stunning breakthrough performance. He will aim to further improve his times over both 5,000m and 10,000m in the coming months - before competing in the British trials with a view to being selected for the Olympic Games.