HOLDING BACK THE YEARS

Jo’s remarkable career

1988 English Schools 1500m title.

1997 Makes international racing debut at the World Champs in Athens, reaching the semi-final.

2000 At her first Olympics, in Sydney, she makes the 5000m final. She breaks her PB by 10 seconds, finishing 12th.

2004 Finishes fifth in the 5000m at the Athens Olympics.

2006 Wins silver in the 5000m at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

2008 Finishes 12th in the 10,000m at her third Olympics, in Beijing.

2009 Has her first child, Jacob.

2012 Wins silver in the 10,000m at the European Champs in Helsinki; finishes seventh (and first European) in the 5000m and 10,000m final at the London Olympics (her fourth Games).

2013 Gives birth to Emily.

2014 Wins 5000m bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow; 10 days later takes gold, in the 10,000m, at the European Champs in Zurich. Almost 41, she is the oldest gold medallist in the history of the Championships.

2016 Runs the Olympic 10,000m qualifying time and selected to travel to Rio for her fifth Games.