Thompson wins Olympic spot at 39 – in disguised Vaporfly shoes
Twenty-three years after first representing his country, Chris Thompson capped a week that began with the birth of his first child by winning Britain’s Olympic marathon trials a month shy of his 40th birthday.
His triumph was one of two memorable victories at an event held on a bespoke behind-closed-doors looped course around Kew Gardens, with unsponsored asset management company worker Steph Davis winning the women’s race to ensure she will make her international debut at the Tokyo Games.
Thompson’s win was also notable because he was given permission by his shoe sponsor to wear a rival company’s footwear as long as he painted over the branding. Despite being sponsored by On, a Swiss running brand, Thompson wore a disguised pair of Nike Vaporfly Next% shoes, which contain a carbon-fibre plate and hyper-responsive foam, painted black.
On said they “care first and foremost about our athletes and believe an Olympic dream should never be compromised.”
Thompson, who won a European 10,000metres silver medal in 2010, ran an almost entirely solo race after letting his rivals tire themselves out in the leading pack. He pounced with about 10 kilometres left, overcoming a 30-second deficit to win in a personal best of 2 hr 10 min 52 sec.
Ben Connor, who had already achieved the Olympic standard, finished second and will join Thompson in Tokyo, alongside Callum Hawkins, who was on pacemaking duties in the trials, having been preselected last year for Britain’s third and final Olympic spot.
“I’ve never felt so much emotion in my life,” said a tearful Thompson, four days after becoming a father to son Theo. “I’m 39, for crying out loud! This doesn’t happen. That was an atomic bomb of emotions after I crossed the line. I’m going to have a few beers, because I need it.”
Victory for Davis, 30, capped a remarkable rise, just three years after she started running seriously. Part of a five-strong leading group at the halfway point, Davis kicked clear, extending her lead to finish in a personal best 2-27.16.
Natasha Cockram came second and Rosie Edwards third, but with both failing to register the required Olympic standard, the remaining two spots in the British team are likely to come from the absent trio of Jess Piasecki, Charlotte Purdue and Steph Twell, all of whom have already achieved the required time.
“It’s quite surreal that the first time I’ll be putting the GB kit on to race will be in Japan for the Olympics,” Davis said.