The pair secure automatic qualification spots for this summer's European Athletics Championships on home soil.

Izzy Fry and Joe Wigfield are already thinking about the prospect of competing in front of a home crowd at the Alexander Stadium in just a few months.

After being crowned UK 10,000m champions on Sunday (May 17) in Loughborough, the duo secured automatic qualification spots to represent Great Britain over 25 laps at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

Both athletes have had stellar seasons so far and have recorded personal bests on the roads. Fry clocked 15:17 over 5km in Monaco and 31:01 for 10km in Valencia, while Wigfield equalled Rory Leonard's British 10km record of 27:38 in the Spanish city, before improving his half marathon best to 61:19 in Barcelona.

In a small but competitive field, Fry saw off the challenge of Poppy Tank, Hannah Irwin and Clara Evans. As the laps wound down, it appeared that it would be a battle between the former three athletes. The lead changed on multiple occasions, with Tank making the first move before Irwin responded in the closing stages.

Barely could anything the trio however and Fry's patience paid off in the past two laps, producing a kick that Tank and Irwin couldn't match. In perfect conditions, the Brit stormed to the finish line and, after placing third behind Megan Keith and Calli Hauger-Thackery in the event last year, won the 10,000m title. Fry clocked 32:12.90 to Tank's 32:15.30 and Irwin's 32:22.57. 

"This was the main goal of the year," Fry told AW. "After witnessing the crowd and the atmosphere of the Commonwealth Games a few years ago, I just wanted to be there myself running this year. I don't think you get to experience that kind of opportunity many times in your career. I've got three months to get to the championships now.

"It gives me goosebumps thinking about it and it gives me goosebumps thinking about it. I was out in Rome a couple of years ago for the 5000m and that is probably one of the coolest races I've ever done. So to now experience that again but on home soil will be really special.

"I was in the very fortunate position to have the standard already. I felt sorry for Poppy and Hannah there as I didn't need to do any work myself. I just wanted to make the race as easy as possible by sitting in. I felt really good and it felt smooth."

Wigfield secured his automatic qualification spot in a deeper field and came home second overall behind Kadar Omar. In an intriguing encounter, Omar and Wigfield exchanged the lead for a large proportion of the race, before Omar – a Birchfield Harrier who is originally from Ethiopia and has represented the World Athletics Athlete Refugee Team – kicked with a few laps to go and won comfortably with 28:29.38.

On his championships debut, Wigfield came home in second and secured the UK 10,000m title with a personal best on the track of  28:56.39.

James Kingston wasn't too far behind in 29:09.01 and Max Milarvie was third with 29:13.51.

"It kind of went exactly as I wanted to really," Wigfield said. "The last few months have been pretty mental. I owed it to myself to come and come here and get a selection spot for the Europeans. I wasn't sure I enjoyed today too much as it was that tough!

"I think we are going to have to work out my best distance. I'm enjoying the process of it all and it was great to compete against some of the best in the world in the road season. You've got to be a bit more switched on in track, with this being so important.

"You're always going to have support on home soil and I'm excited to race some of the best European distance runners in Birmingham. One of the first races I ever watched was London 2012 and seeing those races was amazing, so if the atmosphere is anything like that then it will be quality."

You can get your tickets for Birmingham 2026 here.