Teenage athlete from the M11 Track Club has already clocked impressive PBs this season as she targets the Euro U20 Champs

Middle-distance talent Jessica Lark has launched her 2025 season in impressive fashion, delivering big personal bests in both the 800m and 1500m. 

The Cheshire athlete, who trains with the renowned M11 Track Club led by Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows, shaved a remarkable six seconds off her previous best in the 1500m at the Bury BMC meet in late May. Her time of 4:11.36 not only marked a major breakthrough but also positioned her as the second-fastest British under-20 athlete this year, sitting just behind Innes FitzGerald at the time of writing.

Spurred on by that performance, Lark, who turned 18 this month, carried her momentum into the 800m two weeks later at the BMC meet in Birmingham. There, she clocked a lifetime best of 2:02.43 – a winning effort that comfortably dipped under the qualifying standard for the European Under-20 Championships that are set to take place this August in Tampere, Finland.

It’s a promising turnaround for Lark, who openly admits there have been personal challenges to overcome in navigating her teenage years. Now with renewed confidence and form, she’s aiming to earn her first Great Britain vest and represent her country on the continental stage.

How did you first get into athletics? 

I always liked to run, I remember I used to run around my granddad's snooker table when I was really young. I started doing local cross country through my school in year three and then, from that, I seemed to enjoy it and be quite good at it so I joined my local club with my club coach at West Cheshire and then we were ready for the next step. We contacted Trevor and Jen and we asked for some advice and support. We had an interview with them and they said to come down and join them, and since then it's been going well. 

How did it feel to run a huge 800m PB?

It was pretty amazing, especially after such a tough year last year. To see all your hard effort paying off is the best feeling. I knew I was in good shape – I'd been training well and stuff had been coming together – but you never really know exactly how it's going to go on race day, because there are so many factors.

Even though I knew I was in good shape, it's always nice to be able to put it on paper. It’s nice to be able to open the season with two PBs in different events – it’s given me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.

Who do you look up to?

When I was younger, it was always Jessica Ennis-Hill. She was always someone who was at the top of her game and very inspiring. Obviously I’ve now got all the girls from the M11 Track Club, like Keely [Hodgkinson] and Georgia [Hunter Bell], who inspire me every day.

It feels surreal training alongside them. They are so inspiring and it’s really motivating to be surrounded by people like them all the time. But it’s also everyone else in the group. Whether they’re elites or just at the start of their careers, everyone has such a positive work ethic and it’s such a nice environment to be in.

What is your relationship like with your coaches?

Trevor and Jenny are such a great pair. You’ve got such a good range of skills that they bring. Jenny’s obviously got the experience as she’s been there, done it before and I completely trust Trevor with his plans and his coaching.

We also have another coach, Darren [Borthwick], who is their assistant coach. He works a lot with me because I’ve been training in the evenings and not necessarily with the whole group all the time. He’s worked really closely with me and he knows how to get the best out of me and be really supportive.

What's your biggest achievement to date? 

I’d say there are probably a few. It would either be winning the indoor nationals [the England Athletics under-20 1500m title] last year or coming third at the under-20 nationals a couple years ago [over 1500m] meant a lot to me. But also just getting through last year, which was really hard for me with my body changing and going through puberty. Just making it through that year and coming out still happy, running well and loving the sport is the most important thing to me.

What would you tell your younger self when she first started running?

I'd say that you still love it as much as you did then. You still can't beat that feeling of running your best and trying your hardest and feeling that proud of yourself. I'd say that there are definitely going to be ups and downs, but it's all so worth it when the results come together. 

What are your next goals? 

It'd be really great to make the European under-20 team. There's a lot of good girls in my year, which is a great thing because it means great competition so hopefully I can make that team. It’s great to have that friendly rivalry and you want to be racing the best because it makes everyone better than themselves. 

I also want to get my PBs down a bit and stay healthy, see where I am at the end of the season. I'm also going to be taking a gap year out to train and then I'll see where I am next year.

Born: July 4, 2007

Club: West Cheshire

Coaches: Trevor Painter/Jenny Meadows

Events: 800m/1500m

PBs: 2:02.43/4:11.36