Birmingham hosts the 10,000m trials as British athletes will hope to secure a spot on the World Championships team

With spots on the plane to Tokyo up for grabs, many of Britain’s best endurance runners will race at the University of Birmingham track this Saturday (June 14) for the UK Athletics 10,000m Championships, serving as the official trial for September’s World Championships.

Held as part of the university’s annual festival, the trials replace the usual Highgate Night of the 10,000m PBs, which is taking a break this year.

The championship A race will be paced for the UKA World Championships consideration standards, which is 27:20.00 for the men and 31:10.00 for the women.

In the men’s A race, all eyes will be on Emile Cairess, who headlines the field despite a disrupted season. The Leeds athlete, already named in the British marathon squad for Tokyo, returns to the track after injury scuppered his London Marathon ambitions earlier this spring. With a 10,000m best of 27:34.08, Cairess will be looking to better his time in Birmingham.

Top of the entry list in terms of personal bests is Patrick Dever, whose 27:08.81 from last season makes him the second-fastest Brit in history, behind only Mo Farah. Based in the United States, Dever’s strong early 2025 form includes a 61:11 run in Houston, making him a strong bet for a top-two finish and potential selection.

Rory Leonard, the British 10km road record-holder, is another in top form. Having clocked 27:38 on the roads this January, the European under-23 champion will aim to lower his track PB of 27:38.39 from last year’s trials in Highgate.

Also lining up are Leonard’s training partners under Andy Hobdell: Efrem Gidey, the European 10,000m Cup champion from Ireland, and Ellis Cross, who famously beat Mo Farah on the roads in 2022. Zak Mahamed, who ran a PB of 27:46.55 last year and impressed in Barcelona with a 61:43 half marathon, adds further depth.

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A notable return on Saturday comes in the form of Jake Smith, who has endured a tough few years dealing with injury and RED-S. After returning to form with victory at the Bath Half and a solid showing at the London Marathon, the Brit will take on his first track race of the season.

While there are 49 men entered for the 10,000m, meaning they have to be split into an A and B race, there is one race for the women with 26 athletes entered.

Among the big names on the start list is Calli Hauger-Thackery, who, like Emile Cairess, has already secured her place in Tokyo — but over the marathon distance. Hauger-Thackery, who claimed individual half-marathon bronze and team gold at the 2024 European Championships, has been in stellar form throughout the year. Her 30:53.73 clocking at The Ten in California in March placed her sixth on the UK all-time list.

Megan Keith will be hoping to replicate last year's Night of the 10,000m PBs victory which booked her a ticket to Paris. Her 30:36.84 PB from California remains the fourth fastest by a Brit, and she opened her 2025 campaign with a 15:16.91 over 5000m at the Rome Diamond League just last week.

Jess Warner-Judd, one of Britain’s most experienced distance runners, will also make the trip to Birmingham. With a personal best of 30:35.93 from 2022, she sits third on the UK all-time list. She has recently faced challenges off the track, including publicly sharing her battle with epilepsy.

Abby Donnelly, who won the Bath Half earlier this year, will be aiming to translate her road success back onto the track. She’ll be joined by Izzy Fry, her team-mate from the silver medal-winning senior squad at the European Cross Country Championships, and Meg Gadsby, part of the under-23 team gold in Turkey.

First-timer excitement surrounds Natasha Phillips, the British and European under-20 record-holder for the half marathon, who is making her 10,000m track debut. Known for her talent over longer distances, this could be a breakthrough moment if she adapts well to the track format.

Also entered is Clara Evans, who finished as the leading Brit in the Paris Olympic marathon and adds further strength to an already high-calibre field.

Timetable

18:00 - Men's 10,000m B Race
18:45 - Women's 10,000m A Race
19:30 - Men's 10,000m A Race