GB Marathon Trials

Chris Thompson and Stephanie Davis qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, both of who cruised away from fellow runners to victory. The event that took place in form of a lapped course around Kew Gardens, was the official trial for the Tokyo Olympic Games marathon. 

Thompson, 39, completed the Kew Gardens course in 2:10:50 in the damp and grey conditions - 40 seconds inside the qualifying time. 30 km into the race, Ben Connor, Mo Aadan and Dewi Griffiths became the leading trio, leaving Thompson behind. But sticking to his own race plan, Thompson began to surge forward to take the lead almost out of no where. 

"After 30 minutes I worked the course out and knew I needed to check back, because those guys needed to be in very good shape to keep up that time.

"After one hour 30 minutes I thought, 'I've messed this up royally or it will turn around quickly' and then in the last two laps I knew nothing was stopping me.

"I'm 39 for crying out loud - this doesn't happen.” Chris Thompson, with BBC Sport.

Ben Connor eased home in second place with a time of 2:12:06, and Mo Aadan finishing third in 02:12:20. 

Stephanie Davis, having only run her first marathon in 2018 took a strong victory, running clear of the rest of the pack after the halfway point. A new personal best for Davis of 2:27:16.

"I can't believe it, I'm smiling so much, I'm so delighted," she said.

"I knew I was in good shape but anything can happen in the marathon and you can't just rely on it being your day.” Stephanie Davies, with BBC Sport. 

Natasha Cockram finished second in the women’s race in 2:30:03, agonisingly close to the women’s qualifying time of 2:29:30. Rose Edwards finished third in 2:31:56 just infant of Rebecca Gentry who works as a fitness instructor for Peleton. 

Although we did not see the debut of the new NEXT%2 in a race, check out our page on the new racer here.

Images: British Athletics