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GB selection for Alice

Tuesday 29th November 2022

Following her epic run in the trials at Liverpool, Alice Wright has been selected to represent Great Britain at Piemonte-La Mandria Park, just outside Turin, on 11 December,  in the SPAR European Cross Country Championships.

Now studying at university in London, Alice has graduated to Team GB after joining Phoenix as a 9 year old in 2012. She progressed gradually through the age groups, coping with injury along the way but always coming back for more. Her big breakthrough came last summer with her opening track event in April taking 6 seconds off her personal best 800m time with 2m 10secs, and then blowing that time away with a superb 2m 7secs in August. Her track performances took her to No.1 in the GB Under 20 rankings in the 1500 metres with 4m 18 secs and 6th in the 800 metres. Credit must also go to her coaches, Dan Stepney and Jon Bigg.

Leading into the trials races, Alice took 4th place at the British Cross Challenge in Milton Keynes, which set her up for that battling performance in the Liverpool mud where she moved steadily through the field to eventually take the 5th qualifying spot with a fast last 800m.

Her selection is testament to the Phoenix coaching policy of not pushing athletes too far, too young and nurturing athletes who are able to deal with the inevitable set-backs that always test their mental resilience.

Very best of luck to Alice in Turin and also to Brighton and Hove AC's Tomer Tarragano, selected in the Under 23 mens team.