Skip to content

Kelly Holmes surprises people at town's Parkrun

Maisie LillywhiteGloucestershire
News imageMark Halliwell Dame Kelly Holmes smiles and looks at her dog, a Shih Tzu type breed, which is wearing a little pink hi-vis top. She is wearing a blue coat, a grey beanie, and a blue hi-vis tabard. There are other runners wearing pink hi-vis tabards standing in the background.Mark Halliwell
Dame Kelly Holmes walked and jogged the course at Pittville Park after sustaining an injury

Dame Kelly Holmes surprised people when she joined a Parkrun in Cheltenham earlier — leaving some runners thrilled to cross the finish line ahead of an Olympian.

The runner mostly walked the 5km course in Pittville Park due to an injury and then headed up to Cleeve Hill, where she spread her mum's ashes in 2018.

Mark Halliwell, a BBC Radio Gloucestershire sports commentator, was taking part in the run earlier when he spotted Dame Kelly.

"I beat her... it's not everyday, is it, that you can say you beat a two-time Olympic champion in a 5k run in Pittville Park and I can say that," Halliwell said. "Even though I have to add the caveat: she was injured and she did have to walk."

"I'm saving that one for the grandchildren and that can be one to dine out on in future years," he added.

Halliwell said Dame Kelly was "absolutely brilliant" and took photos with runners.

News imageMark Halliwell Dame Kelly Holmes and Mark Halliwell, a BBC Radio Gloucestershire commentator with grey hair, glasses and a black and pink Cheltenham Town Young Lives vs Cancer top on, smile as they take a selfie at Cheltenham parkrun. Other runners can be seen running along the path made in the grass behind them. Dame Kelly is wearing a blue hi-vis tabard, a blue coat and a black beanie.Mark Halliwell
Mark Halliwell said he could not believe he beat Dame Kelly, although there was a caveat - she was injured

Dame Kelly, who won gold medals at the 800m and 1,500m distances at the 2004 Olympics, is recovering from a torn iliotibial band — a thick band of tissue that runs along the outer side of the thigh, from the hip to the shinbone.

"I'm going to try a 20-second jog and a 40-second walk," she said before completing the route. "My physio gave me that today, and even that's exciting."

More from Gloucestershire

Dame Kelly said she had taken part in about 110 parkruns and had almost completed two alphabet challenges around the world, which involved running in a new town beginning with each letter of the alphabet.

She said 17 minutes and 48 seconds was her personal best and added that she tried to be the first woman in her age group to cross the finish line.

"If I can be in the top five women, even top three normally, then I'm really happy," she said.

"And if I can be the first woman, even better."

News imageMark Halliwell Dame Kelly Holmes, wearing a pale blue hi-vis tabard, a blue coat, black jogging bottoms and blue trainers, gives a thumbs up and smiles as she jogs through a park on a soggy winter's day in Cheltenham. Other runners can be seen taking part behind her as they run past a building with ornate swirls painted onto the side of it.Mark Halliwell
Dame Kelly said her physiotherapist had given her permission to jog for 20 seconds at the Cheltenham Parkrun, almost two months after she sustained an injury

Dame Kelly said Cheltenham was very special to her as her mum, who died in 2018, had always wanted to visit the town due to her love of horse racing and steam engines.

"The day that I did the ashes, the steam engine went past and Cheltenham races were on," Dame Kelly said.

"It was great... sometimes when moments aren't nice, you pick the good things out."

Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.

More on this story
Related internet links