Record-breaking Jo Pavey wins European gold aged nearly 41
British mother-of-two becomes oldest ever female gold winner in history of the event after winning 10,000m
Just a month short of her 41st birthday, Britain’s Jo Pavey ran her way into the record books on the opening night of the European Athletics Championships by becoming the oldest ever female gold winner in the history of the continental event.
The mother of two saved her attack for the last of the 25 laps in the women’s 10,000m final and pulled clear in the home straight to win in 32 mins 32.39sec, with French duo Clemence Calvin (32.23.58) and Laila Traby (32.26.03) taking silver and bronze.
In doing so, Pavey, who lives in the English west country at Tiverton in Devon, eclipsed Irina Khaborova as the oldest ever female gold medallist.
The Russian was 40 years and 27 days when she helped her country win the 4 x 100m relay in Helsinki in 1994.
Pavey, who gave birth to her second child in September last year, is 40 years and 325 days.
It’s so funny. I didn’t know I’d still be able to run at this age.
“It’s just unbelievable,” said Pavey, whose first major championships was the 1997 world outdoor championships.
