Sarah Hopkinson, GBR

2002

Sarah holds the UK record for the mile at age 10. 

2003

Sarah won the Cheltenham Race for Life.

Sarah was 2nd in the U13s race at the Reebok Challenge in Birmingham, in a time of 10.59.

Sarah won the U13s race at the Reebok Challenge in Sefton Park,  Liverpool, in a time of 10.06.

Sarah is the English Schools' junior girl Cross Country Cup champion. She was this week confirmed as Britain's No 1 over 600m, 800m, 1,200m and 1,500m in the UK U13 girls' ranking in December 2003.

Sarah is the English Schools' junior girl Cross Country Cup champion. She won the title at Middlesbrough, where she  ran a superb race to claim victory by four seconds.

"It was nice for Sarah to win because she was third last year," said David Farrow.

She confirmed as Britain's No 1 over 600m, 800m, 1,200m and 1,500m in the UK U13 girls' ranking in December 2003.  She also tops the UK Under-13s all-time list in the 300m (44.5), 1200m (3.44.5) and 1 mile (5.14.1) and features in the top four in the other middle distance events.

Sarah won the junior girls' race in the Gloucestershire School' Cross-country Championships over Forest trails at Heywood School in Cinderford. 

2004

Sarah was 5th at the Reebok Challenge in Cardiff in a time of 11:56. She was able to move up from Under 13s because of the different age group rules operated by Schools authorities. 

1st Feb - Sarah (currently) tops the U15 girls indoor rankings 2004 (4th U17/U20) with 4:42.47  for 1500m on 4th Jan 04 in Cardiff, 16 seconds ahead of her nearest rival, Kayleigh-Ann Brown (Carm).

Sarah Hopkinson also came away with a personal best in the Under-15s 800m in the AAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham. The 12-year-old Gloucester AC runner finished second in a time of 2:15.01 in a race won by Edinburgh's Lynsey Sharp in a championship record and UK Under-15 best time of 2:12.79.

"It was a fantastic turn of speed for Sarah and her time was only 0.2 seconds outside the European Age 12 record," added Farrow. "It was also a great thrill for Sarah as it was her first medal at a major championships."

Pre-race: Nottingham:   Sarah Hopkinson (161), the reigning Midland Counties Champion, is fourth in the Reebok Cross Challenge standings with 55 points. She was caught on the line and relegated to second place by Eilish McColgan in Birmingham but a few weeks later had a fine victory at the Reebok Liverpool Cross Challenge, with Lucy McLoughlin second and Eilish McColgan third.

Sarah was a disapppointing 21st in the U13s race at the  Reebok Inter-counties in Nottingham.

Sarah was 7th in the Reebok 2003/2004 series, with 83 points.

Pre-race: English Schools, Kent: Sarah Hopkinson will line up in the English Schools for the first time in the junior girls' race and will be hoping for a top 10 place to atone for last week's disappointing result in the Inter-counties Championships.

In March, Sarah took the Bronze in the Junior Girls' race at English Schools in Maidstone, Kent, only 2 seconds behind winner, Joanne Harvey.  

On top of this, Sarah has been selected to represent England in the Home Countries International next month.
She was  handed her England vests and tracksuits after excellent performances in the English Schools Cross-country Championships at Maidstone in Kent, and will now finish her season by running for England against Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales in Ayr on Saturday, April 3.

The 12-year-old Gloucester AC runner trains with Emily Pidgeon in David Farrow's coaching group and it is the first time they have run internationally together.

"I'm really looking forward to running in Ayr with Sarah. It will be nice to go away together," said Pidgeon.

Hopkinson, 12, will be hoping to follow in her footsteps next year and she can be satisfied with her bronze medal on her English Schools debut.

"We were looking for Sarah to bounce back after her disappointing run in Nottingham and she did just that," said coach Farrow.

After her training partner, Emily Pidgeon's, withdrawl from the British Schools' cross country championships in Ayr. Pidgeon's withdrawal was  equally disappointing for her Gloucester clubmate

"I think Sarah was really looking forward to having Emily along and without her it will be more demanding and challenging for Sarah," added Farrow. "It will be an interesting experience for Sarah and it represents another step up the ladder for her."
This upset in her preparations didn't seem to hamper Sarah though, as she was just outsprinted into the silver medal position in the closing 50 metres of the junior girls' race by Devon athlete Joanna Harvey.

Back to About the Athletes Home