Thirteen Year Old Olivia breaks Kim’s Record in Traditional One Mile race

Although probably one of the worst attended in recent years, the Traditional One Mile was to see one of the closest finishes, alongside a women’s senior national record broken by a thirteen year old.
A crisp chilly early Sunday morning with clear skies was to greet the twenty-plus runners that were to gather to compete in this Autumns Tradition One Mile race.
One of the shortest races in the road racing calendar, it was to attract few adult participants, with mainly a Lourdians presence on the day with a strong youth presence.
The race which would take runners from the area of the American War Memorial junction of Queensway to the southern end of Dockyard Road was dominated by two runners, 18 year old Finley Cant and 30 year old Sergi Esquival.
It was Finley who would edge away at the final stretch opening a six second gap between the two as he completed the one mile in 4 minutes thirty-five seconds.
Close behind in third place was Sebastian Galia who run in with a 5 minutes fifteen second finish.
To the surprise of many onlookers Sebastian was being pushed to the finish line by thirteen year old Olivia Roberts Patterson. The young lady was to clock a five minute seventeen second time, breaking the record held by Kim Baglietto.
It was another thirteen year old who was to cross the line next as Jamie Sheriff finished fifth, with Sophie Roberts Patterson coming behind just three seconds away.
An impressive run by Lourdians youth runners was to become the highlight of the morning, in what would have been a disappointing day considering the numbers turning up to race.
However, the calibre and strength in running from what was a relatively young field of runners who took the top spots was a positive indicator for the future of the sport as it continues to try and develop its grassroots, mainly through the efforts of Lourdians coaches.
Both Olivia and Sophie are among the 200-plus young runners who take to the tracks at Lathbury every Tuesday and Thursday. The two young Lourdians runners impressing with their performances even during training where they have been putting in the kilometres gaining in strength and endurance whilst perfecting their postures under the watchful eye of coaches such as Sharon celecia, Avelino Baldachino and lately both Jerai Torres and Sean Collado both of whom, alongside Sean Penalver and Lizzane Olivero undertook coaching courses in Manchester recently.
Both Finley and Olivia, alongside Sophie, only last week had podium finishes in La Linea.