Rory Leonard

Rory Leonard (born 13 February 2001) is a British track and field athlete who competes as a long distance runner. In 2023, he won gold at the European U23 Athletics Championships over 10,000 metres.[1]

Rory Leonard
Personal information
NationalityBritish
Born (2001-02-13) 13 February 2001
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)10,000 metres, cross country
ClubMorpeth Harriers
Medal record
Men's Athletics
Representing  Great Britain
European U23 Championships
2023 Espoo10,000 metres
European Cross Country Championships
2023 BrusselsU23 Team
2022 TurinU23 Team
2021 DublinU23 team

Early and personal life

From Ampleforth, in Yorkshire,[2] he attended The King Edward VI School, Morpeth.[3] Leonard competed at the European Youth Olympics in 2018. From 2021, he attended Oklahoma State University where he studied English literature and philosophy. He runs for Morpeth Harriers.[4] He was coached by his father Tony as a youngster, and both his parents competed collegiately at the University of Arkansas, with his mother Sharon winning an English Schools silver medal in cross country in the 1980s.[5]

Career

In 2019, he was English National under-20 cross country champion and subsequently raced for Great Britain at the World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus.[6]

He finished 16th in 2021 and 11th in 2022 at the European Cross Country Championships. In 2023, he set personal best times over 3000m indoors (8:07.97) and 10,000m (28:21.30).[1] That year, he won gold at the 2023 European Athletics U23 Championships over 10,000 metres in Espoo.[3]

In February 2024, he set a new personal best time of 13:31 in Monaco over 5km, which placed him seventh on the all time UK list.[7] In April 2024, he lowered that personal best to 13:29.54 in Battersea.[8] He ran a 10,000 metres personal best on the track in London in May 2024, running 27:38.39.[9] That month, he was selected to run the 10,000 metres for Britain at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome.[10]

References
  1. "Rory Leonard". World Athletics. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  2. Jervis, Oliver (9 December 2023). "Rory Leonard interview: Ampleforth runner making a name for himself on European cross-country scene". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  3. Scaife, Peter (19 July 2023). "Gold medal run at European Championships for Morpeth Harrier and former KEVI pupil Rory Leonard". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  4. Barden, Katy (November 2, 2023). "Euro U23 champ Rory Leonard pursues Olympic dream". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  5. Jones, Ruth (20 November 2018). "It's a family affair for Morpeth's Inter-Counties champion Rory Leonard". Fast Running. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  6. Whittington, Jessica (April 4, 2019). "Rory Leonard follows in family footsteps". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  7. "Fastest ever European U20 5km for Laros while Almgren blazes to 59:23 half marathon". European Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  8. "Comeback 5000 at Battersea Park". Sport on Spec. April 26, 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  9. Henderson, Jason (May 19, 2024). "Megan Keith seals Olympic selection in Night of the 10,000m PBs thriller". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  10. "KATARINA JOHNSON-THOMPSON NAMED IN STRONG GB & NI TEAM FOR EUROPEANS ROME 2024". British Athletics. 28 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
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