Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Logan Newman

British runner unthinkably takes foot off gas, misses qualifiers after leading most of race

The 200-meter race in the U18 European Athletics Championships in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, was British runner’s Jake Odey-Jordan’s to lose. With a massive lead, the question was less about whether he’d win and more about his time and who would finish second.

Then, suddenly, the 16-year-old stopped sprinting. Apparently, with the assumption that either the finish line was closer than it was or he was further ahead than he was, Odey-Jordan eased up and looked around. He watched three other runners zoom past him, and a fourth nearly do the same.

It was a lesson to learn at the worst possible time, as Odey-Jordan unimaginably found himself missing the qualification mark.

He finished fourth, according to outlets including Sky News. In an interview, the runner said, “It is my fault, so I cannot be sad about anything but myself,” according to the outlet.

Odey-Jordan needed to finish in the top three to qualify for the next round. Instead, he’ll leave wondering what could have been and knowing that in the future, one must finish the race strong.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.