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Invicta East Kent athlete Bobby Clay takes scalp of Jo Pavey and Steph Twell in Great North City Games in Newcastle

Bobby Clay claims she did not feel out of her depth after producing a stunning run against some of the world’s leading distance runners at the Great North City Games in Newcastle.

The 18-year-old Wingham star was the leading Brit in the women’s two-mile race on Tyneside, finishing fourth, ahead of European 10,000m champion and four-time Olympian Jo Pavey.

Clay, the European junior 1,500m champion, became just the fifth British junior to break nine minutes for 3,000m (8.59.12) when she ran a 14-second PB of 10minutes 5seconds over the whole course on the banks of the River Tyne.

Bobby Clay Picture: Gary Browne
Bobby Clay Picture: Gary Browne

Commonwealth 5,000m champion and World Championship silver medallist Mercy Cherono won in 9.48 while Invicta East Kent’s Clay was one place and two seconds ahead of Pavey, while GB star Steph Twell was sixth in 10.11.

Clay – who heads to university at Loughborough next week – said: “I was excited. I’d never raced in a field like that before.

“On the start line I felt like a little fish. I just wanted to hold on as long as I could.
“I didn’t feel I could run my race and go to the front and stay out of trouble. I was waiting for them to take it on and thankfully Steph did.

“I had nothing to lose so I was relaxed. I didn’t feel out of my depth at any point.”
She added: “There was no pressure or expectation on me but maybe I’ve made it hard for myself now by finishing in front of them.

“It’s been a good season and it was great to finish on a high. Hopefully, I will be invited to more of these sort of events next season.”

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