Laura Weightman


Laura Weightman is an English middle-distance runner who competes in the 1500 metres and 5000 metres. She reached the 1500 metres final at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics. She won a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and bronze medals at the 2014 and 2018 European Championships. She also won a bronze medal in the 5000 metres at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Her personal best in the Mile of 4:17.60 in 2019 ranks her in the world all-time top 25.

Early life and education

Weightman was born on 1 July 1991 in Alnwick, Northumberland, England. She was educated at The Duchess's Community High School, a state comprehensive school in the market town of Alnwick. In May 2013 she graduated with a Sport and Exercise Science degree from Leeds Metropolitan University. She currently lives in Leeds where she trains full-time.

Career

Weightman finished sixth in the 1500 metres final at the 2010 IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics and ended the season with a 1500m best of 4:09.60. She improved this to 4:07.94 in 2011.
At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Weightman ran a personal best of 4:02.99 in the 1500 metres semi-finals, and went on to finish ninth in the final. In 2013, she ran a 3000 metres best of 8:43.46 in Stretford. She further improved her 1500 metres best to 4:00.17 on 5 July 2014 at the Paris Diamond League. She won a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and a bronze medal at the 2014 European Championships in Zurich.
Weightman reached her second Olympic final in 2016, finishing 11th at the Olympic Games in Rio. She finished sixth in the 1500m final at the 2017 World Championships in London. She won bronze medals in the 5000 metres at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and in the 1500m at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin. After running a personal best of 4:20.49 for the mile in 2018, she improved to 4:17.60 in 2019, a time that moved her into the world all-time top 25.
Weightman is coached by Steve Cram, former world-record holder in the 1500m and the mile. She was previously coached by Mike Bateman from Morpeth Harriers.

Statistics

Competition record

Personal bests