Molly scoops 1500m silver in the UK indoor champs

Molly Hudson scooped an amazing 1500m silver medal in the UK Indoor Athletics Championships, running in a top-class field that included two Olympians.

The Derby Athletic Club middle-distance runner made the years of training count when she came from behind to win second place at the champs.

UK indoor silver medallist Molly Hudson with gold medallist Jemma Reekie and bronze medallist Revée Walcott-Nolan.

This was an astonishing performance by Molly as she came from sixth place at the bell, with 200m to go, to scorch past four athletes, including 2024 Olympic semi-finalist Revée Walcott-Nolan, who finished in bronze-medal position.

Molly took the silver behind Olympian and 2024 indoor 800m silver medallist Jemma Reekie, and clearly even at the medal ceremony was finding it hard to believe she had won the medal.

The championships, in Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on 14 and 15 February, attracted a host of high-quality UK athletes including 800m Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson, former world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith and world indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu, with big crowds watching the event live.

Molly (23), who for many years focused on the 800m, has recently switched to the longer distance after time spent training in America. She is now coached by her partner Ben Pattison, who won the men’s 800m at the same championships.

Molly, from Hilton, said afterwards: “I never thought a medal of this calibre would be in my reach this year. When you are against the best in the UK, and the best in the world really in that race, it’s really hard to believe that you can medal against those girls.

“I’ve had such a tough couple of years. I was in the States, and I really struggled out there. I came back home and questioned my whole running life. So I was with my boyfriend Ben, he’s my coach now, and we just said, let’s work hard this winter and see.”

BBC commentator Hannah England, who was the 2011 1500m world silver medallist, praised Molly’s run, saying: “I couldn’t be happier for Molly Hudson, that’s a really exciting silver for her; I think she’s one to watch.”

Earlier in February Molly clocked 4:32.36 to win the Ayo Falola Dream Mile at Lee Valley in London by more than nine seconds. She has also recorded PBs in the 800m (2:03.93) and 1500m (4:10.02) this indoor season.

Ella Blakey greets the crowd before her 200m race.

DAC sprinter Ella Blakey also had a good UK indoor champs, competing in the 200m. She qualified for the semi-final where she ran a strong 24.51, losing out to eventual silver and bronze medal winners Hannah Brier and Brooke Ironside.