‘I wish we'd taken the train': athlete Innes FitzGerald welcomes Thunberg comparisons
That much is clear when FitzGerald, who recently broke Zola Budd's national under-20 indoor 3,000m record by a staggering 16 seconds to earn selection for the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn, is asked about how she travelled to the Netherlands.
It turns out the British squad, which was announced only last week, all flew. 'But I do feel like I should have got the train,' says FitzGerald. 'For me, it's quite gutting that the whole team didn't go together on the train, considering it's so close and so easy to do.
'But I will continue to talk about environmental issues in the future, because it's really important, and I strongly believe that we as athletes have a responsibility.'
FitzGerald first made headlines as a 16-year-old when she turned down the chance to compete in the world cross-country championships in Australia because of her concerns for the environment. So how does she feel when she has to fly nowadays?
'It's never easy. I'm always thinking: 'Oh, I shouldn't be doing this.' But I know that I've got to go to these championships to fill my dreams as a professional athlete. So it's just about balancing that, and trying to do as much as I can in other areas of my life to make up for it.
'And even though I might be doing the wrong thing, just still saying that it's wrong is better than just doing it and not saying it's wrong.'
FitzGerald, who is in the first year of a sport and exercise science degree at Exeter University, believes politicians should be doing far more to tackle the climate crisis. 'But I also feel like I have a responsibility to those directly affected by extreme weather, and to raise awareness for the situations they are in as a result of our actions,' she says.
Her direct action approach has even earned her a sobriquet: 'the Greta Thunberg of sport.' So what does she make of the comparison? 'I think Greta is very inspirational. She has managed to mobilise so many young people. So I think it's a compliment to be associated with her. If I can do anything near to what she's done, then I'll be very happy.'
This weekend, however, FitzGerald hopes to do her talking on the track. 'There's not too much pressure on me,' she says. 'I'm just going to enjoy it, soak it all up, and get some experience competing against some of the best in the world. Hopefully, I'll get into the final and compete for one of those medals.'
Sign up to The Recap
The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action
after newsletter promotion
But whatever happens, FitzGerald is clearly a major talent with plenty of room to improve, given she only took up running in her early teens during the pandemic.
'I'd go out four or five times a week for a half an hour, and build up some fitness. I didn't really know racing was a thing. But when I went back to school after Covid, they were doing an initiative trying to get people a bit fitter. At the beginning of every PE lesson, we'd have to do 10 minutes running around the field. And my PE teacher was like: 'Yeah, you're quite good at this.''
That teacher encouraged her to join a club, but the nearest one was a 45-minute drive away. 'And there was no way my dad was going to take me there,' says FitzGerald. 'It wasn't until I did well at parkrun that we got in contact with my coach, Gavin Pavey, and I managed to persuade my dad to take me twice a week to the track.'
Pavey has some pedigree, having coached his wife, Jo, to five Olympic Games and European and Commonwealth medals. He is impressed with what he has seen, especially given FitzGerald still runs a low volume of miles each week.
'I don't like bigging people up too much but Innes is very good,' he says. 'She's doing things that other young athletes at this stage haven't done obviously, breaking that under-20 3,000m European indoor record. And to run 8min 40sec off the volume she's doing is really pretty exciting.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Zharnel Hughes lays down challenge to Team GB team-mate: 'Just so he can shut up'
Zharnel Hughes wants to race Matthew Hudson-Smith over 300m for British bragging rights as sprint star says athletics needs to lean into head-to-head battles to win over new fans Zharnel Hughes says athletics must take a page from boxing's book when it comes to hyping up rivalries and Britain's fastest man is already preparing to land a knockout blow on Matthew Hudson-Smith. The 100m and 200m national record holder and 400m Olympic medallist Hudson-Smith have spent months challenging each other to a duel over 300m. But as track and field faces an uphill battle to win over new audiences, Hughes is convinced two of the country's best facing off would 'bring the excitement.' He even wants a pre-race square off - just as pugilists would during their weigh-in. 'I'm done with the talking about it, I really want to make it happen,' says Hughes before Saturday's British Championships at Alexander Stadium. 'If we were to have a preview like in boxing where you step up like on a weight scale, you go in each other's faces; you might have a little bit of backlash at each other. 'It would be pretty cool if someone could pick it up and be like, 'Okay, seeing that you guys have been talking about it for quite some time, let's make this happen.' 'See where it goes from there. I would actually like it to be in Birmingham. That's where he is from. Let's compete in Birmingham – just so he can shut up.' Hughes says 'the only thing that's holding us back' is a meet organiser willing to host the battle. But he knows there is a growing responsibility for athletes to put themselves out there, adding: 'You have to be in the faces of people if you want their attention.' As for how he thinks the race would go, in the sprinter's view there can only be one winner. 'I'd beat Matt. He would tell you, 'I'll beat Zharnel'. I will beat Matt, that's for sure. I know he wanted the lane arrangement to be I'm in lane seven, he is in lane six. 'I will definitely blast out, get myself ahead of him, he will be there. I have a quicker 200m than him. So I will separate a little bit from him. But he will start to close down the latter part of the race, that I know for sure. 'The last 30m are where I will hit the lactic wall and him being a 400m athlete will start to come through stronger than I will. It's just for me to race in the last 30 metres.' Hughes' assessment of this evening's competition over the 100m, which includes world indoor 60m champion Jeremiah Azu, is less detailed though with a place in next month's World Championships in Tokyo at stake 'I'm not focused on them,' he adds. 'If I focus on my craft and try to better what I'm trying to fix in each race, that's what matters to me. 'Obviously there will be competition but I know for a fact that I'll be showing up healthy and ready to compete and giving my best. I try not to let it consume me. At the end of the day, I want to go into the trials relaxed. Because you don't want to be going in there too tense. 'It causes too much pressure on yourself. There's too much weight on your shoulders. You don't need that when you're going into a high, intense competition already. I'm looking forward to just going through the rounds and managing the finals and do what I need to do – and that is to secure my win.'
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Tommy Freeman hands Lions major injury scare on eve of third Australia Test
Tommy Freeman has handed the British & Irish Lions a major injury doubt before their third Test against Australia. The 24-year-old winger, who has started the first two Tests, sat out the captain's run on Friday and it is understood he is struggling with a back injury. The Lions are targeting a first clean sweep since 1927 and a first unbeaten series since 1974. On Friday the Lions were adamant that Freeman would be fit to play in Sydney, claiming his absence was down to his workload being managed. It is understood, however, that contingency plans have been drawn up that could see Huw Jones moved to the wing and Owen Farrell coming into the starting XV. Mack Hansen would be an option if fully fit but he has missed the first two Tests with a foot injury and was deemed '85%' fit earlier in the week. Other options include Duhan van der Merwe and James Lowe with Blair Kinghorn switching from the left to the right wing. Jamie Osborne could also be a consideration. This season Freeman has featured in 33 matches, surpassing the 30-match limit mandated by the Rugby Football Union. 'He was just doing the light walk-throughs,' said the assistant coach John Dalziel. 'Wingers will do a lot of high-intensity running so he had the morning off. He's got to view a stadium which is hopefully going to come to life tomorrow. 'There's no easy way to be a winger when you are chasing kicks and balls up in the air in the way the first two Tests have gone, so it's quite easy for those guys to get their metres up.' Tadhg Furlong, meanwhile, has called on the Lions to make lasting memories as the tourists seek to wrap up a first clean sweep since 1927. The Ireland tighthead prop will make his ninth consecutive start for the Lions, moving to joint fifth on the all-time list and though the 32-year-old did not entirely rule out the 2029 trip to New Zealand, he conceded the clash in Sydney is likely to be his last for the touring side. 'You're still playing for the Lions, it's not hard to motivate yourself,' he said. 'My motivation is obvious. I'm not going to say I won't [but] I probably won't play for the Lions again. It's been very good to me. It's been very good to my career. You want to play well in it. 'Without being clinical about it, you want to give the best version of yourself to it. Sometimes the last memory is the lasting memory you have in a jersey. I want it to be a good one. I think you can use [that] towards your advantage, just the appreciation of it. Understanding what makes the Lions so special or why it's so special to you. You don't want to get too caught up and emotional about it because you have to do a job. 'Lions tours are some of the best days of your career and I'm delighted to be able to go again.' There were question marks over Furlong's fitness at the start of the tour after he arrived into camp in June with no game time since early May due to a calf problem. 'It wasn't a big enough injury to warrant [thinking I wouldn't make it],' he added. 'It was like, we need to get back and play here, lads, because it's on your calendar. You want it so badly. I think the cruel thing is when you go on one, you just want to go on more. You go on that first one and you take it all in. 'The second one, you want to perform and the third one you just want to appreciate it all because you don't want it to pass you by. There was a stage this season where we were having conversations with medical staff. It's like, what is going on here? We need to nip this stuff in the bud.' While Furlong forms part of an unchanged all Leinster and Ireland front row, Australia have changed two-thirds of theirs with Taniela Tupou coming in at tighthead and Billy Pollard promoted to the No 2 jersey after a late injury to Dave Porecki. Tupou nicknamed 'the Tongan Thor' has endured a difficult season in Super Rugby and will head to Racing 92 next season but Furlong is only too aware of the threat posed by the 23-stone prop. 'I first came across him in 2018, he was a young fella breaking through,' said Furlong. 'He was coming off the bench for Australia. He is what he says in the tin. He's incredibly powerful. He's dangerous in the scrum. Very aggressive. He poses his own threats around the park. He's a good carrier, explosive.'
Powys County Times
4 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Lando Norris completes practice double at the Hungarian Grand Prix
Lando Norris completed an impressive practice double over championship rival Oscar Piastri at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Norris trails McLaren team-mate Piastri by 16 points heading into Sunday's round at the Hungaroring – the final race before the summer break. But the British driver laid down an early marker in the first running of the weekend when he beat Piastri to top spot by just 0.019 seconds. He then extended his advantage to 0.291 seconds in the day's concluding session. Norris' world championship bid suffered a setback at last weekend's rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix when Piastri overtook him on the first racing lap and went on to claim a comfortable win. However, it was Norris – never previously out-qualified by a team-mate in six visits to the Hungaroring – who stole an early advantage with an impressive performance on Friday at a circuit he has declared among his favourites on the calendar. There was one moment of concern for Norris when he ran wide at the final turn. But he managed to retake control of his McLaren, and survived without ending up in the wall. Lando Norris flirts with the barriers as he rounds the final corner 😮 No damage done and he goes on his way #F1 #HungarianGP — Formula 1 (@F1) August 1, 2025 Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, four tenths off the pace, but three places clear of team-mate Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion, who has a record eight wins and nine pole positions in Hungary, was three tenths adrift of Leclerc. In the first session, Hamilton complained his car didn't 'feel good', and ran off the road at the first corner following a major lock-up. He was then beaten by both Aston Martin drivers in the second running. Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso were fourth and fifth respectively – the latter returning to his cockpit after he missed the opening session with a back injury – while George Russell ended the running in seventh. On Thursday, Max Verstappen ended speculation he could leave Red Bull at the end of the year by committing his future there for at least another season. However, he finished a distant 14th in practice, over 1.1 seconds slower than Norris. 'I don't know what is going on,' said Verstappen. 'It is just undriveable.' Verstappen is also facing a stewards' investigation after he threw a towel – seemingly left in the Dutchman's cockpit by accident – out of his car. Verstappen has been called to see the stewards at 6.20pm local time (5.20pm BST).
