Sam Atkin

Sam Atkin (born 14 March 1993, Grimsby) is a British Olympic athlete specialising in Long-distance running, predominantly the 5,000m and 10,000m races.^[1]

He won the North of England cross-country under-17 men’s title in Blackburn. Also a keen footballer and tennis player as a teenager, in athletics he started with Grimsby Harriers and moved to Cleethorpes and eventually Lincoln Wellington, where he teamed up with coach Rob Lewis. In 2011, aged 18, he had the chance to study in the United States and went to College in Idaho. Atkin’s progress was also affected by a rare problem called Freiberg disease, where one of the metatarsals in his foot protrudes upwards, causing discomfort. After completing degrees in sports administration and business management, Atkin stayed in Idaho and also coaches other athletes.^[2]

At the Sound Running Track Meet in California on 5 December 2020 Atkin ran the fourth fastest time by a British athlete over 10,000 metres behind only Mo Farah, Jon Brown and Eamonn Martin.^[3] Despite starting that race as a pacemaker, Atkin hit the Olympic qualifying time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where he represented Britain in the 10,000 metres race, but did not finish as he suffered an injury mid-race.^[4][5]

Personal bests[]

Outdoor

• 800 metres – 1:53.13 (Spokane 2018)
• 1500 metres – 3:45.07 (Eugene 2018)
• Mile – 3:58.60 (St. Louis 2018)
• 3000 metres – 7:39.71 (Gateshead - Diamond League 2021)
• 5000 metres – 13:18.57 (San Juan Capistrano 2020)
• 10000 metres – 27:26.58 (San Juan Capistrano 2020)

Indoor

• 800 metres – 1:53.79 (Nampa 2018)
• 1500 metres – 3:45.07 (Eugene 2018)
• Mile – 3:57.97 (Seattle 2019)
• 3000 metres – 7:52.12 (Glasgow 2019)
• 5000 metres – 13:33.51 (Boston 2019)

References[]