![]() ![]() His mother, Jemma Simpson, is a former UK 800m champion, with a PB of 1:58.74, according to Athletics Weekly, and she competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. ![]() He’s showing his appreciation in his own little way.’Īnd if baby Theo wants to give running a go, he’s not short of talent to call upon. ![]() Speaking to BBC Breakfast later, with the newborn in his arms, Thompson said, ‘He’s a little star. ‘I’ve been trying to hold it together and…I’ve never felt so much emotion in my life.’ ‘This week has just knocked me for six,’ he said. In a roadside interview following the race, Thompson appeared to be breaking up. The week of the marathon trials was an emotional rollercoaster for Thompson – on Monday, his wife gave birth to a baby boy, Theo, with the race due to take place on Friday. He became a father just before he won the marathon trial This is why we’ve helped Chris in pursuing a temporary solution that puts him in pole position for Olympic qualification.’Īlthough On gave Thompson a free pass to wear Nike’s renowned shoes, the company has since released its own elite marathon shoe, the Cloudboom Echo. ‘An Olympic dream should never be compromised. ‘We care first and foremost about our athletes,’ the brand wrote on Twitter. He is sponsored by On, a Swiss running brand that appears to have sanctioned Thompson’s choice of gear. Eagle-eyed runners were quick to notice that Thompson was wearing blacked-out versions of what looked like Nike Vaporfly Next% shoes, the ‘super spikes’ favoured by elite runners such as Eliud Kipchoge.īut Thompson isn’t sponsored by Nike. ‘However, when we're on the track we're both extremely competitive – it's like boxers, we'll shake hands at the end, but once you're in the ring, it's gloves off.’ He wore unusual shoes for his marathon trials performanceįollowing his marathon trials performance, attention turned to Thompson’s unusual shoes. Fortunately, we've got mutual respect and we both encourage each other to improve as athletes. In an interview with Runner’s World UK in 2010, Thompson said, ‘We know when it needs to be a race and when it doesn't. Regardless of their professional rivalry, Thompson and Farah have long been friends and often trained together. In Thompson’s disappointing 10,000m race at the London Olympics, he was lapped by Farah, who was on his way to a famous victory. ![]() That’s right – he out-kicked Mo.Ī few years later, that rivalry would come back to bite him. In fact, he beat Farah with a sprint finish to seize the European under-23 title. Though Thompson was slightly older, they were also rivals. ‘It somehow missed the tendons, the nerve endings and the ligaments, but they didn’t know that until they did the operation, which lasted two-and-a-half hours.’ Mo Farah is an old friend – and a rivalĪs youngsters, Thompson and Farah were promising runners. ‘I nearly lost my hand,’ he told Athletics Weekly. This year, nine weeks before the British marathon trials, Thompson’s hand was crushed by a van as he was moving house. Then, in 2014, an Achilles injury required surgery that threatened to end his career – but Thompson wasn’t ready to quit. That race was followed by another back injury at the Great North Run. Those injuries were enough to knock him off his stride in London, where he finished the 10,000m in 25th place. As if that wasn’t enough, he was bitten by a dog. Going into 2012 and with the London Olympics in sight, he was ready to make his mark. He’s had more injuries than mostĪfter winning silver in the 10,000m at the 2010 European Championships, Thompson was showing the best form in a long time. Here are five things you should know about the veteran marathoner. Thompson is certainly one to watch in this year’s Olympic marathon. ‘One of the nice men of the sport,’ as the race’s commentator described him, had secured a ticket to Tokyo and with it the chance to show he had more to give. That’s one of the reasons why his win at the British marathon trials in March attracted so much attention. From his beginnings as an exceptional youngster to his long struggles with injury, he has had to fight more than most to secure his place at the top. Runner Chris Thompson has had a turbulent career. ![]()
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