London 2012: Julia Bleasdale clocks another personal best to qualify for 5000m final

By Ben Pearce
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
12:05 PM

Hillingdon’s Julia Bleasdale is through to the final of the women’s 5000m after setting a personal best time to qualify from her heat.

Needing to finish in the top five to qualify automatically, Bleasdale was well-placed throughout this morning’s race and was second going into the home straight.

The 30-year-old lost two places in the final metres but finished fourth and recorded her best ever 5000m time of 15 minutes and two seconds.

“I saw the first heat was very fast and I knew I had to be in the mix and be ready for any moves – I had to treat it as a final,” said Bleasdale, who also set a personal best time when she finished eighth in the 10,000m final on Friday.

“I’m just enjoying the experience. The crowd were amazing so I’m just taking it all in.”

Britain’s Jo Pavey came seventh in the same heat and qualified for Friday’s final as one of the five fastest losers, clocking a season’s best of 15:02.84.

However, in doing so she edged out a third Brit, Barbara Parker, who was ninth in the other heat and missed out - despite running a personal best time of 15:12.81.