| Kate Axford | |
| Sport: | Athletics |
| Event: | Long distance running |
| Birth Date: | 31 March 1999 |
| Birth Place: | Bedford, England |
| Pb: | 5000m: 15:90.40 (Manchester, 2024) |
Kate Axford (born 31 March 1999) is British cross country and long distance runner, and former international field hockey player.[1]
She played for Cambridge City in the Women's England Hockey League and represented England at under-16, under-18 and under-21 levels.[2] She won bronze with England U21’s in the European Championships in Valencia in 2017 and went on to play for Wimbledon Hockey Club in the Women's England Hockey League Premier Division. She became contracted to play for the senior Great Britain women's national field hockey team in 2022.[3] [4]
A hip injury caused her to retire from hockey and try competitive running, a sport she had competed in nine years earlier while at school. She joined Belgrave Harriers after being spotted by coaches at a 5km race in Battersea Park.[5] In April 2023, she won her first ever 5000m track race in a time of 15:48.79 at the Comeback 5000 event in Battersea. That year she also won the 3000m race on her Team England debut in Loughborough, again her debut over that distance.[6]
She finished finished third in the 3000m at the UK Indoor Championships in Birmingham in February 2024, running a personal best 9:08.43.[7] In June 2024, she ran 15:90.40 to finish fourth in the 5000m at the 2024 British Athletics Championships in Manchester.[8] [9]
In November 2024, she finished third at the Cardiff Cross Challenge, part of the World Athletics Cross Country Tour.[10] Later that month, she won the senior women’s title at the Liverpool Cross Challenge, which doubled up as the British trials for the European Cross Country Championship.[11] [12] She was selected for the British team for the 2024 European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey.[13]
Axford is from Bedford.[6] She was educated at Bedford Girls' School before going on to study geography at the University of Exeter from 2017 to 2020. Her siblings Maddie and Charlie also play Hockey.[14] [15]