Athletics: Astin confident of heading to next level performances

Island athlete smashed Manx record and earned GB spot in less than a week

Having secured a new Manx record in the last week, Isle of Man athlete Sarah Astin feels she's capable of taking her abilities to a new level during 2025.

Last Saturday (29 March) Astin smashed her own women's 10,000m record by nearly a minute in California meaning she currently tops the Isle of Man national standings in six track and road running disciplines.

Just a few days previous, the Belgrave Harriers and Team Makou competitor also received her first Great Britain & Northern Ireland call-up to contest the women's 10km race at the inaugural European Road Running Championships next week.

When asked what may be factors in her recent progress, Astin says there's a few changes behind the scenes which may be helping her flourish:

Last weekend's showing from Astin at 'The Ten' in San Juan Capistrano saw her finish fourth in her race in a time of 32 minutes, 34.9 seconds - that's just under 55 seconds faster than her own previous Island benchmark of 33 minutes, 29.39 seconds set back in 2023.

It's one of three Island women's track records she holds which also includes the 5,000m and 3,000m with three more records in women's road races in the Half-Marathon, 10-Mile and 10km.

It's the women's 10km event which Astin will represent GB & NI in at next week's European championships in Leuven, Belgium on 12-13 April.

Separately, she was also one of two competitors representing the Island at the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 in the women's 5,000m with the next games in just over a year's time in Glasgow.

Astin told Manx Radio she'd be delighted if she got the chance to represent the Isle of Man again: