Rebecca Keddie represented England at the Loughborough International Athletics on Sunday 17th May, finishing fifth in the Senior Women's 800m in a time of 2:08.86. The Loughborough International is one of the most significant early-season fixtures on the domestic athletics calendar. Held at the Paula Radcliffe Stadium at Loughborough University, it is widely recognised as the curtain raiser to the outdoor season, with teams from England, Scotland, Wales and GB and NI Under-20s competing across a full programme of track and field events. This year also saw pupils from local primary schools taking part in junior races on the day, adding to what was already a packed and well-attended event. Getting selected for the England team to compete at the LIA is a big achievement, athletes are named by England Athletics following a selection process and the squad announced for 2026 included some of the strongest domestic athletes across every event.
Photo — Rebecca Keddie representing England at the Loughborough International Athletics, Paula Radcliffe Stadium, Loughborough University, 17 May 2026 — finishing fifth in the Senior Women's 800m in 2:08.86.
The Senior Women's 800m was a competitive race. The field included Shaikira King of Wreake and Soar Valley, who won in 2:03.65, and Ezrah Harrold of Chelmsford AC who ran a personal best of 2:05.48 for second place. Rebecca crossed in fifth in 2:08.86. To put that in context, Rebecca had run 2:07.42 just two weeks earlier at the IFAM Outdoor in Brussels, a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze event, which was an equal PB. Running 2:08.86 in a race won in 2:03.65, against a field containing athletes with personal bests ranging from 2:03 to 2:07, is a very different proposition to most domestic 800m races. The standard across the top five was high and holding position in fifth against that quality of field is a very good performance at a team international.
Photo — Rebecca Keddie competes in the Senior Women's 800m for England at the Loughborough International Athletics, Paula Radcliffe Stadium, Loughborough University, 17 May 2026.
It is also worth stepping back and looking at what being selected for this event represents. The Loughborough International has been running since 1967 and has served as a development platform for athletes who have gone on to compete at Olympic and World Championship level. Wearing an England vest at LIA - competing on behalf of your country against Scotland, Wales and GB's best juniors - is a mark of where Rebecca is in the national picture. Her progression over the past year has been notable: she ran 2:07.42 at the IFAM, competed in the British Championships 800m, and now lines up for England at one of the country's most established international fixtures.
Well done Rebecca 👏
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