Nick Griggs (born 18 December 2004) is an Irish middle and long-distance runner from County Tyrone.[1]

Nick Griggs
Nick Griggs in 2023
Personal information
Birth nameNicholas Griggs
NationalityIrish
Born (2004-12-18) 18 December 2004 (age 20)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)1500m, 3000m, 5000m, Cross-country
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Ireland
European U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Tallinn 3000 m
Silver medal – second place 2023 Jerusalem 3000 m
European Cross Country Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Brussels U20 team
Silver medal – second place 2024 Antalya U23 race
Silver medal – second place 2021 Dublin U20 team
Silver medal – second place 2022 Turin U20 race
Silver medal – second place 2022 Turin U20 team
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Brussels U20 race

Early and personal life

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From Newmills, County Tyrone,[2] Griggs was made the Head Boy at Cookstown High School. He had an older brother called Josh who died in an accident in 2021.[3][4][5]

A keen GAA player, he played for Brackaville Owen Roes GFC from the age of five. He set Irish U18 records, running 14:15.98 for 5000m, and winning the national U18 3000m title in Santry, in 8:11.15.[6]

Griggs ran for Mid Ulster AC in County Tyrone before switching to the Candour Track Club in Belfast, where he is coached by Mark Kirk.[7]

Career

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Griggs won the 2021 European Athletics U20 Championships over 3000m in July 2021, Tallinn at the age of 16 years-old.[8][9]

2022

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In February 2022, he set new national U20 records in the 1500m and 3000m. He ran his first sub-four minute mile in March 2022 in Abbotstown, setting a new European U20 record at the same time.[10][11]

In October 2022, Griggs ran the fastest ever parkrun recorded in Ireland. Aged 17 years-old, he ran a five kilometre course at Victoria Park, Belfast in 14:15.[12] In December 2022 he won the silver medal in the U20 competition at the European Cross Country Championships in Turin.[13]

2023

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In January 2023, Griggs ran 7:54.44 for the 3000m indoors, in Manchester.[14] In February 2023, in Birmingham, Griggs lowered his own national U20 indoor record for the 1500m to 3:39.94.[15]

In May 2023, in Oordegem, Griggs clocked a time of 13.36.47 to set a new national U20 record over 5000m.[16] On 17 June 2023, he set new 1500m best of 3:36.09, which was an Irish U20 outdoor record previously set by Ray Flynn in 1982.[17] In July 2023, he set a new Ireland U20 records for the mile (3:55.73) in Dublin.[18] He also set a new Irish U20 record for the 3000m (7:53.24).[19]

In August 2023, Griggs won the silver medal in the 3000m race at the European U20 Championships, held in Jerusalem.[20] He was selected for the 1500m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.[21]

In October 2023, Griggs finished third in the men's race at the Northern Ireland International Cross Country event in Belfast finishing behind Ethiopian Yohanes Asmare and Spaniard Ilias Fifa.[22]

In December 2023, he won bronze in the 2023 European Cross Country Championships U20 individual race in Brussels, finishing behind Niels Laros and Axel Vang Christensen. His Irish team won gold in the U20 competition at the event.[23]

2024

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In January 2024, he ran a new personal best of 7:45.94 at the 3000 metres indoors in Val de Reuil, France.[24] He lowered it the following week in Metz, to 7:45.57, to claim the Irish U23 record from Darragh McElhinney.[25]

In May 2024, he lowered his outdoor 1500 metres personal best to 3:35.90 in Chorzow, which met the qualifying standard for the 2024 European Championships in Rome.[26] He was selected for the Irish team for the 2024 European Athletics Championships.[27]

In July 2024, he set a new personal best of 7:41.68 over 3000 metres in Cork, and 13:13.07 personal best in the 5000m at the Morton Games in Dublin.[28] He lowered his 3000 metres personal best to 7:36.59 at the London Athletics Meet on 20 July 2024.[29]

In November 2024, he set a new world record for Parkrun at the Victoria Park event, with a time of 13:44, one second faster than Andrew Butchart's June 2023 record.[30] He won silver in the U23 race at the 2024 European Athletics Championship in Antalya, Turkey, with his Irish team finishing fourth overall.[31][32]

Personal bests

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References

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  1. ^ "Nick Griggs". World Athletics. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Nick Griggs warms up for World's with Irish title win". We are Tyrone. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  3. ^ Loughran, Neil (19 March 2022). "Nick Griggs: running into the future yet always remembering brother Josh". Irish News. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  4. ^ Beacom, Steve (28 April 2023). "Nick Griggs: Memory of my late brother Josh is inspiring my Olympic dreams". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  5. ^ McAleer, Ryan (19 July 2021). "That was for Josh' – Tyrone teenage running sensation Nick Griggs dedicates European athletics title to late brother". Irish News. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  6. ^ Dennehy, Cathal (9 December 2021). "Nick Griggs: A swift rise from obscurity to the real deal". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  7. ^ O'Riordan, Ian (29 June 2023). "Nick Griggs not hanging around as dreams of Paris Olympics come into view". Irish Times. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Gold for Nick Griggs at European U20 Championships". Athleticsni.org. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  9. ^ Cousins, Graeme (September 14, 2021). "Civic reception for teenage Northern Ireland athlete Nick Griggs who overcame family tragedy to win gold medal". Newsletter.co.uk. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Nicholas Griggs smashes European U20 indoor mile record". RTE. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  11. ^ Browne, PJ (10 March 2022). "17-Year-Old Nick Griggs Sets Incredible New Euro U20 Indoor Mile Record". Balls.ie. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  12. ^ Coyle, Conor (20 October 2022). ""I could have gone faster"Griggs on fastest ever parkrun in Ireland". Belfast Live. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  13. ^ McIntyre, Niall. "Nick Griggs nabbed for gold in heart-breaking circumstances at Euro cross country championships". Sportsjoe.ie. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Nick Griggs: Tyrone 18-year-old smashes his own Irish U20 indoor 3,000m record". BBC Sport. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  15. ^ Hall, Brian (27 February 2023). "Nick Griggs' purple season continues with another indoor record". Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Nick Griggs breaks Irish U20 5000m record". Athletics Ireland. May 27, 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Nick Griggs: Tyrone lad clocks 3:36 as Coscoran breaks Flynn's 1982 Irish 1500m record". BBC Sport. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  18. ^ Campbell, Stanley (18 July 2023). "Tyrone teenager Nick Griggs says he is aiming to become an Olympian runner". Northern Ireland World. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Nick Griggs: Tyrone athlete eighth as he runs 3:38.44 for 1500m in Lucerne". BBC Sport. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  20. ^ Dennehy, Cathal (August 9, 2023). "Nick Griggs disappointed with silver medal finish in 3000m final at U-20 European championships". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Men's 1500m Results: World Athletics Championships 2023". Watch Athletics. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Nick Griggs: Home runner finishes third in NI International Cross Country event". BBC Sport. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  23. ^ O'Riordan, Ian (10 December 2023). "Nick Griggs's bronze run leads Ireland to European team under-20 gold in Brussels". Irish Times. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Nick Griggs: Tyrone runner clocks 7:45.94 in 3,000m indoor event in France". BBC Sport. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Sarah Healy smashes Irish indoor 3,000m record". RTE. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  26. ^ Haughey, John (18 May 2024). "Griggs runs 1500m PB to better European tests mark". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  27. ^ Dennehy, Cathal (28 May 2024). "Ciara Mageean and Sarah Healy in 1-2 for Ireland at Ostrava 1500m as team is named for European Championships in Rome". Independent.ie. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  28. ^ "Griggs produces big 5,000m breakthrough in Dublin". BBC Sport. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  29. ^ "Rhasidat Adeleke fifth, PBs for Andrew Coscoran, Brian Fay and Nick Griggs at Diamond League". RTE. 20 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  30. ^ "Nick Griggs: County Tyrone 19-year-old sets world's best time for Parkrun in Belfast". BBC Sport. 2024-11-10. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  31. ^ "Ingebritsen wins euro cross country title". BBC Sport. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  32. ^ "Griggs charges to European Cross Country silver". BBC Sport. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 December 2024.