sport
Newcastle athlete Emily Hart the club standout making headlines right now
The Heaton runner posted a personal best that puts her in line for national selection.
How we reported this
Newcastle athlete Emily Hart ran 15 minutes 32 seconds for the 5k at the North East Championships on July 7 and now sits second on the British rankings for the distance.
The result arrives weeks before the Commonwealth Games trials in Birmingham on August 12. Hart trains with Newcastle Athletics Club and works part-time at the city council's sports development unit. Her time improves her previous best by 11 seconds and beats the qualifying standard by 14 seconds.
Routes through Heaton and along the Quayside
Hart completes most sessions on the paths that run from Heaton Park through Byker and down to the Quayside. Newcastle Athletics Club bases its Tuesday night group runs from the Exhibition Park pavilion. The club also uses the indoor track at Gateshead International Stadium for speed work on Thursdays. Hart says the flat 5k loop beside the Tyne lets her hit even splits without wind interference.
Club records show 142 members turned up for the first session after the May bank holiday. That number is up 28 from the same week in 2025. Ticket sales for the club's summer open meet at Exhibition Park on July 22 already stand at 1,840, priced at £8 for adults and £4 for juniors.
Numbers behind the selection push
Hart's 15:32 ranks inside the top 20 European times for the year. The British Athletics performance pathway lists 12 athletes for the 5k at the August trials. Three of those spots remain open. Newcastle City Council allocated £47,000 this financial year to support pathway athletes from the region, with payments released after each qualifying standard is met.
The next step for Hart is a 3k time trial at the club track on July 18. Entry costs £6 and starts at 7:15 pm. Spectators can watch free from the stands at Gateshead International Stadium. Results will be posted on the Newcastle Athletics Club website by 10 pm the same night.