Triple gold European medals for green-minded running star Innes Fitzgerald

Exeter student running sensation Innes Fitzgerald has won gold at the European Cross-Country Championships, bagging her a triple gold win in her age bracket.

On Sunday, Innes, 19, won the 4.5k race in Lagoa, Portugal for a third consecutive year, this year with a time of 14.35. Her 32-second lead is the biggest margin of victory in women’s under 20 racing in the history of the events. It caps a year that has seen the rising star smash a number of under 20 records.

It comes after the second year Exercise and Sport Sciences student at the University of Exeter was named British Under 20 Female Athlete of the Year by Athletics Weekly, the latest accolade for a runner committed to making sustainable choices such as green travel.

Innes, from Beer in East Devon, tries to travel sustainably where possible, and has turned down competing at some events to reduce her carbon footprint. Her stance has seen her nicknamed “the Greta Thunberg of Sport” by The Times and The Telegraph.

Innes said: ”To come away from another European Cross with gold is truly incredible. It is one of my favourite events on the calendar, so I can’t wait to go back next year to see what the under 23 age group has in store.”

Innes, who is coached by Jo and Gavin Pavey, has only been running for three years and already has a number of records to her name, including a recent 15.08 time at the Bristol Track Club 5k, where she won the Elite Women’s race.

Earlier this year, in February, Innes competed in the 3,000m race in Ostrava, as part of the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold, where she achieved a time of 8:40.05, a new European under 20 indoor record. She took eight seconds off the previous European record, held by Sofia Thøgersen, and 16 seconds off the previous British record, held for 40 years by Zola Budd.

Her athlete profile with British Athletics shows she’s currently under 20 number one in all UK distance rankings, and also the overall number one across age categories in 2,000m and 5,000m distances.

Innes works hard to balance her athletic schedule with her studies at the University. She said: “It’s always tricky balancing academic work and training; however the University of Exeter has been amazing at helping me to fit everything in. Bouncing between lectures and track sessions, I have loved every minute of learning the science behind the sport.”

Innes receives a SaSkCo Sports Scholarship from the University, enabling her to benefit from a comprehensive package of Sports Science services to support her development as a student athlete. SaSkCo Scholarships are awarded in memory of alumnus Simon Greenberg (History, 1990), who sadly passed away in 2021. Simon generously supported the University’s Sports Scholarship Scheme to help Exeter students to fulfil their academic and sporting potential. A group of Simon’s Exeter contemporaries led a fundraising appeal to enable the University to continue to award SaSkCo Scholarships in his memory.

Professor Richard Holland, Dean of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: “We’re so proud of everything Innes is achieving at such a young age while studying with us at Exeter – and to have won this race by so much is truly incredible. She’s aligning her passion for running with her studies in Exercise and Sports Science, and her green ethos is in tune with our own commitment to a greener, healthier, fairer world.”

Now, Innes plans to unwind with a quiet family Christmas in Devon – but of course her running will continue, with a planned Park Run with her dad on Christmas Day. And 2026 looks bright, with Innes saying: “While we continue to train through the winter, all eyes are set on summer 2026. With two home championships, qualifying to compete in front of a home crowd would be something special.”