Teenager Nick Griggs revealed he wasn’t aiming to break the Parkrun world record when he achieved the feat in Belfast on Saturday. The 19-year-old from County Tyrone clocked an impressive 13 minutes and 44 seconds for the 5km distance, shaving one second off the previous record set by Great Britain Olympian Andy Butchart in June 2023.
Speaking after the race at Victoria Park, Griggs admitted he was “buzzing” upon realizing he had set a new record. He explained that he had approached the event as a “hard run out” in preparation for the Irish Cross Country Championships, not expecting to surpass the record.
“I wasn’t going into it trying to break the record,” Griggs told BBC Radio Ulster. “Before the race, I knew I was in good shape and thought I had a chance of breaking it.”
Griggs added that the final stretch of the race was a “bit of a sprint finish,” but the achievement left him with a great sense of satisfaction.
