Tom Waterworth shows his staying power

British 800m runner explains how he used the experience of major champs disappointment as motivation to reach the podium.

It’s a truth in this sport that some of your biggest breakthroughs often grow out of your biggest disappointments. For Tom Waterworth, that moment arrived at the European Under-18 Championships last year. He went into the race confident, fully aware of what he was capable of and ready to make a mark on the international stage. But, when it was all over, he was fifth – outside of the medals and left with the feeling that months of work hadn’t translated into the result he’d hoped for.

The 18-year-old chose not to dwell on it, though. Instead, he used it as a springboard. One year later, he was standing on the podium at the European Under-20 Championships, a silver medal around his neck and a 1:46.73 personal best to close out the season.

“I lost all confidence,” Waterworth recalls of the under-18 experience. “I came into that thinking and knowing that I could have won, so coming away with fifth was very upsetting.

“I left feeling dejected and I thought that maybe this was it. I wasn’t going to make GB teams anymore.

“But it also sparked more motivation and determination to work much harder and stay on the right path. If I had done really well at those European U18 Champs then I don’t think I would have done nearly as well as I did this year.”

What followed was a new year, a fresh start, and ultimately the season that has earned him the AW British Under-20 Athlete of the Year award. But 2025 didn’t begin smoothly. Tendinitis in his shin disrupted the indoor season and shook his confidence but, by May, things shifted. In his outdoor opener at the Watford BMC, Waterworth ran a then personal best of 1:48.16. Finally, he had the proof that he was heading in the right direction.

From there, everything started to build. Race by race, momentum was gained, sharpening both confidence and consistency. “From there, it just kept going up and up and up,” he says.

The big target for the year was simple: break into the 1:46s. He knew it was possible, especially after watching British team-mate Matthew McKenna win the European U18 title the previous season.

“I saw how he ran in the same race as me,” says Waterworth. “And not only did he win that title, but he also ran 1:46 last year which was incredible. I just thought: ‘If he can do it, why can’t I?’”

Waterworth’s moment came in June, back at Watford, where he clocked 1:46.73 – a breakthrough that solidified his place among Europe’s best juniors and put him as the second-fastest Brit on the U20 list for 2025.

With European U20 qualification achieved, he approached the championships with a noticeably different mindset compared to the year before. Ranking fifth on paper, he went in clear-headed and realistic. The aim was straightforward: make the final, run well and let the race unfold.

The heats brought one of the most surprising performances of his season. Waterworth ran 1:47.83 – the fastest heat ever recorded in European U20 Championship history.

“I did not think I’d be able to run the time that I did, let alone have it be the fastest heat ever. That was a bit bonkers when I saw that pop up on social media afterwards,” he says.

The final became a standout moment not just for Waterworth, but for British middle-distance running as a whole. Three British athletes crossed the line in the medal positions – Waterworth in third, Rafferty Mirfin second, and Will Rabjohns taking gold. But that celebration was short-lived, with Rabjohns disqualified shortly afterwards.

“I was over the moon that we all managed to get one, two, three,” says Waterworth. “It was almost of a joke after the heats, people saying, “imagine if…”

“It was a bit nuts. Will told me as we crossed the line that he had gone off track but I had absolutely no clue, so I thought he would be okay.”

Waterworth’s bronze became silver, but the excitement of a British sweep disappeared instantly.

“I go from being so happy with a bronze, to then having Will getting the gold taken from him and honestly feeling quite upset for him,” he adds. “There was a whole dark cloud around it, with lots of stuff on social media about that race, too.

“I was more disappointed by the fact that we didn’t get one, two, three than anything else.”

Another major step in Waterworth’s development this year has been his move to Loughborough University. The choice was shaped by the coaching set-up, the training environment and the depth of athletes he could work alongside.

“I’d always heard Loughborough was the place to go for really strong development and nurturing athletes. The States was never an option, I’d heard too many stories of overtraining,” Waterworth says.

His relationship with coach Kyle Bennett helped make the decision even more straightforward.

“I met Kyle at European Under 18s and he was really supportive leading up to the heats, the semi and after the final. He helped me so much after that, so it was almost a no-brainer,” he adds.

Two months into his time at Loughborough, the change has already made an impact.

“It’s definitely been different, but a change that needed to happen,” says Waterworth. “I’m doing completely different stuff to what I used to. I’m now doing strength and conditioning twice a week, which I’d never done prior to uni. Hopefully it will help me dip into the 1:45, 1:44 sort of range in a year or so.”

Now, as the year winds down, Waterworth is already looking ahead to the next major milestone: the 2025 World U20 Championships in Oregon. Alongside that, he’s dabbling with cross country this winter – not his favourite terrain, but part of the broader challenge that comes with developing as an athlete.