Lyla Belshaw eased herself  through to the final of the U15 girls 1500m at the England Athletics Age group Champs at Bedford on Saturday 27 August, in a race which showed how she has developed her tactics.

Competing in the first of two semi finals she settled into the front of a close pack where a steady pace saw her sit on the shoulder of the leader for most of the first half of the  race with  little to choose between anyone. Just over half-way and the front four broke away with Belshaw sitting in a comfortable fourth knowing that she just had to hold her place to auto qualify.

In the final the flowing day, where Belshaw was touted as the favourite,  it was once again a tightly packed group which progressed round for the first 600m with no one taking it out  – an incredibly slow tactical race saw Belshaw maintain her balance after getting entangled in the bunch sustaining a nasty gash in the proceedings.  At the bell there was jostling for positions  and with 300m to go Belshaw sat in third place before making her move to the front where she built up a healthy lead to cross the line for Gold in a time of 4.42.10.