From parkrun to European title favourite: Hunter Bell's five-year detour

Georgia Hunter Bell, favourite for 1500m gold at the 2026 European Championships in Birmingham, retired at 23 after injuries in the US collegiate system. She worked in tech for five years, ran no track races, then relaunched with a 16:34 parkrun during the pandemic. She turned professional days before her 30th birthday. She is now the sixth-fastest woman ever over 1500m.