Middle-distance runner Phoebe Gill announces heartbreaking update ahead of UK Athletics Championships 2025

British middle-distance runner Phoebe Gill has shared a heartbreaking update about her health, announcing that she will miss the 2025 summer competitions. This includes the UK Athletics Championships scheduled on August 2 and 3 at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.

This comes after she was diagnosed with a fibula stress fracture earlier this year. As a result, she has decided to take time off to allow her body to fully recover from the injury.

Announcing the update about her health on Instagram, Phoebe Gill recently wrote:

“After a frustrating year I have made the decision to rest this summer and not compete...It has been a long journey but I’m looking forward to giving my body a proper break and am excited to get back to it 💪”

However, the 18-year-old went on to wish luck to athletes who are set to compete at the UK Championships this weekend. Dina Asher-Smith, Keely Hodgkinson, Jemma Reekie and Georgia Bell are some of the prominent names set to feature in the competition, which will determine Great Britain's squad for the 2025 World Championships.

Notably, she has competed in only one event during the 2025 season, the London Indoor Games U20/Senior, where she won the 400m with a time of 53.65s. Last year, she became the youngest track athlete from Great Britain to compete at the Olympics in over 40 years.

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Phoebe Gill shares competing at Commonwealth Games 2026 as one of her long-term goals

Phoebe Gill at 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images for Commonwealth Sport)

Although Phoebe Gill’s 2025 season has been shortened due to injury, the middle-distance star has revealed that competing at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is one of her long-term goals. She expressed excitement about the potential of making her debut in the women’s mile as it’s a distance she has never raced before.

Speaking to TeamEngland.org in an interview published on July 23, Gill said:

“It’s exciting because I have never done a mile, so it gives me an opportunity to do my first mile maybe at the Commonwealth Games.”

Gill, who specializes in middle-distance running, commented on the importance of the mile event in British athletics history, referencing legends such as Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram, adding:

“As a middle-distance athlete, I focus on the 800m and 1500m, but the mile is such an historic event in England with people like Seb Coe and Steve Cram. For it to be brought back to the Commonwealth Games is so exciting. I know it is going to be such an incredible event to watch. To be able to participate is something to aim for.”

Notably, earlier this year in February, it was announced that the mile races will be included in the Commonwealth Games 2026 program, replacing the 1500m distance for the next edition. The games are scheduled to be held in Glasgow between July 23 and August 2.

Edited by Abhiruchi Rout