Latest news with #BBCSpotlight
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fitzgerald aims for Tokyo after breaking Budd's record
Innes Fitzgerald says she is aiming to make the Great Britain team for the World Athletics Championships after breaking the European Under-20 5,000m record. The 19-year-old from Exeter posted a time of 14:39.56 at the London Diamond League meeting on Saturday, breaking Zola Budd's mark by more than eight-and-a-half seconds that had stood for 40 years. The run put her fifth on the UK all-time list and is good enough to qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo next month. The two-time European Under-20 cross country champion will be selected if she finishes in the top two at the upcoming British Championships and could still get a discretionary selection if she were not to make the top two. "I'm going to go out there and just run to get in those top two spots," Fitzgerald told BBC Spotlight. "I don't want to push it too early and then find that I lose out because I've pushed it too early or blown up a bit. "Just trying to get in those top two spots I think that's the main thing, second wouldn't be a bad run, but obviously I'd love to win and having a British title to my name would be amazing." With the Olympic Games in Los Angeles still three years away there is still plenty of time for Fitzgerald to improve. Under the guidance of former Great Britain runner Jo Pavey and her husband Gavin, Fitzgerald has gradually moved up the ranks over the past few years. She is currently the second-fastest British woman over 5,000m this year behind reigning UK champion Hannah Nuttall and her latest personal best has pushed her to 33rd in the world. "I think the sky's the limit in terms of what we're doing," the sports science student at Exeter University says. "It's nice to see the improvements - on Saturday at the Diamond League it was great to get the time. "We kind of went into the season with not too much expectation. We knew I could run well and getting that world qualifying time was the main aim. "If I came away from the race having put everything in and still not coming out with the time, that wasn't necessarily a bad run, it would have still probably been a PB. "It's a privilege to be put up there with some of those best in the world, and especially Zola Budd who ran extremely well 40 years ago, it just shows how things take time to move on and it's nice to kind of put my name against hers." 'I wish it wasn't in Japan' But should Fitzgerald be selected for Tokyo later this summer it will come with mixed feelings. An ardent climate change campaigner she was named Young Athlete of the Year in the 2023 BBC Green Sports Awards after she declined the chance to compete in that year's World Cross County Championships in Australia due to the environmental impact her flight around the world would have. But she says he has reconciled the need for her to compete on a global stage with the opportunity to raise environmental concerns. "I hate flying and that's kind of the end of it, but sometimes there are decisions you've got to make and competitions you've got to go to," she said. "Ultimately if I go and do well it will help to raise my platform anyway and I can then speak to a broader audience about the things I care about and the issues about the climate. "I wish it wasn't in Japan, as much as it's amazing to go to a World Championships, you've always got to have that in the back of your mind and as long as you're conscious and still talking about things I think it's okay. "No one can ever be perfect and I think when I didn't fly to Australia it was a big move and actually the media that came off the back of that helped to amplify the story. "Whereas I think now I've got a bit of a platform just talking about it when I do go and saying 'look we don't want to be doing this but we have to' I think it's important."
BBC News
25-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Fitzgerald aims for Tokyo after breaking Budd's record
Innes Fitzgerald says she is aiming to make the Great Britain team for the World Athletics Championships after breaking the European Under-20 5,000m 19-year-old from Exeter posted a time of 14:39.56 at the London Diamond League meeting on Saturday, breaking Zola Budd's mark by more than eight-and-a-half seconds that had stood for 40 years. The run put her fifth on the UK all-time list and is good enough to qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo next month. The two-time European Under-20 cross country champion will be selected if she finishes in the top two at the upcoming British Championships and could still get a discretionary selection if she were not to make the top two. "I'm going to go out there and just run to get in those top two spots," Fitzgerald told BBC Spotlight. "I don't want to push it too early and then find that I lose out because I've pushed it too early or blown up a bit."Just trying to get in those top two spots I think that's the main thing, second wouldn't be a bad run, but obviously I'd love to win and having a British title to my name would be amazing." With the Olympic Games in Los Angeles still three years away there is still plenty of time for Fitzgerald to the guidance of former Great Britain runner Jo Pavey and her husband Gavin, Fitzgerald has gradually moved up the ranks over the past few is currently the second-fastest British woman over 5,000m this year behind reigning UK champion Hannah Nuttall and her latest personal best has pushed her to 33rd in the world. "I think the sky's the limit in terms of what we're doing," the sports science student at Exeter University says."It's nice to see the improvements - on Saturday at the Diamond League it was great to get the time."We kind of went into the season with not too much expectation. We knew I could run well and getting that world qualifying time was the main aim."If I came away from the race having put everything in and still not coming out with the time, that wasn't necessarily a bad run, it would have still probably been a PB."It's a privilege to be put up there with some of those best in the world, and especially Zola Budd who ran extremely well 40 years ago, it just shows how things take time to move on and it's nice to kind of put my name against hers." 'I wish it wasn't in Japan' But should Fitzgerald be selected for Tokyo later this summer it will come with mixed feelings. An ardent climate change campaigner she was named Young Athlete of the Year in the 2023 BBC Green Sports Awards after she declined the chance to compete in that year's World Cross County Championships in Australia due to the environmental impact her flight around the world would have. But she says he has reconciled the need for her to compete on a global stage with the opportunity to raise environmental concerns."I hate flying and that's kind of the end of it, but sometimes there are decisions you've got to make and competitions you've got to go to," she said."Ultimately if I go and do well it will help to raise my platform anyway and I can then speak to a broader audience about the things I care about and the issues about the climate."I wish it wasn't in Japan, as much as it's amazing to go to a World Championships, you've always got to have that in the back of your mind and as long as you're conscious and still talking about things I think it's okay."No one can ever be perfect and I think when I didn't fly to Australia it was a big move and actually the media that came off the back of that helped to amplify the story."Whereas I think now I've got a bit of a platform just talking about it when I do go and saying 'look we don't want to be doing this but we have to' I think it's important."
Powys County Times
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Former Mid and East Antrim chief faces prosecution over alleged deleted emails
The former head of Mid and East Antrim Council is facing prosecution in a probe into the alleged deletion of emails. Anne Donaghy has 'denied any wrongdoing during her time in office'. A solicitor of Ms Donaghy added she will 'vehemently contest these three technical offences'. Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) on Friday confirmed that it has taken a decision to prosecute two people following a police probe into the alleged deletion of emails related to a freedom of information (FOI) request at the council in 2021. It comes after a BBC Spotlight programme reported police searches of the council offices in October 2021 and April 2022 were connected to an alleged attempt to delete correspondence around a decision to withdraw council staff involved in post-Brexit trade agreement checks at Larne Port. During a time of political tension over the introduction of an 'Irish Sea border', a number of staff were temporarily removed from the posts for their safety following alleged threats from loyalist paramilitaries. Department of Agriculture staff were also withdrawn from the port on February 1 2021 amid security concerns. However police later said they were not aware of any credible threats. A PPS spokesperson said one individual is being prosecuted for three offences under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and a second individual is being prosecuted for one offence under the same Act. 'The charges relate to offences allegedly committed in April 2021 and June 2021,' they said. In total four individuals were reported on a police investigation file submitted to the PPS for consideration. The PPS said a senior prosecutor carefully considered all the available evidence and applied the test for prosecution before taking decisions in relation to the four reported individuals. 'It has been determined that the available evidence in relation to the other two reported individuals is insufficient in order to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction and therefore the test for prosecution is not met in relation to them,' they said. Solicitor Kevin Winters said Ms Donaghy has an outstanding High Court legal action against the council alleging discrimination. 'Today we received notification that she will be prosecuted on three counts of allegedly concealing records, aiding and abetting another person to erase or conceal a record and attempting to erase or conceal a record contrary to FOIA and other legislation,' he said. 'Our client denies any wrongdoing during her time in office and will vehemently contest these three technical offences. 'Central to her defence will be very strong allegations of investigative bias over the manner in which this inquiry has been conducted. 'Those same allegations have been the subject of a long-running complaint to PONI, the out workings of which will feature in any trial, if one is ever directed.' He added: 'Anne Donaghy has an impeccable record and service working for the council. 'She wants to put on record her sincere thanks for the all the support she has received from former colleagues in council and beyond in the wider community. 'Our client takes a lot of strength from this and knows it will serve her well going forward when confronting what are essentially contrived politically motivated allegations.'
North Wales Chronicle
27-06-2025
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Former Mid and East Antrim chief faces prosecution over alleged deleted emails
Anne Donaghy has 'denied any wrongdoing during her time in office'. A solicitor of Ms Donaghy added she will 'vehemently contest these three technical offences'. Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) on Friday confirmed that it has taken a decision to prosecute two people following a police probe into the alleged deletion of emails related to a freedom of information (FOI) request at the council in 2021. It comes after a BBC Spotlight programme reported police searches of the council offices in October 2021 and April 2022 were connected to an alleged attempt to delete correspondence around a decision to withdraw council staff involved in post-Brexit trade agreement checks at Larne Port. During a time of political tension over the introduction of an 'Irish Sea border', a number of staff were temporarily removed from the posts for their safety following alleged threats from loyalist paramilitaries. Department of Agriculture staff were also withdrawn from the port on February 1 2021 amid security concerns. However police later said they were not aware of any credible threats. A PPS spokesperson said one individual is being prosecuted for three offences under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and a second individual is being prosecuted for one offence under the same Act. 'The charges relate to offences allegedly committed in April 2021 and June 2021,' they said. In total four individuals were reported on a police investigation file submitted to the PPS for consideration. The PPS said a senior prosecutor carefully considered all the available evidence and applied the test for prosecution before taking decisions in relation to the four reported individuals. 'It has been determined that the available evidence in relation to the other two reported individuals is insufficient in order to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction and therefore the test for prosecution is not met in relation to them,' they said. Solicitor Kevin Winters said Ms Donaghy has an outstanding High Court legal action against the council alleging discrimination. 'Today we received notification that she will be prosecuted on three counts of allegedly concealing records, aiding and abetting another person to erase or conceal a record and attempting to erase or conceal a record contrary to FOIA and other legislation,' he said. 'Our client denies any wrongdoing during her time in office and will vehemently contest these three technical offences. 'Central to her defence will be very strong allegations of investigative bias over the manner in which this inquiry has been conducted. 'Those same allegations have been the subject of a long-running complaint to PONI, the out workings of which will feature in any trial, if one is ever directed.' He added: 'Anne Donaghy has an impeccable record and service working for the council. 'She wants to put on record her sincere thanks for the all the support she has received from former colleagues in council and beyond in the wider community. 'Our client takes a lot of strength from this and knows it will serve her well going forward when confronting what are essentially contrived politically motivated allegations.'
Glasgow Times
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Former Mid and East Antrim chief faces prosecution over alleged deleted emails
Anne Donaghy has 'denied any wrongdoing during her time in office'. A solicitor of Ms Donaghy added she will 'vehemently contest these three technical offences'. Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) on Friday confirmed that it has taken a decision to prosecute two people following a police probe into the alleged deletion of emails related to a freedom of information (FOI) request at the council in 2021. An anti-Northern Ireland Protocol sign close to Larne Port (Liam McBurney/PA) It comes after a BBC Spotlight programme reported police searches of the council offices in October 2021 and April 2022 were connected to an alleged attempt to delete correspondence around a decision to withdraw council staff involved in post-Brexit trade agreement checks at Larne Port. During a time of political tension over the introduction of an 'Irish Sea border', a number of staff were temporarily removed from the posts for their safety following alleged threats from loyalist paramilitaries. Department of Agriculture staff were also withdrawn from the port on February 1 2021 amid security concerns. However police later said they were not aware of any credible threats. A PPS spokesperson said one individual is being prosecuted for three offences under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and a second individual is being prosecuted for one offence under the same Act. 'The charges relate to offences allegedly committed in April 2021 and June 2021,' they said. In total four individuals were reported on a police investigation file submitted to the PPS for consideration. The PPS said a senior prosecutor carefully considered all the available evidence and applied the test for prosecution before taking decisions in relation to the four reported individuals. 'It has been determined that the available evidence in relation to the other two reported individuals is insufficient in order to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction and therefore the test for prosecution is not met in relation to them,' they said. Belfast solicitor Kevin Winters of KRW Law (Liam McBurney/PA) Solicitor Kevin Winters said Ms Donaghy has an outstanding High Court legal action against the council alleging discrimination. 'Today we received notification that she will be prosecuted on three counts of allegedly concealing records, aiding and abetting another person to erase or conceal a record and attempting to erase or conceal a record contrary to FOIA and other legislation,' he said. 'Our client denies any wrongdoing during her time in office and will vehemently contest these three technical offences. 'Central to her defence will be very strong allegations of investigative bias over the manner in which this inquiry has been conducted. 'Those same allegations have been the subject of a long-running complaint to PONI, the out workings of which will feature in any trial, if one is ever directed.' He added: 'Anne Donaghy has an impeccable record and service working for the council. 'She wants to put on record her sincere thanks for the all the support she has received from former colleagues in council and beyond in the wider community. 'Our client takes a lot of strength from this and knows it will serve her well going forward when confronting what are essentially contrived politically motivated allegations.'
