At just 17, Lyla Belshaw is already emerging as one of the most exciting young talents in British, European and world middle-distance running. A double European champion – U18 in 2024 and U20 in 2025 – and an early record-setter over both 800m and 1500m, she epitomises the new wave of British runners capable of leaving a lasting mark on the international stage and carrying on the nation’s rich middle-distance tradition. Born in Colchester and developed at Colchester Harriers, the young prodigy has taken another major step in her rising career by committing to the University of Louisville, the NCAA institution where she will continue both her studies and her athletic development within a highly competitive environment.
Lyla Belshaw: the irresistible rise of Britain’s next 1500m star
Born on 16 December 2007, Lyla Belshaw has wasted no time in making her presence felt in the middle-distance ranks. A former pupil at Colchester County High School for Girls, she joined the local Colchester Harriers early on, where her potential quickly became evident. At just 15, she won the Mini London Marathon in 2023, before claiming a memorable bronze medal later that summer at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Port of Spain. In a race of striking quality, she surged through the final straight to secure a podium finish, smashing her personal best with 4:16.37 – an improvement of nearly 15 seconds.
It was on the European stage, however, that Belshaw truly confirmed her rising stature. The following year, in 2024, she captured the U18 European crown in Banská Bystrica, controlling the race with poise before pulling clear at the decisive moment. Recognised by Athletics Weekly as one of Britain’s standout young athletes, she maintained her winning momentum into 2025: first with a national U20 title in 4:18.19, then with an expected selection for the European U20 Championships in Tampere. In Finland, she delivered a performance of remarkable maturity, positioning herself perfectly before unleashing a devastating final 300 metres to secure her second successive European title in 4:14.59. The time sat five seconds outside the personal best she had set a month earlier, but in a championship final where only the finishing order matters, it was utterly insignificant.
Victory at just 17, competing at the very bottom of the U20 age range, has cemented her status as one of Europe’s leading 1500m prospects. With personal bests lowered to 2:02.01 over 800m and 4:09.13 over 1500m in 2025, Belshaw now sits atop the European age-group rankings and already looks capable of challenging far more experienced competitors. Her recent inclusion in British Athletics’ Olympic Futures programme further underlines the confidence placed in her long-term potential, with major international championships already on the horizon – perhaps even as soon as the 2028 Olympic Games, where she will still only be 20, or otherwise Brisbane 2032.
Louisville: a demanding, structured environment to fuel her next leap forward
Against this backdrop, the decision to join the University of Louisville stands as a strategic and well-calibrated move in her development. The Kentucky institution, increasingly prominent within the NCAA landscape, has built a reputation on strong and consistent results, reflecting a performance-driven and ambitious environment. Last season, Kenneth Byrd finished fourth in the decathlon, Synclair Savage claimed the women’s long jump title, while Jayden Ulrich impressed with fourth in the shot put and seventh in the discus. Crucially for Belshaw, Kenyan athlete Geoffrey Kirwa secured a superb silver medal in the 3000m steeplechase – a specialist endurance event that shares many physiological demands with the 1500m.
These results, especially Kirwa’s, highlight a set-up well suited to athletes focused on endurance and middle-distance events. Louisville offers not only world-class facilities but also a philosophy rooted in tailored development, scientific performance analysis and regular exposure to high-calibre competition. For Belshaw, such an environment provides the ideal platform to continue progressing – whether in terms of speed, race management or the ability to deliver when it matters most at major championships. Not that this last point seems to be any sort of problem for her so far.
About the Author
