Meet Britain’s ‘Greta Thunberg of sport’ who won’t fly to contests

One of Britain’s brightest young athletic talents, who is shaping up to be the next big sensation in distance running, has refused to fly and compete in a world championships in Australia because of “deep concern” for the environment. .

Record-breaking Innes FitzGerald has been dubbed the ‘Greta Thunberg of sport’ after the 16-year-old wrote to British Athletics to tell them she is withdrawing from the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, New South Wales.

The Devon teenager, who exploded onto the national athletic scene early last year and broke the UK under-17 women’s 3000m record in Belfast, said she would not feel “comfortable” taking the 10,000 mile flight Down Under .

“The reality of the trip fills me with deep concern,” he wrote. “I would never feel comfortable flying knowing that people could lose their livelihoods, homes and loved ones as a result.

The A-level student from Devon is one of Britain’s rising stars, having broken the 3,000m under-17 record in Belfast last year. Here he competes in the European Cross Country Championships in Italy in December, after taking a 20-hour train ride.

“The least I can do is express my solidarity with those suffering on the front lines of climate breakdown.

“Making a decision hasn’t been easy, however, little compares to the pain you would feel taking the flight.”

Fitzgerald, who is studying for her A-levels, is touted as one of the most promising young athletes in the country.

As well as breaking the UK record for the 3,000m, she finished fourth in Turin last month at the under-20 European Cross Country Championships against athletes three years older.

To avoid flying to the contest, the teenage eco-warrior took an overnight bus to Lille before traveling from Paris to northern Italy on the train on a journey that took her more than 20 hours to complete, something she says made her fatigued. in the race.

‘Environmentally I didn’t want to fly. It’s so damaging that I can’t really justify it,” he said in an interview after his race.

Fitzgerald, who lives near Exeter, said she was supportive of her family, who back her green views.

“My family has the same environmental mentality as me,” he said. athletics weekly reported. ‘We live in a passive house on a small property that grows fruit and vegetables. So my dad was happy we didn’t fly.

‘Aviation is the activity that consumes the most energy and exploits a person’s carbon footprint. I don’t want that on my conscience.

His stance has been celebrated by Champions for Earth, which supports environmentally friendly athletes, with the organization describing his decision to decline his place at the world championships as a “tortured decision”.

“As a young woman with Olympic dreams growing up during a climate and ecological emergency, she is balancing the dream of one day becoming a world champion, with the determination to be a champion of the earth,” said Champions for Earth.

Innes is looking for sponsors and supporters who can help pay for the more expensive public transport, accommodation and the eco-kit she needs.

“It is clear that Innes has the steely determination and focus, combined with the courage and clarity to face a very different reality to athletes of previous generations,” added Champions for Earth.

As well as securing his UK record, FitzGerald also enjoyed big wins over the winter at the Mini London Marathon and Euro Cross events in Liverpool.

His recent successes meant that he could have competed at the European Under-18 Championship in Jerusalem.

However, he scrapped this contest, again citing his environmental concerns about flying to the Israeli capital.