Harrier Howarth reaches European final (From Leigh Journal)

Harrier Howarth reaches European final

4:32pm Saturday 2nd March 2013 in Sport By Mike Parsons

LEIGH Harriers runner Lauren Howarth has reached the European Indoor Championships 3,000m final as the third fastest qualifier.

Howarth, Britain’s only representative in the event, finished second in heat one today to take her place in tomorrow’s final in Gothenburg.

She clocked 9mins 3.30secs, with Portugal’s Sara Moreira just ahead in 9mins 1sec.

Russia’s Natalya Aristarkhova was first home in the second heat in 9mins 2.61secs.

Howarth, a 22-year-old medical student at St Mary’s University, is the current British indoor 3000m champion, having won in Sheffield in a personal best time of 8mins 56secs.

She then improved that time at the British Indoor Grand Prix, running 8mins 52secs to take 18 seconds off her best over the two races.

It is Howarth’s first representative honours indoors, having represented GB on the track and in cross country previously.

She has created club history by being the first senior woman to represent Great Britain at a European Indoor Championships.

3,000m final line-up, tomorrow, 12.10pm: MOREIRA, Sara (POR), JELIZAROVA, Polina (LAT), ARISTARKHOVA, Natalya (RUS), BOBOCEL, Ancuta (ROU), BRITTON, Fionnuala (IRL), BÂRCA, Roxana (ROU), BARDELLE, Christine (FRA), HOWARTH, Lauren (GBR), KARAKAYA, Dudu (TUR), HARRER, Corinna (GER), BELETE, Almensch (BEL), KOROBKINA, Yelena (RUS).