Story By Bjorn Jansen
Some athletes arrive quietly, with little fanfare, but all with the right ingredients. For Holly Townsend, joining SpeedPro in March marked the beginning of a new chapter, which has already produced impressive results. Holly has gone from a promising school runner to a serious competitor on the county stage in weeks. Her progression over the 800m has been nothing short of remarkable.
Holly Townsend Joins SpeedPro and Begins Her Athletics Journey
When she first began training with SpeedPro, Holly brought natural speed, a strong work ethic, and a willingness to learn. She didn’t have race experience or specific 800m conditioning yet. Her school time earlier this year stood at 2:36, a solid effort for someone still new to structured athletics. But there were clear signs that she could go much faster with targeted training.
Since joining the squad, Holly has responded brilliantly to the demands of our middle-distance programme. Each week has brought new challenges with pace awareness, lactic tolerance, and technical refinement, and she’s shown up ready to improve each time. As the spring season progressed, her training sessions became more consistent, her stride more controlled, and her confidence began to grow.
Fast Progress: Holly’s 800m Time Drops by 14 Seconds
Holly’s progress this season has been impressive. Her breakthrough came at the 2025 Surrey County Track and Field Championships, where she set a personal best of 2:24.39 in the U17 800m. It was her first major championship appearance, yet she managed the pressure with calmness and maturity. Dropping over 12 seconds from her previous best in just a few months reflects both her mindset and the effort she has invested.
That progress continued to build through the early part of the season. At the Middlesex County Schools Championships at Lee Valley, Holly lined up in the Intermediate Girls’ 800m and delivered arguably the standout performance of the weekend, winning silver with a superb two-second personal best of 2:22.73. It was her first County Schools Championships, yet she approached it with confidence and composure, finishing strongly and showing exactly why her development has been one of the highlights of the year. With each race, she has continued to rise to the occasion, and her rapid improvement has been incredible to witness.
Holly’s season concluded with another milestone: her first-ever 400m, where she clocked an impressive 62.20, just 45 minutes after competing in the 800m. It was the perfect way to end a breakthrough campaign marked by resilience, growth, and a level of progression that has everyone excited for what lies ahead.
The Indoor Season Ahead: What’s Next for Holly Townsend?
At SpeedPro, we look at the bigger picture. Progress isn’t just about time; it’s about attitude, coachability, and building the good habits that lead to long-term success. Holly is ticking every one of those boxes. Her improvements are the result of physical training and embracing feedback, learning from race experiences, and applying each lesson with purpose.
Looking ahead, we believe there’s much more to come. With continued exposure to high-quality training and competition, Holly has the potential to drop her time even further this indoor season. The 2:20 barrier is well within reach, and with her current trajectory in training, it’s only a matter of when, not if.
This summer brought new challenges and faster races, but one thing is already clear: Holly Townsend is on the rise. And if the start of her athletics journey is anything to go by, the future looks very promising.
