Lawyer runs from redundancy to Olympics

A former lawyer from Evesham who threw herself into running after being made redundant during the first Covid lockdown is heading to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Rose Harvey, 31, who studied law at Birmingham University, will represent Team GB in the women’s marathon race this summer.

She was working full-time as a lawyer before lockdown in 2020 saw her made redundant.

Already part of her local running club, Harvey locked a new marathon personal best of 2:30.59 a year later at the Cheshire Marathon, which saw her selected to compete in the elite field at the London Marathon in 2021.

A year later, she became British Champion in London with a 10th place finish and qualifying time for the 2022 World Championships in Oregon.

A new personal best of 2:23:21 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon saw her dip under the Olympic qualifying standard and become the sixth fastest British female performer of all time.

Harvey said: “I am beyond excited to have been selected for the Great Britain team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.  Of course, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone in my team who has believed in me and supported me along the way.

“Follow your dreams. They might just become your reality.”