2022 World 1500m Champion Jake Wightman inspires athletes at Bristol’s Newest Running Store
World 1500m champion Jake Wightman, who claimed the title in 2022, made a special appearance at Kinisi Run Hub, Bristol’s newest specialty running store, just over a month after its grand opening.
Wightman’s appearance at the store took place on Sunday the 22nd September 2024. Around 100 ticketed guests attended the event cumulating in a 90-minute Q & A led by Harrison Mayne, which navigated Jake’s career from a young athlete to a world champion. A highlight for many was Jake’s story of appearing at a local park run and being introduced as a world champion which received no reaction from the runners.
His 5k time was then revealed (13:52) at which point the crowd acknowledged his presence and achievements.
Jake spoke in depth about his family’s influence and how they helped start his career and shaped him to become world champion, with his Dad, Geoff Wightman, a former GB international athlete coaching him. Jake has a local connection to Bristol as his Mum, Susan Wightman (née Tooby) and his Aunt, Angela Tooby-Smith (née Tooby), were both based in Thornbury for much of their international careers.
Wightman spent several hours in-store meeting local athletes of all ages, signing autographs and taking photos. He certainly inspired and motivated all attendees through his experiences and insights relatable to athletes of all ages and abilities.
Kinisi Run Hub offers a state-of-the-art running experience, featuring a synthetic athletics track surface sourced from the Glasgow World Indoor Championships 2024. The store provides a unique shoe-fitting service, analysing data gathered by advanced foot-scanning technology that captures both pictures and videos of the foot’s movement to help customers find their perfect shoe.
Founded by former GB international athlete Jamie Williamson, Kinisi Run Hub is a true family business. Jamie is supported by his father, Graham Williamson, who ran for GB at the inaugural World Athletics Championships, and his mother, Carole Williamson (née Bradford), who was born in Bristol, raced for Clevedon and is a two-time world road race bronze medallist.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive all our latest news and whats on in Bristol and beyond .https://directlocalbristol.co.uk/bristolonline/
