Mid Ulster teenager Nick Griggs runs 'parkrun world record' of 13:44

This means athletes from Northern Ireland now hold best efforts in both men’s and women’s categories following Ciara Mageean’s exploits in December.

Nineteen-year-old Griggs, from Newmills, has long been used to breaking records after setting a new Irish-best U18 time of 14:15.98 in the 5000m and won the national U18 3000m title in 8:11.15.

His sensational time of 13 minutes and 44 seconds means Griggs broke the record by one second, which was set by Team GB Olympian Andy Butchart in Edinburgh in June 2023 – the previous best men’s time was recorded in 2012 by another Olympian, Andy Baddeley, at the venue of the first-ever Parkrun at Bushy Park, London.

Griggs took part in what was an exceptionally quick event at Victoria Park in the Connswater area of Belfast with five of the seven fastest Parkrun times across the United Kingdom this weekend recorded there – Luke Kelly (14:49) was second on the list while Conall McClean (15:18), Peter Donnelly (15:19) and Fionntan Campbell (15:20) also raced home in fine style.

Parkrun, a collection of 5km events that takes place every Saturday morning at more than 2,000 locations in 22 countries across five continents, has grown into a worldwide phenomenon since being created in 2004.

In a Facebook post Cookstown High School Former Pupils’ Association congratulated Griggs, a former Head Boy at the school.