The British 800m runner explains how he used the experience of disappointment at major championships as motivation to reach the podium.
It’s a truth in this sport that some of your greatest accomplishments often come from your greatest disappointments. For Tom Waterworth, that moment came last year at the European Under-18 Championship. He entered the race confident, fully aware of what he was capable of and ready to make his mark on the international stage. But when it was all said and done, he was fifth, out of the medals, and left feeling that months of work had not translated into the results he had hoped for.
However, the 18-year-old chose not to dwell on it. Instead, he used it as a springboard. A year later, she was standing on the podium at the U20 European Championships, a silver medal around her neck and a personal best of 1:46.73 to close out the season.
“I lost all confidence,” Waterworth recalled of the Under-18s experience. “I went in with that mindset and I knew I could win, so it was very sad to come out fifth.
“I left feeling down and thought maybe this is it, I’m not going to make GB teams again.
“But it also created more motivation and determination to work that much harder and stay on track. If I had done really well at the European Under-18 Champions, I don’t think I would have done as well as I did this year.”
A new year followed, a fresh start and ultimately a season that won him the AW British Under-20 Sportsperson of the Year award. But the year 2025 did not start smoothly. Tendinitis in his calf disrupted the indoor season and shook his confidence, but things changed in May. In his outdoor opener at Watford BMC Stadium, Waterworth clocked a then-best time of 1:48.16. Finally he had proof that he was going in the right direction.
From there, everything started to build. Race after race, momentum gathered, sharpening both confidence and consistency. “From there it just kept going up and up and up,” he says.
The big target of the year was clear. break in 1:46 seconds. He knew it was possible, especially after British team-mate Matthew McKenna won the European Under-18 title last season.
“I saw him running the same race as me,” Waterworth says. “And not only did he win that title, but he also ran 1:46 last year, which was incredible. I just thought. “If he can do it, why can’t I?”
Waterworth’s moment came in June, back at Watford, where he clocked 1:46.73, a breakthrough that cemented his place among Europe’s top juniors and made him the second-fastest Briton on the under-20 list in 2025.
Having qualified for the European Under-20s, he approached the championship with a markedly different mindset compared to last year. Ranked fifth on paper, he entered clear and realistic. The goal was clear. make it to the final, run well and let the race unfold.
The Heat produced one of his most surprising performances of the season. Waterworth ran 1:47.83, the fastest ever heat in the history of the European Under-20 Championships.
“I didn’t think I would be able to run the time I did, let alone be the fastest heat. It was a bit mind-boggling to see it hit social media afterwards,” he says.
The final was a highlight not just for Waterworth but for British middle distance running as a whole. Three British athletes crossed the line in medal positions, with Waterworth third, Rafferty Mirfin second and Will Rabjohns taking gold. However, that celebration was short-lived, and soon after, Rabyons was disqualified.
“I was over the moon that we all managed to get one, two, three,” says Waterworth. “After the heats, it was almost a joke, people were saying, ‘imagine if . . .’
“It was a little crazy. As we crossed the line Will told me he was off the track but I had absolutely nothing so I thought he’d be fine.”
Waterworth’s bronze turned into silver, but the thrill of a British sweep was soon gone.
“I go from being so happy with the bronze to Will taking the gold from him and frankly, I’m very worried,” he adds. “There was a whole dark cloud around it, with a lot of stuff on social media about that race as well.
“I was more disappointed that we didn’t get one, two, three than anything else.”
Another major step in Waterworth’s development this year has been his move to Loughborough University. The choice was driven by the coaching staff, training environment and depth of athletes he could work with.
“I’ve always heard that Loughborough is the place to go for really strong development and nurturing of athletes. States was never an option, I had heard too many stories about overtraining,” says Waterworth.
His relationship with coach Kyle Bennett helped make the decision easier.
“I met Kyle at the European Under-18s and he was really supportive in the heat, semi-final and final. He helped me so much after that, so it was almost a no-brainer,” she adds.
Two months into his time at Loughborough, the change has already made an impact.
“It was definitely different, but a change that needed to happen,” Waterworth says. “I’m doing completely different things than before. I now do strength and training twice a week which I never would have done before university. Hopefully that will help me get into the 1:45, 1:44 range within a year.”
Now that the year is winding down, Waterworth is already looking ahead to the next big event, the 2025 U20 World Championships in Oregon. Along with that, he’s dealing with cross country this winter, which isn’t his favorite terrain, but part of the broader challenge that comes with growing as an athlete.
