sky sports Interview with Team GB marathon runner and former doctor Phil Sesemann, who has been on an extraordinary journey to achieve his Olympic dream.
Sam Bogan
Last updated: May 20, 2024 11:31 am
When Phil Sesemann sprinted past Sir Mo Farah at the 2023 London Marathon, the junior doctor who combined his love of running with an NHS shift knew You must make the decision yourself.
“I love being a doctor but I wouldn’t say it’s my real passion, it’s something I’ve been led to do but it’s a very difficult job,” the runner from Leeds told sky sports, Decided to just focus on running.
“Fortunately, the run went well and I decided it was worth going all out and giving it a try.”
Now, Sesemann is just a few months away from competing in the Paris Olympics. The gamble clearly paid off.
The 31-year-old former NHS junior doctor began his running career in athletics at Blackheath and Bromley Athletic Club from 2010 to 2020, before transitioning to marathons to find more success on the road Enthusiasm and excitement.
“My coach always saw the potential in it and I found that I enjoyed running longer distances and training week volume.
“That’s what motivates me and excites me, not just the sprints and speed work on the track.”
Kipchoge and Hale are the names of two of the greatest long-distance runners of all time, but for Theisman they are his canine training partners who form a key part of his marathon preparations at home in Leeds.
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Phil Sesemann reveals inspiration for naming his dogs after distance running greats ‘Haile’ Gebrselassie and Eluid ‘Kipchoge’
“Growing up, although I never had a dog, I always had running dogs, and Kipchoge abbreviated to ‘Kip’ so well that my girlfriend knew the name, “He said.
“I’m lucky enough to have two dogs that keep me company and keep me entertained when I’m out training alone, which helps me balance the seriousness of my training with my laid-back attitude.”
The balance of animal and human training allowed Theisman to consider running his passion rather than his job, and helped him prepare for his first marathon in London in 2021.
Phil Sesemann crosses the finish line at the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon
It was the first step in his journey to the Paris Olympics, where he celebrated his 29th birthday in style as the first Briton to cross the finish line in seventh place.
Two years later, at the same race, he burst into the public eye with an epic sprint to the finish line of his final marathon, surpassing Sir Mo Farah. “It’s definitely a game that I’m very nervous about because I know training is going well but I haven’t been in good shape in recent games,” he said.
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Team GB marathon runner Phil Sesemann says overtaking Sir Mo Farah in the sprint at the 2023 London Marathon was a huge moment for him. It’s also a big improvement in performance
“I caught him in the last few miles and then passed him on the final straight, which was obviously a big highlight for me.”
After defeating the Olympic greats in this manner, Sesemann realized he could compete with the best, prompting Sesemann to eventually relinquish his medical license a few months later so he could devote all his energy to to games and training.
“Making this decision was definitely mentally stressful,” he said. “But it was a relief and I didn’t look back and question whether it was the right thing to do.”
Phil Sesemann takes on Sir Mo Farah at the 2023 Big Half in London
His priority now is to qualify for his first Olympics, and December’s Valencia Marathon offers him his first chance to do so.
Theismann ran a personal best time of 2:08:48 on Spain’s fast streets, becoming Britain’s eighth fastest ever but still 38 seconds shy of the Olympic qualifying time Second.
Focusing on his next opportunity, the next step was a month of altitude training in Kenya as he looked to find that extra kick, but feelings of self-doubt began to set in.
Phil Sesemann trains at altitude in Kenya to prepare for Vilia Marathon
“My coach and training partners kept reminding me that I was very close and that altitude training would take me over the finish line to Paris,” recalls Theisman.
The Seville Marathon on February 18 is a day that will forever remain in Sesemann’s memory as he faced his last chance to qualify for the Olympics.
Three months after a heartbreaking performance in Valencia, and ten months after pushing his body to its absolute limit, he crossed the line in 2:08:04, in qualifying Completed within 6 seconds. His lifelong dream—to become an Olympian—had finally come true.
“It’s actually hard to describe it, I know it sounds cliche, but I almost immediately fell to the floor and felt so emotional,” he said.
“I worked really hard and took some risks and it paid off, so to be able to qualify and represent Great Britain and I know how proud my family and friends are of me is huge for me.”
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Phil Sesemann recalls the ‘overwhelming’ feeling when he crossed the finish line at the Seville Marathon and realized he had qualified for the Paris Olympics for the first time
With Paris just around the corner, he’s preparing for his Olympic debut and biggest competition, but he knows all the hard work and mental challenges he’s faced along the way will be worth it.
“I’m looking forward to getting on the starting line and soaking it all in, knowing that I’ve prepared as well as I can and that I actually belong here.
“There’s definitely some fear at the thought of the mountains and the heat in Paris, but also seeing it as an opportunity to prepare better and go a lot higher than where I’m ranked, which I will do.”
