Sarah’s back story: how new UK Champion overcame surgery at 15

Friday 8th August 2025

Photo by Gary Mitchell

Scottish golden moments as Sarah and Neil seize 1500m titles

By Peter Jardine, Head of Communications

Surprise Women’s 1500m British champion Sarah Calvert has revealed how her running career was almost over before it really started.

The Livingston AC athlete and Edinburgh University student shocked the UK Champs with victory from Laura Muir by five hundredths of a second in Birmingham.

Now it can be disclosed that the 24-year-old did not run for a year in her mid-teens following surgery for the back condition, scoliosis.

At one stage in 2015, Sarah didn’t know if she would run again or ever achieve even moderate age group success in athletics.

Senior Scottish titles in recent years at 800m and 1500m at Grangemouth hinted at more to come and the past few weeks have seen her on the podium at the World Universities in Germany – the first Scot to do so in individual events since 1997 – and earn that British Champion label.

‘When I was aged 15 I underwent surgery for scoliosis,’ said Sarah, who was coached at the time by Sandra Hardacre.

‘It was a really tough and scary time in my life. I had metal rods inserted in my back and, yes, they are still there.

‘My family and I went through a lot at that time and couldn’t do any exercise at all for a year.

‘I remember at the time thinking when will I get back to running again, will I even be able to improve my Personal Bests? I was thinking: will I ever run again?’

‘Then, getting back, it took so long to be fit. I never knew if I would win races again and get to the top in my age groups.’

Meet post-Grad medic who won gold in Birmingham – BBC Scotland report

Grangemouth 2023 and Sarah is smiles better on way to 800m-1500m double at our 4J Senior Champs (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Time proved a healer and by 2017 she was winning medals at Scottish Schools events and Scottish Age Group Champs.

‘My injury history over the past years have probably all been connected to issues with my back,’ added Sarah, who is coached by Luke Gunn and part of the Edinburgh University endurance programme in partnership with scottishathletics.

‘I have to work with that and I do try to forget about what happened (in 2015 with the surgery). It does not affect me now.

‘Nevertheless I would not have expected to reach this level (British champion) in the sport, to be honest.

‘But I suppose the way to look at it is: If I could overcome that, then I can overcome anything else which may come my way.

‘I have had Achilles injuries and so on but it has not been my spine again – so somehow, sometimes, I’ve been able to think positively.’

The dreams pre-date the scoliosis diagnosis, in fact, and were nurtured by visits to Hampden for Glasgow 2014.

‘I’ve always had big dreams of going to major championships but I’m unsure if I ever really believed they were possible,’ Sarah told BBC Scotland.

‘Now I have the belief that if I do keep training consistently then this could be possible. I feel like I could write these goals down and try to achieve them next year.

‘The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow would be great because all my family and friends could come and watch me. It seems like something I don’t want to miss out on.

‘I remember going to watch Lynsey Sharp in the 800m when she won her silver medal [at Glasgow 2014] and I was so excited.

‘I was just a young girl at Livingston Athletics Club and this was my first taste of what it could be like and what I could achieve when I was older.’

It seems the Commonwealth Games sometimes does have a legacy . . .