Elliot Jones, a part-time UEFA employee and sprinter, unexpectedly won his 100-meter heat at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Jones, 28, was added to the England team as a late substitute for Louis Hinchcliffe, who withdrew from the competition last week.
Jones finished with the third-fastest time across all heats, clocking in at 10.07 seconds. This performance secured his advancement to the semi-finals. He had originally planned to only compete in the relay event this weekend and was not scheduled to travel to Glasgow until Tuesday. He received a call on Thursday night asking if he would be willing to run the individual 100 meters.
"I was like, ‘Let me think about that… yes!’" Jones said. "I had to get the bus at 9am the next morning, quickly pack and restructure my training plan but it’s fine, we’re always ready."
Jones, who hails from Wigan, works part-time for UEFA as a local assistant in venue operations. His duties include tasks such as accreditation and signage, and he has previously worked at matches for Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest. He was part of the matchday operations team for Tottenham’s Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid in March.
Reflecting on his unexpected success, Jones stated, "There’s not a footballer who could touch me on the track!" He added that his personal target is to run under 10 seconds and that he views this competition as a stepping stone. "Every athlete’s dream is to go to the Olympics so touch wood I’ll be there in 2028," he commented.