Imagine the scene. You are enjoying your post-parkrun coffee and a bit of banter with your mates. You mention you were beaten by a child in a sprint (it happens to this writer all the time) when someone at the next table overhears the chat and says: "Well, we were all beaten by an 11-year-old lad today!"

Only when the results ping onto your mobile do you see the conversation killer wasn't on a caffeine high. At Upton House parkrun, on 1 March 2025, Louise Robinett (11) finished first of 378 participants in 17:55 (58 seconds clear of the next runner) to equal his personal best on the 5K course in Upton House Country Park, Poole.

We first met Louis Robinett when he had just set a parkrun 'world record' for an under-10 of 17:40 at Poole parkrun on 7 October 2023. The previous best junior under-10 time (17:53) had been set in California in October 2017 – as we reported here on the runABC newsdesk...

On closer examination, this isn't the first time this parkrun prodigy has finished first overall in a 5K parkrun. The Bournemouth FC junior footballer has bagged a hat-trick of first finishes at Upton House parkrun. On 28 December 2024, he led 457 finishers in a course PB 17:55. On 22 February 2025, a time of 18:10 sufficed to see off his 354 fellow parkrunners.

More recently, Louis returned to the scene of his previous under-10 record exploits. On 15 March 2025, a new PB of 17:01 at Poole parkrun saw only one runner finish ahead in a field of 970 parkrunners!

Louis mixes his sporting interests between football and running for Poole Runners. He won the Dorset Schools' Cross Country Championships and South West Inter County Cross Country Championships as an under-11 in 2024 and under-13 this season.

Regarding his fantastic achievements, a level-headed Louis said: "I love to run and to set myself new challenges. parkrun is a great test for me as I get to run with and against runners of all abilities. I'm looking forward to being able to compete nationally next year and challenge myself further."

Note the name: Louis Robinett – one to watch for the future.

Photo courtesy of Paul Robinett