{{short description|British long-distance runner}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use British English|date=May 2015}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Hayley Yelling | image =File:Hayley Yelling Dublin 2009.JPG | caption =Yelling competing in the 2009 European Cross Country Championships | nationality = British (English) | sport = Athletics | event = middle/long distance | club = Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Athletic Club | birth_date = 3 January 1974 | birth_place = Dorchester, England | death_date = | death_place = | height = | weight = | pb = | medaltemplates= }}
'''Hayley Yelling Higham''' (born 3 January 1974) is a British former runner. She is the sister-in-law of fellow British runner Liz Yelling.
== Biography == Yelling, a member of the Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow Athletic Club, finished third behind Paula Radcliffe in the 5,000 metres event and third behind Birhan Dagne in the 10,000 metres event at the 2000 AAA Championships<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/20000814/516/0027 |title=Athletics |work=Aberdeen Press and Journal |date=14 August 2000 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=4 April 2025}}</ref> and then the following year she finished second behind Jo Pavey at the 2001 AAA Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/waaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (women) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=4 April 2025 }}</ref>
Yelling became the British 5,000 metres champion after winning the British AAA Championships at the 2002 AAA Championships<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/20020715/375/0027 |title=Weekend results - Athletics |work=The Scotsman |date=15 July 2002 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref><ref name=Nuts>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=4 April 2025}}</ref> and shortly afterwards she represented England at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester in the women's 10,000 metres event.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/manchester-2002/athletes |title=Manchester 2002 Team |website=Team England |access-date=4 April 2025 }}</ref>
Yelling regained her AAA 5,000 metres title at the 2003 AAA Championships<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/20030728/590/0027 |title=Athletics |work=Aberdeen Press and Journal |date=28 July 2003 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> and 2005 AAA Championships and in between in December 2004, she won the European Cross Country Championship in Heringsdorf. Yelling was also officially the British champion over 10,000 metres in 2002, 2003 and 2006 by virtue of being the highest placed British athlete<ref name=Nuts/> and represented England at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in the 10,000 metres.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/melbourne-2006/athletes |title=Melbourne 2006 Team |website=Team England |access-date=4 April 2025 }}</ref>
In December 2009 she won the European Cross Country Championship in Dublin after coming out of retirement from competitive running. She followed this up a month later by coming fourth in the 2010 International Edinburgh Cross Country,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8446929.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Joseph Ebuya claims shock Edinburgh cross country win|date=2010-01-09}}</ref> fourteen seconds after winner Tirunesh Dibaba over the freezing 5.8 kilometre course.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatrun.org/News/NormalNews.aspx?nid=6486|title=Dibaba wins, Bekele beaten, Stevenson shines and Twell back at her best|work=Great Run Series News Desk|date=2010-01-09}}</ref>
She works as a Maths teacher at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School in Marlow.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}
==Career highlights== {{div col}} ;British National Championships :2002 – 1st, 5,000 m :2003 – 1st, 10,000 m :2003 – 1st, 5,000 m :2006 – 1st, 5,000 m
;Other competitions :2004 – 1st, European Cross Country Championships :2007 – 1st, Cross Internacional de San Sebastián :2008 – 1st, Belfast International Cross Country :2009 – 1st, European Cross Country Championships {{div col end}}
==Personal bests==
{| class="wikitable" |] |- ! Distance ! Mark ! Date ! Location |- | 3,000 m || align=right | 8:58.98 || align=right | 4 July 2001 || Cardiff |- | 5,000 m || align=right | 15:16.44 || align=right | 23 July 2005 || Heusden |- | 10,000 m track || align=right | 31:45.14 || align=right | 12 June 2004 || Utrecht |- | 10,000 m road || align=right | 32:31 || align=right | 5 February 2006 || Chichester |- | Half marathon || align=right | 1:12.11 || align=right | 1 October 2006 || Newcastle |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{World Athletics}} *{{Power of 10 name|1810}} *{{ARRS name|2453}}
{{Footer European Champions Cross Country Women}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yelling, Hayley}} Category:Living people Category:1974 births Category:English women long-distance runners Category:British women long-distance runners Category:English women middle-distance runners Category:British women middle-distance runners Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for Great Britain Category:Sportspeople from Dorchester, Dorset Category:European Cross Country Championships winners Category:AAA Championships winners