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Weekend Roundup 21/10/2024 – 27/10/2024

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The autumn road racing season continues to impress with lightning quick half marathon times in Valencia including a world record. Course records were broken and there were lots of strong British performances on the roads in various major city marathons. Cross country action continued at home and there were exciting road races in the South West over the weekend.

International

There was a World Record for Yomif Kejelcha in the Valencia Half Marathon. This city continues to deliver quick road races as the Ethiopian clocked 57:30 to break the record by just one second. Kejelcha adds the half marathon World Record to his indoor mile World Record. The Kenyans Daniel Mateiko and Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi took second and third in 58:17 and 58:21.

The women’s race also produced quick times as Agnes Ngetich ran the second fastest time of all-time to win in 63:04. Earlier this year the Kenyan ran a World Record in the 10km also in Valencia. Fotyen Tesfay of Ethiopia and Lilian Kasait Rengeruk of Kenya finished second and third but also went No. 3 and No. 4 on the all-time lists in 63:21 and 63:32.

Some Brits made the trip to Spain with Tom Anderson and Zak Mahamed being the leading British men running 62:00 and 62:07. In the women’s race, Clara Evans ran a Welsh Record of 69:00. There were also strong runs from Natasha Phillips (70:18 PB), Hannah Irwin (70:49 PB) and Jenny Nesbitt (71:32 PB).

The course record was broken at the Frankfurt Marathon in the women’s race by Hawi Feysa. The Ethiopian ran the 12th fastest time this year in 2:17:25 to break the record by 1:45. Magdalyne Masai of Kenya also finished inside the old course record by coming second in 2:19:10. Shuko Genemo of Ethiopia took third in 2:22:37.

The men’s race was won by a 22-year-old debutant. Benard Biwott from Kenya crossed the line in 2:05:54 with Ethiopians Gossa Challa and Lencho Tesfaye finishing second and third in 2:07:35 and 2:08:02.

There were plenty of British women racing in Frankfurt with seven finishing inside the top 25. Georgina Schwiening was the fastest European running a PB of 2:25:46 to move to No. 9 all-time in the UK marathon rankings. There were also strong runs from Louise Small (2:29:33 PB), Tracy Barlow (2:35:51), Beth Kidger (2:37:30 debut) and Naomi Mitchell (2:38:37). The top British man was George James who ran a PB of 2:11:19.

At the Dublin Marathon it was Moses Kemei (Kenya) who took the victory in 2:08:47 ahead of Abebaw Desalew (Ethiopia) and Hiko Tonosa (Ireland) in 2:09:24 and 2:09:42. There was a clean sweep for Ethiopia in the women’s race as Sorome Negash won in 2:24:45 ahead of Grete Dukale in 2:28:29 and Genet Abdurkadir in 2:29:15.

The Venice Marathon was won by debutant Birtukan Abera (Ethiopia) in 2:32:40 ahead of Betty Chepkorir (Kenya) and Melkam Tesfahun (Ethiopia) in 2:33:23 and 2:39:01. Abebe Tilahun (Ethiopia) won the men’s race in 2:09:08 with the former track athlete, Ihlam Ozbilen Tanui (Turkey) finishing second in 2:09:31 and Kipsambu Kimakal third in 2:09:41.

The Nairobi Marathon had an exciting finish as the Kenyans Ronald Kimeli Kurgat, Dominic Kipkirui and Peter Kwemoi Ndorobo ran 2:13:05, 2:13:13 and 2:13:14. Gladys Chemutai ran away from the field to win the women’s race in 2:31:52 ahead of Caroline Koech in 2:35:00 and Joy Kemuma in 2:36:06.

There was also cross country action in Atapuerca at the World Cross Country Gold Tour event. The 9km men’s race was won by Rodrigue Kwizera (Burundi) followed home by Oscar Chelimo (Uganda) and Mathew Kipsang (Kenya). Daisy Jepkemei (Kazakhstan) won the 8km women’s race ahead of Grace Nawowuna (Kenya) and Francine Niyomukunzi (Burundi).

National

Cross country season is in full swing in the UK and it was the British Masters Cross Country Relays at Long Eaton on Saturday. There were podium finishes for some of our local clubs. Full results here.

The Bristol & West AC women won the W45 age category with Jessie Sanzo running the fastest leg of the day. Bristol & West AC also won the W55 age category with Clare Jolliffe and Sarah Everitt running the second and third fastest legs of the day. Yate & Sodbury Striders finished first and third in the W65 age category. They had 5 of the 10 fastest legs of the day including Marian Grace with the fastest leg.

The Bristol & West AC men came second in the M35 race with Ben Robinson running fastest leg of the day and four of the top ten fastest legs coming from runners in the team. Bristol & West AC finished third in the M65 age category with David Bedwell running the fifth fastest leg of the day. Yate & Sodbury Striders finished fifth.

On the roads, Max Davies of Bristol & West AC won the Fleet 10k in 29:33 and Deirdre McDermot won the women’s race in 37:06. The 5k race was won by Sam Hodgson (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC) in 14:46 and Rebecca Redwood (Basingstoke & Mid Hants AC) in 18:11.

Samuel Roberts (Retford AC) and Eleanor Warren (St. Theresa’s AC) won the Worksop Half Marathon in 1:08:03 and 1:22:27.

The Stratford 10k was won by Ian Allen (Spa Striders) in 31:57 and Polly Kiani (North Cotswold Tri & Run) won the women’s race in 40:55. The half marathon was won by Ben Kruze (Stratford-upon-Avon AC) and Rebecca Fleet (Kenilworth Runners) in 1:11:19 and 1:28:37.

Local

On Thursday it was the second 5 mile race in the Dave Jones Prom Run Series in Weston-Super-Mare. It was a particularly strong field as the top-3 men all dipped inside 26 minutes. Alastair Matheson (Bristol & West AC) won in 25:36 ahead of Jamie Williamson (Springburn Harriers) in 2:43 and David Awde (Bristol & West AC) in 25:59. Chelsea Baker (Bristol & West AC) was the first woman home in 29:18 with Amy Hamersley (Bristol & West AC) and Penny Guess (Southville RC) finishing in 30:25 and 30:29 respectively. Read our race review here.

The Mendip Aurora took place on Saturday evening over dark trails starting in Sandford. The 5km was won by Rob Robertson and Hannah Brooks with Adam Holland and Flora Robertson-Riley winning the 10km races.

Dylan Gillett (Western Tempo) ran a strong 1:08:11 to win the Stroud Half Marathon ahead of teammate Tom Evetts (Western Tempo) and Lester James (Team Bath Athletics Club) in 1:10:23 and 1:10:60. Daisy Irving-Hyman (Thames Hare & Hounds) ran away from the field to win in 1:19:22 with Emily Chandler (Stroud & District AC) and Jana De Waal (Stroud & District AC) finishing in second and third in 1:25:43 and 1:27:17.

In Wiltshire it was the Calne Clock Challenge which saw Sam Hull and Niki Morgan take victories in the 10km in 34:02 and 41:35. Josh Burns and Lucy Hillary won the 5km races in 16:53 and 19:57.