Night of the 10,000m PBs rewind
While we long for competition after a long lockdown, we reflect on an amazing night from last year when most of the key performances across the UK and in Europe were set at the Highgate Night of the 10,000m PBs in London. More than 50% of the sub 30-minute times by men in the UK were set at this 25 lap festival and five of the top eight male and female times were set here (that's 62.5% for the mathematicians).
The race also incorporated the European Cup 10,000m. The fastest UK runner was Ben Connor (handicap -6.8) who won his first European Cup medal, sealing bronze and clocking sub-28 minutes for the first time for 27:57.60.
Nick Goolab (handicap -5.7) with 28:10.49, crossed the line in eighth position after pushing for the podium places in the closing stages of a thrilling race. The third Briton in the contest was Chris Thompson (handicap -5.6), who posted a time of 28:28.55 just ahead of London based Mohamud Aadan (handicap -5.7) who ran 28:28.68. Matt Leach (handicap -4.8) narrowly won a race long tussle with Jack Gray (handicap -5.5), coming in with 28:47.24 and 28:49.53 respectively in wet conditions.
There were similar statistics in the women's event with six of the top 10 UK times run at Highgate.
A stacked field included Eilish McColgan (handicap -3.2) and Steph Twell (handicap -2.5), with a race long battle for top honours. Twell produced a phenomenal display to overhaul the Israel leader Salpeter with 600 metres to go to earn a popular victory in front of a boisterous home crowd.
Twell and McColgan stuck with the pacemaker as they eyed standards for the IAAF World Championships and Olympic Games. Twell took her opportunity, making a decisive move and holding her composure on the final lap to seal the British title in a magnificent time of 31:08.13, the sixth fastest time ever by a Briton.
McColgan continued her impressive form, earning a massive personal best of 31.16.76. Alice Wright (handicap 1.0) clocked 32:27.57 and Verity Ockenden (handicap -0.7) finished with 32:34.47.
Night of the 10 000m PBs (inc. European Team Cup) Full Results