Weekend update
This weekend Jonny Mellor won the prestigious Wilmslow Half Marathon in a PB that saw him through 10 miles in less than 47 minutes. Lauren McNeill took the women's title whilst, at the Brecon Carrag Cardiff Bay 10km, Omar Ahmed was first across the line with Carolina Wikström winning the women's race.
At the Waters Wilmslow Asics Half-Marathon in ideal conditions of a light breeze and sunshine, Jonny Mellor (handicap -5.1) optimised the conditions to win by a minute in a PB 62:06. The Commonwealth Games marathon runner retained his title from 2022. Dennis Kipemboi finished second in 63:15 as the leading two ran the fastest since 2002. Mellor was just 14 seconds shy of the course record set in 2004. Next was Carl Avery (handicap -6.0) in 65:54 ahead of Adam Craig (handicap -5.6) and top M40 John Gilbert (handicap -3.5) 65:58.
Hallamshire’s Lauren McNeil (handicap -1.2) was first woman in 72:00 ahead of English National XC runner-up Gamma Steel (handicap -1.5). Kenyan Sharon Kipchumba was third, ahead of Lauren Heyes (handicap -0.1).
At the Brecon Carrag Cardiff Bay 10km, Omar Ahmed (handicap -5.9) completed his third straight title in the Welsh capital with an impressive time. In blustery conditions, Ahmed tussled with multiple Welsh champion Dewi Griffiths (handicap -5.5), and got the win to claim a third successive victory. Ahmed led from Griffiths at the 5km mark, with an 11 second lead in 14:25. Ahmed pushed on to pull away and retain his crown in 29:01. Griffiths was 200m+ back in second place, with Thomas Crockett (handicap -4.0) in third with 30:12.
In the women’s race, Swedish athlete Carolina Wikström outgunned Welsh Marathon record-holder Natasha Cockram (handicap -1.5) to earn her maiden title on her first appearance on Welsh soil. Wikström ran an impressive 32:54 ahead of Cockram’s 33:10. Hannah Irwin (handicap 1.0) ran a credible 33:16 for third place.
A the Hillingdon 20 miles race in Ruislip, Alex Lepretre (handicap -6.0), won over the four-lap course in 1:42:26. Lepretre is gearing up for his first stab at a marathon in London. In second-place Alex Lawrence (handicap -4.8), ran 1:45:04 comes who also ran 2:17:58 in last October’s London event. Top woman was Louise Small (handicap -0.2), who won in 1:58:49, a time that would have topped the UK rankings last year.
UK runbritain rankings for endurance events and age groups
Other results from the weekend are on the following links: