5 October 2015

Ryan McLeod and Jess Coulson (coach: Mick Woods) were crowned British half marathon champions at the Cardiff half on Sunday. The race also doubled as the trials for the 2016 IAAF/Cardiff University world half marathon championships next March which will be held in the city for the first time.

Coulson shone on her debut over the half marathon distance, impressively working her way through the field to finish just six seconds behind the winner Lenah Jerotich of Kenya in a time of 1:11.36 for third position. It was a fine personal best for the Stockport Harrier who won the European U23 Cross Country Championships title in 2012. The step up in distance did not faze the 25 year-old who won the domestic title for the first time.

Jenny Spink (Bruce Tulloh) was a surprise second placed Brit, finishing fourth overall and running well inside the world half qualifying standard in a time of 1:13.01. The Bristol & West athlete saw a huge improvement in South Wales, improving her personal best by over a minute. She set her previous best on the same course in Cardiff in 2014. Rachel Felton (Christopher Frapwell) was third in the British Championships, placing fifth overall in 1:13.42.

McLeod regained his British half marathon title as he edged ahead of home favourite Dewi Griffiths (Kevin Evans), posting times inside the world half qualifying standard, 1:04.18 and 1:04.28 respectively. Tipton’s McLeod caught the Welshman in the closing miles to take sixth place overall with Griffiths in seventh.

Uganda’s Ben Siwa was a commanding victor, winning by over a minute in 1:02.06. Paul Martelletti (Nick Anderson) was the third Briton home in 1:04.55 to complete the British podium and finished ninth in the race overall.

Selection for the IAAF/Cardiff University world half marathon championships will be held in March next year and full details of the policy can be found on the British Athletics website.

Full results from the Cardiff Half Marathon 2015 can be found via the link: http://www.tdl.ltd.uk/race-results.php

For more information regarding the 2016 IAAF/Cardiff University World Half Marathon Championships, follow the link. Find out more about the mass race in March next year as well and get involved with Cardiff 2016: http://www.cardiff2016.co.uk/