JIM COLE and Bex Ezra-Ham claimed impressive victories at the popular Ivybridge 10k on Saturday evening.
Ezra-Ham continued her good form by breaking the women’s record, which had stood for 11 years.
The Tamar Trotters’ athlete clocked 36.33 minutes, which was six seconds inside Jo Meek’s previous record. That time was nearly two minutes quicker than what Ezra-Ham ran to win the same race in 2019.
Tavistock Run Project’s Cole, now a M40 athlete, claimed the men’s title for the fourth time in 32.32 minutes.
Despite the hot conditions on Saturday, that was quicker than when he won the race in 2011 and 2013 and just 10 seconds slower than the time he clocked to win in 2019.
Cole finished more than two-and-a-half minutes in front of the next runner, who was Ben Doonan in 35.11 minutes.
Erme Valley teenager Matthew Gilvear was third in 35.12, with Plymouth Musketeers’ Ross Macdonald just a second behind in fourth (35.13) and Lucas Lapthorn fifth (36.02).
Erme Valley took the team prize with Simon Fitze and Charlie Milward joining Gilvear in the top 10. Fitze was first M45, while Plymstock’s Graham Bale was first M55 and Plymouth Harriers’ Andrew Charlies first M60.
Torbay Tri Club’s Naomi Flanagan (39.12) was second female to Ezra-Ham, with Bideford’s F45 athlete Serane Stone third (40.07) and Storm Plymouth’s Charlene Matthews (40.57) and Lauren Knox (41.20) fourth and fifth. Storm took the women’s team prize with Georgie Farr joining Matthews and Knox as the three scorers.
Tamar Trotters’ Jane Bremner continued her good form by finishing as first F60 in 46.06 minutes.
More than 500 runners finished the event, which finished at Ivybridge Rugby Club.
Full results can be found HERE.
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