Scotland international Sean Chalmers took top spot in the Inverness half marathon after a pulsating battle over the closing stages with Shettleston’s Peter Avent.
And the Aberdeen-based PE teacher had the home athletics fans cheering to the rafters as he became the first member of Inverness Harriers to lift the men’s title since the race was first held in 1985.
But he was made to battle every inch of the way for his success ahead of a record field 3,400 entrants.
It was only as they approached the final 300m on the track at Queen’s Park stadium that Chalmers was finally able to break clear to win in 1hr 6min 16secs with Avent setting a personal best time when finishing just three secs behind.
Cambuslang’s Fraser Stewart took third in 1:06:40 while Moray’s Kenny Wilson was fourth in 1:06:48 on a day when 14 men completed the course in under 1:10 making this one of the strongest in-depth turnouts in the 37-year history of the event.
Chalmers said: “It was certainly very competitive, there was a different leader on so many occasions.
“There was a group of about six of us for a while with Kenny Wilson taking on the pace.
“But at six miles I began to get the same tightness in my stomach that affected me at the Seville marathon three weeks ago and I thought I might have to call it a day. But I so much wanted to be the first Inverness Harriers member to win the title and that kept me going.”
Fife AC’s Annabel Simpson showed exceptional form when winning the women’s race in 1:13:40 – which is just 19secs outside the course record set by Kenyan athlete Cathy Mutwa in 2007.
It was a remarkable performance from the University of West Scotland PhD student who scythed close to three minutes off her previous best time when finishing almost five minutes ahead of her closest challenger.
She said: “It’s nice to improve my personal best by so much. It has been difficult over the past couple of years with covid, so it’s good to be back competing.
“I started on my own, but for most of the way I had guys to run with until the later stages when it began to break up again.
“The wind was in your face going up the hills so it was tough at times. But the crowd support out on the course was brilliant.”
Lauren Wilson (Edinburgh AC) was runner-up in 1:18:27 while Jen Wetton (Central AC) was third in 1:18:38. Fifth-placed Catriona Fraser-Lennox was the leading Inverness Harriers member when placing fifth in a personal best 1:21:27.
Kirstie Rogan, who was sixth in 1:21:34 on her half marathon debut, led Highland Hill Runners to the women’s team prize with backing from Caroline Marwick (1:25:41) and Katie Wilson (1:31:38).
Luke Nelson, a second year medical student at Aberdeen University, led home a field of 1,000 runners in the accompanying 5k in 16:15 while Caitlin Heggie (Ross County AC) took first spot in the women’s division of the run in 17:30..
