INTERNATIONAL duathlete Phil Wylie broke the course record to win the latest Aztec West Fast 5k this week.
The former Bristol & West athlete, who recently switched to Cheltenham where he is coached by Dave Newport, set out in resolute fashion from the gun on a steamy night in north Bristol.
By the end of the second lap Wylie was on his own and Owain Jones of the home club led the procession that followed. Wylie continued to push hard to the line and was rewarded with a new course record of 14:45 to take five seconds off Graham Rush’s old record which survived for just one race.
Behind him Owain Jones was a clear second in 15:05 with Josh Davis of North Somerset third in 15:31 and Harry Bishop of Cheltenham fourth in 15:58.
Alex Lee of Cheltenham Harriers was seventh in 16:07 and Jarlath McKenna of Bristol & West eighth in 16:08. In the women’s race Kate Hulls (Bristol & West) also set out with the aim of challenging the course record of 16:45 and was close to that pace at the end of the first lap.
She continued to push hard but a combination of the heat and inevitable tiredness saw her slow down as she crossed the line
in 17:08 with clubmate Jessie Sanzo second in 17:28 and Catherine Lee of Westbury Harriers third in 18:05. In the age categories Jessie Sanzo was first W35 with Julia Belyavin (Bristol & West) second in 18:56 and Antonia Burt on her Bristol & West debut third in 19:28.
In the W45 category Penny Gardiner (Bristol & West) was first home in 19:49 ahead of Louise Cronin (GWR) who ran 20:22 with Tracy Allan (Bristol &West) third in 20:45. Nicola Waters of Gloucester AC was a clear W55 winner in 22:14. Ben Rawlins (unattached) was first finisher in the under-17 men’s race in 17:42 ahead of Joe Connors (17:55) and Aiden Noble (18:27) of Westbury Harriers. The M40 category saw a Cheltenham Harriers clean sweep for Anthony Bailey (16:18), Marc Fallows (16:26) and Andy Prophett (17:48).
Andy Gore, also from Cheltenham Harriers, took the M45 age group in 17:17, with Phil Parry (Bristol & West) first M50 in 16:32. John Curtis (Hogweed Trotters) was first M55 in 18:43 and Arthur Daley (Gloucester AC) was first M60 in 19:46 Bristol & West were clear winner of the Avon mob match scoring 706 points for their first 20 runners ahead of Southville on 1848 points and Westbury Harriers on 2229 points.