Tub Half wins for Jake Smith and Abbie Donnelly

The occasion doubled up because the official British Athletics trial race for the World Athletics Street Working Championships half marathon

Jake Smith and Abbie Donnelly got here out victorious on the GetPRO Tub Half Marathon on Sunday March 16, which additionally served because the official British Athletics trial for the 2025 World Athletics Street Working Championships’ half marathon.

On a sunny morning in Tub, Smith confronted an exciting problem from Ethiopia’s Omar Ahmed, the defending champion from final 12 months’s occasion. The 2 athletes exchanged leads till Smith broke free across the three-mile mark, securing the win.

Smith, who’s getting ready for subsequent month’s TCS London Marathon, confirmed he’s returning to his greatest kind after battling via damage and sickness lately. With a time of 62:20, he completed simply 11 seconds shy of the course file (62:09), set by Ethiopia’s Tewodros Shiferaw in 2007.

This marked Smith’s quickest half marathon since September 2022 and was the quickest time ever by a British athlete on the Tub course. Ahmed, additionally from Ethiopia, completed second in 62:43, whereas Dewi Griffiths, who had set the tempo early within the race, claimed third with a time of 63:03—his greatest half marathon efficiency since 2019.

Jake Smith (LM Occasions)

Within the girls’s race, Donnelly was dominant from begin to end. The sixth-place finisher in final 12 months’s European Championships half marathon in Rome, Donnelly led the elite girls’s subject all through and crossed the end line in a time of 69:54, which ranks because the third quickest profitable time within the historical past of the Tub Half Marathon.

Behind her, a fierce battle for second place occurred between Natasha Phillips and Annabel Gummow, with Phillips ultimately securing second in 72:06. Gummow completed third, 20 seconds later, at 72:26.

The race served because the official trial for the 2025 World Street Working Championships half marathon, which was initially scheduled for San Diego however is now on the lookout for a brand new location. Donnelly, who had already met the qualifying normal with a time of 69:41, cemented her choice with as we speak’s victory.

Smith, then again, must run beneath 62:00 earlier than Might 11 to ensure his spot on the championships. Phillips may even be aiming for a sub-70:00 time to safe her place on the Nice Britain group.

Dewi Griffiths (left), Jake Smith (center), Omar Ahmed (proper) (LM Occasions)

Reflecting on his efficiency, Smith stated, “I can’t imagine I’ve simply run that point (62:20). I’ve run sooner than that, however that was once I was within the form of my life. I’m solely 20 seconds off getting a qualifying time for the World Championships and possibly that actually robust final kilometre price me that. There was some critical competitors right here as we speak and the ambiance was nice, you couldn’t hear your self assume on the course.”

Donnelly stated, “It means a lot to have gained right here and to get the time I used to be on the lookout for. I constructed up the strain loads in my head and to have gotten the win makes all of the arduous work value it. This course is hard and wanted some good coaching. I do really feel the strain and I get actually nervous earlier than huge races, however I stayed relaxed as we speak and managed to shelter behind among the male athletes on the windier components of the course which helped. I’m very blissful.”

Natasha Phillips (left), Abbie Donnelly (center), Annabel Gummow (proper) (LM Occasions)

Along with the elite races, greater than 11,000 runners participated within the mass occasion, protecting the two-lap route that begins and ends in Royal Victoria Park.

For the complete outcomes from as we speak’s GetPRO Tub Half, click on right here.