Nick Goolab clinched the men’s title at the Ipswitch 5k on Saturday evening (May 12) finishing just one-second ahead of England’s 5k champion as Faye Fullerton enjoyed a superb victory over Gemma Steel to bag the women’s honours.

Belgrave Harriers’ middle-distance athlete Goolab, who was racing in his first 5k on the road since 2012, clocked a lightning quick personal best 13:50 as he led home four men under 14 minutes on the new faster course that “removes many of the turns and elevation that runners experienced on the previous route”.

The two-time Westminster Mile winner’s superb time also betters Chris Thompson’s previous race record of 14:05.

Aldershot’s Richard Allen, who was crowned England’s 5k champion a fortnight ago, was denied a second straight win over the distance but still clocked a fantastic PB of 13:51 slicing 16 seconds off his recent best.

English national cross country champion Adam Hickey completed the podium with a PB of 13:54, while Aldershot’s Adam Clarke completed the sub 14-minute men with, of course, another PB in a time of 13:57.

Shaftesbury Barnet’s Kieran Clements just missed out on the mark running a 14:00 PB to complete the top five men.

In the women’s race, Fullerton, who impressed in Valencia this year at the World Half Marathon Championships with a 73:56 PB, showed the speed is still there over the shorter distances clocking a 17 second PB as she powered to the women’s title in 16:01.

The Havering AC athlete finished six seconds ahead of pre-race favourite Gemma Steel, who clocked 16:07 and settles for the runner-up spot for a second straight year in Ipswich.

Welsh runner Jade Williams of Amman Valley Harriers was on the heels of the 2014 European cross country champion and clocked a big PB of 16:08 to complete the women’s podium.

Cambridge & Coleridge’s Charlotte Christensen and Shaftesbury Barnet’s Naomi Taschimowitz completed the top five with PBs of 16:11 and 16:24 respectively.

In total, four men went under 14 minutes, 12 under 15 minutes, and 11 women dipped under the 17 minute mark. The results can be found here.

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Gemma Steel and Adam Hickey are among the top entries for the 2018 Ipswich Building Society Twilight 5k road race that takes place on Saturday (May 12).

The 2017 race saw nine men break the 15-minute mark and seven women dip under 17 minutes, and the event, that is growing in reputation, has made some changes which organisers are confident will further encourage runners to achieve fast times.

There is a new faster course, and in a bid to attract a higher quality field, the event moves from August to May and from a Friday to a Saturday evening.

Hickey, who is the reigning English cross country champion, ran his 5k road best of 14:19 at the 2016 race. The Southend athlete has also clocked a parkrun best of 14:15, and interestingly in recent weeks has twice clocked the fastest time across the UK at the Saturday morning event.

England’s recently crowned 5k champion Richard Allen will be full of confidence ahead of the Ipswich race after his superb 14:07 personal best performance at the Mid-Chesire 5k at the end of April.

Allen’s Aldershot clubmate Adam Clarke will be another athlete to watch, as will John Beattie, Jack Gray, Nick Goolab, Alex Dunbar and Kieran Clement.

Charnwood AC’s Steel was the runner-up in the women’s race last year and aim will aim to go one better on Saturday evening. The 2014 European cross country champion clocked 16:02 in 2017 and the new fast course could make all the difference to breaking her 16:00 PB from 2012.

Elle Baker, fresh from a 5k best of 16:28 at the England Championships, will also fancy her chances of taking the win. In addition, strong challenges should be expected from Commonwealth Games steeplechaser Iona Lake, who clocked an impressive 9:24 over 3k on the roads in Armagh, Faye Fullerton, Louise Small, and Charlotte Christensen, to name a few.

Race director, Carl Ashton of Ipswich Jaffa Running Club said: “The new course removes many of the turns and elevation that runners experienced on the previous route. Also moving the race down to Ipswich Waterfront has allowed us to add 5k waves for all abilities and a family run, that will all lead up to the main event at 7pm to create an afternoon of athletics on the waterfront.”

The Ipswich Twilight 5k, in its fourth year, boasts some impressive course records with 2016 winner, Chris Thompson holding the men’s course record in 14:05 and last years ladies winner Emelia Gorecka clocking 15:40.

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