HALF MARATHON: Kenyan Michael Rotich stormed ahead of 3,700 runners in the Wilmslow half marathon and slashed nearly a minute off the record.

Full time runner Rotich led a Kenyan 1-2-3, with fellow countrymen Bernard Kangogo and William Musyoki claiming second and third in the town's greatest sporting event.

Race legend Nick Jones beat his own Wilmslow half marathon record by 25 seconds but he still wasn't fast enough for a top three spot and had to settle for fourth.

Rotich's 62min 57sec was nearly a minute quicker than Jones' 63min 52sec, set in 2000. Rotich said: "I am delighted."

Jones, who has won the town's greatest sporting event twice, was disappointed not to finish in the top three.

The 27-year-old from Warrington said: "I ran 25 seconds quicker but I still came fourth. I suppose it shows the quality of the lads in front."

The women's event also attracted new faces from overseas.

Russia's Yelena Burykina, 29, pipped Kenya's Katherine Mutwa, 22, in a dash so close both women recorded the same time of 73min 33sec.

Burykina said: "I have come especially to win the race and that is exactly what I have done so I am happy."

Mutwa was disappointed she had been narrowly beaten in the last dash for the line.

The Kenyan said: "It is a little colder than I am used to but I have not been put off and will be back here next year to win."

Ian Ladbrook, who trains the Kenyan Mizuno Team in Coventry, said his athletes were attracted by the £1,000 winning prize, the £500 course record prize and the £500 and £300 for second and third.

"There's a reasonable amount of cash up for grabs here and I am surprised there are not more full time runners entering," said Ian. "But despite us winning it's not been an easy race, there's no such thing as far as we're concerned."

Former Wilmslow Albion FC goalkeeper Jimmy Dippnall, famed for the number of red cards in his career, achieved a personal best of 84min 30sec.

The 46-year-old said: "I've done the Great North run, the Chester race and now the Wilmslow half marathon - it's just a shame I didn't do so much when I played."