Boniface triumphs again with course record in Worthing 10k

Winner Neil Boniface (left) with Horsham Joggers clubmate Max Dumbrell, who was second

In near perfect conditions Boniface set a new course record, and there was further good news for Horsham Joggers with Max Dumbrell finishing second, 46 seconds behind his club-mate.

More than 500 runners took part in the annual road race and after being neck and neck with Phoenix’s Ross Skelton for the first lap, 37-year-old Boniface pulled away to win the title for a second time in 31mins 53secs.

Boniface said: “I was worried a bit about a fast finish with Ross and I didn’t want to be near him at the end.

“I upped it a bit in the middle of the race and managed to open up a bit of a gap and then eased off a bit once I’d got a gap.”

Meanwhile Dumbrell, who has been coached by Boniface, started the race in a second pack of four runners behind the lead group, sensibly biding his time until those who were trying to challenge Boniface began to suffer.

Then he picked them off one by one, leaving Graham Godden trailing by almost a minute and Aaron Richmond by 14 seconds, earning second place in a new personal best of 32mins 39secs and a big round of applause from coach Boniface at the finish line.

The winner of the women’s race was Horsham Amphibians’ Yvette Wrapson in 37mins 46secs, who finished ahead of Hailsham Harriers’ Sue Fry and Natalie Harvey.

29 Horsham Joggers competed in a field of 514 runners and there were exceptional performances across the board, with Roberto Nacci beating his previous best by two minutes to take 46th place overall, and PB times for Mal Thornton, Paul Chantler, Steve Keary, Michael Catlow, Guy Gilder, Anna Titchmarsh and Amanda Sullivan.

Also on Sunday, three Vet 50 Joggers scored major victories in the Sussex AA Masters Championships. Dean Angell won Gold in the V50 Men’s 5,000 metres (17:52) and 1,500 metres (4:39), with teammate Pete O’Connell taking Silver in the 5,000 metres (18:17). Val Purnell also struck Gold in the V50 Women’s races at 5,000 metres (21:53) and 1,500 metres (6:00).