NEW Chippenham Half Marathon champion Wendy Nicholls has praised the organisers for putting on a great event.

Running the event on Sunday for the first time, the 46-year-old former GB international, from Fairford, secured a comfortable victory in a time of one hour 22.52 minutes after leading from gun to tape.

“I wanted to do a local race which I had never done before so opted for the Chippenham half,” said Nicholls, who is a member of Cirencester AC.

“I have to say it is a great race, which is really well-organised. It is a lovely, undulating course, with two long drags towards the end and then a fast last mile downhill, which was nice.

“The atmosphere was excellent and it was a good location. It is not particularly a PB course but I would definitely recommend it. It is an excellent little race.”

Nicholls, who eight years ago represented Britain at the World Half Marathon Championships in Italy, was using the race as a training run and was happy with her time.

“I will probably do a few more road races like the Witney 10, the Cricklade 10k and the Eynsham 10k and then I am planning to have a full cross country season,” added Nicholls, who is also an accomplished duathlete.

“I have not raced much this year but I aim to change that this winter and then look at what I want to do next year.”

  • SWINDON Harriers’ Ben Cole set a new personal best in the high-quality Cardiff 10 on Sunday.

Cole, who trains with Nyle Clinton, sliced 16 seconds off the time he set in Chichester in February with a tine of 30min 22secs for 12th place.

The time is the quickest by a Wiltshire runner this year – he is the only Wiltshire runner to break 31 minutes - and puts the 30-year-old fifth in the South West Rankings for 2015.

“That is a decent time and he is in good nick,” said Harriers coach Bryan Clinton.