Joe Wigfield excels at the Manchester Half Marathon

Joe Wigfield excels at the Manchester Half Marathon

AW
Published: 13th October, 2025
Updated: 13th October, 2025
BY Martin Duff

It was another busy weekend in the distance running world across the UK as we bring you our latest round-up.

MANCHESTER HALF-MARATHON, October 12

In just his second ever outing over the distance, Joe Wigfield got the better of Jonny Mellor in the men's race with a personal best and course record of 62:04 at the Manchester Half Marathon (October 12).

Normally Wigfield prefers middle-distance track events – his personal bests over 800m/1500m are 1:46.11/3:36.09 respectively –  although he did triumph at last year’s Cabbage Patch 10-miler with 48:51.

Mellor ran his fastest time over the distance since his mark of 61:59 at the World Road Running Championships in Riga two years ago. He clocked 62:09 in Manchester but had no answer to Wigfield’s finishing speed.

Down in 16th spot, Alastair Watson ran the fastest ever time by a British M45, recording a time of 65:27 to improve the age group mark by 13 seconds. That had been jointly held by Nick Torry from last year and Bill Venus from 1986.

The women’s race saw Lily Partridge smash her personal best of 70:27 – set in Barcelona back in February – with 69:34 to win in Manchester. She beat former Aldershot team-mate Charlotte Purdue by 39 seconds as Charlotte Taylor took third.

This was just the fourth time that Purdue has competed in the last two years and all have been in the half-marathon her best coming in Japan at 68:02 in February last year.

There were 63 runners inside the 70-minute barrier.

Men's podium in Manchester (MCR Half)

Overall: 1 J Wigfield (Wirr) 62:04; 2 J Mellor (Liv) 62:09; 3 O Ahmed (Bir) 62:44; 4 J Escalante-Phillips (C&C) 62:48; 5 J Allen (High) 62:51; 6 B Moore (Brack) 62:52; 7 T Crickillon 64:04; 8 M Abernethy (A’deen) 64:14; 9 J Hobbs (B&H) 64:29; 10 F Proffitt (Traff) 64:40; 11 H Johnson (Salf) 64:49; 12 S Stabler (R through) 65:01; 13 C Leeming (Western, IoM) 65:18; 14 T Butler (SB) 65:18; 15 S Costley (Soton) 65:19; 16 A Watson (Notts, M45) 65:27; 17 F Ward (R&N) 65:35; 18 C Rowlin son (Salf) 65:36; 19 O Martyn 66:01; 20 J Hall (Leeds) 66:08

M40: 1 J Hutchins (Wok) 68:01; 2 A Swinburn Morp) 68:38; 3 A Hill 70:03; 4 R Bentley (Merr’dd) 69:31

M45: 2 J Horman (Liv) 69:57; 3 J Cleaver 70:03

M50: 1 C Tong 73:27; 2 C Newton 74:58; 3 P Sykes (Manx) 75:59

M55: 1 W Pearson (Crook) 77:47; 2 P Freary (Belg) 77:56; 3 J Ratcliffe (Herne H) 78:12

M60: 1 C Suter (T Bath) 84:33; 2 D {Poole 85:53

M65: 1 J James 89:56

M70: 1 G Crewe (Wilm) 94:41

Women's Manchester Half Marathon podium (MCR Half)

Women: 1 L Partridge (Bir) 69:34; 2 C Purdue (AFD) 70:13; 3 C Tayor (B&W) 70:38; 4 N Robinson (BRAT) 72:39; 5 K Estlea-Morris (SFD) 73:00; 6 H Townsend (Leeds) 73:02; 7 T McCormick IVale R) 73:16; 8 S Potter (Leeds) 73:33; 19 A Crean 74:06; 10 R Hamilton-James (W’bury) 74:10; 11 D White 74:12; 12 L Armoush (Leeds) 74:30; 13 A Lowe (R4U) 75:50; 14 H Weedall (Vale R) 76:00; 15 A Pearce (Steel) 76:40

W50: 1 S Smith 82:02; 2 J Rosenberg 82:27

W55: 1 T Fearn (Roth) 86:41; 2 A Spencer 88:13

AEPG GREAT EASTERN RUN HALF-MARATHON, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, October 12

In his debut over the distance, Jack White won overall in 65:54 and beat Milan Campion by 12 seconds.

Overall: 1 J White (Norw) 65:54; 2 M Campion (B&W) 66:06; 3 M Kallenbrg (Swan) 66:13; 4 J Holman (Norw) 66:25; 5 M Chesterton (Newark) 67:58; 6 J Moynahan (Ely) 68:00; 7 C Parker (Linc W) 68:05; 8 H Allcock (Norw) 68:06; 9 A Ben-Israel (THH) 68:06; 10 F Krylander (C&C) 68:08; 11 D Hawkins 68:08; 12 G Roberts (Merr’dd) 68:10; 13 M Everett (R&N) 68:42; 14 M Hill (R&N) 68:55; 15 B Carpendale (Felix) 69:08

M40: 1 D Hudson (Hunts) 69:28; 2 K Swainson (Sheff RC) 69:33

M45: 1 N Pollard (New J) 71:50; 2 R Michaelson-Yates (S&SH) 72:53

M50: 1 M Redwood (St Neots Riv) 77:30

M55: 1 M Allen (Ips J) 79:34

M60: 1 J Anderson (C&C) 81:52; 2 T Lake (Wym) 84:32

Women: 1 C Thornton 75:23; 2 I Briscoe (Clap) 77:37; 3 E Bull (G&G) 78:43; 4 K Sheedy (Dulw R, W40) 79:53

W45: 1 E Leggate (C&C) 81:40

W50: 1 W King (Chelm) 90:19; 2 L Robins (Ryst) 92:23

W55: 1 S Williams 89:22; 2 P Taylor (Help) 89:30

GIVAUDAN ASHFORD 10km, Kent, October 12

Overall: 1 W Zerom 31:06; 2 T Smith 31:23

M40: 1 B Stephenson 32:06

Women: 1 C Candle (W35) 35:53

LOVE LUTON RUN FEST HALF-MARATHON, October 12

Overall: 1 M Albayan (Lut) 79:08

M50: 1 S Coombes (Herne H) 77:14

M60: 1 S Townsend 83:48

M70: 1 C Lamont (Stops) 1:40;29

Women: 1 N Lawerence 83:57

W45: 1 C Lathell (Stops) 88:57

 

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OXFORD HALF-MARATHON, October 12

George Grassley improved his personal best by well over two minutes and won overall in 65:31, with Charlie Arnall taking the women’s prize with 75:01.

Overall: 1 G Grassley (DMV) 65:31; 2 J Ellis (TVH) 68:10; 3 A Miell-Ingram (Radley) 69:00; 4 C Gonzalez (Oxf U) 69:32; 5 M Kimpton (Warg) 69:49; 6 I Allen (Spa) 70:07; 7 M Luney (Oxf U) 70:18; 8 J Whylie 70:24

M50: 1 D Andre 74:08

M55: 1 R Thomas 79:24

M65: 1 M Zimmerman 88:07

Women: 1 C Arnall (MK Dist) 75:01; 2 S Forbes-Smith (Clap) 77:40; 3 O Doran 77:45; 4 J Donohue (H’bend) 78:15

W45: 1 E Brookes (Lewes) 86:22

W50: 1 L Newton 92:08

W55: 1 J Dicks 98:24

W60: 1 K Angwin (Head RR) 92:20; 2 M Frappat 97:25

ROYAL PARKS HALF-MARATHON, Hyde Park, London, October 12

Overall: 1 A Soffientini 69:53; 2 P Bailey 71:05

Women: 1 A Braham (W45) 76:48

TIPTREE 10, Essex, October 12

Adam Hickey won his second race of the month in 49:58 and is rounding in to shape for the upcoming cross-country season.

Overall: 1 A Hickey (S’end) 49:58; 2 M Westley (Harlow) 55:00

M40: 1 A Hemson (Col H) 58:02

M50: 1 H Mizon (Witham) 58:41

M60: 1 C Fridley (Col H) 62:49

M70: 1 D Butler (Bill’cay) 67:40

Women: 1 V Suett (Col H) 64:02

W45: 1 J Bolton (Bill’cay) 64:24

W50: 1 J Pond (Orion) 71:01

W60: 1 R Pittman (S’field) 74:46

W70: 1 D Wooller (Col H) 84:53

 

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WIRRAL HALF-MARATHON, New Brighton, Merseyside, October 12

Overall: 1 B Taylor (Pnsby) 32:20

Women: 1 K Longley (Liv PS, W45) 35:26

EVERTON 10km, Liverpool, Merseyside, October 11

Overall: 1 M Leahy (Liv) 32:00

Women: 1 L Fairclough 34;57

W65: 1 T Dover (hesh Dr) 47:31

YORK 5km SERIES, West Yorkshire, October 10

Overall: 1 J Norris (Leeds) 14:57; 2 O Brooks (Whard) 15:L01; 3 M Chipping (Valley St) 15:08

M45: 1 J Parapia (Otley) 15:56

M60: 1 P Crowder (Otley) 18:40

M70: 1 L Taylor (NY Moors) 20:38

Women:  1 C Porter 17:36

W45: 1 S Lewis (R’hay) 18:30

W55: 1 H Morgan (Barns) 20:36

W60: 1 D Broom (Peni) 21:03

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