The 42nd Bath Half Marathon on Sunday (17 March) provided a fitting swansong for the outgoing Race Directors Andrew and Mel Taylor, who are handing over the reins to London Marathon Events with effect from the next event scheduled for Sunday 16 March 2025.

After 25 years in charge, the Running High Events race management team was delighted to receive a complete sell-out – with 8,422 finishers in 4:41:38 – in their final promotion in the stunning World Heritage City of Bath.

The race starts and finishes in the heart of the city on Royal Avenue, just a short warm-up jog from Bath's famous Royal Crescent of 30 terraced houses laid out in a sweeping crescent, built between 1767 and 1774, designed by the architect John Wood, the Younger. The course leaves the city on the A4 Upper Bristol Road and returns on the A36 Lower Bristol Road, never straying far from the River Avon.

This year's champion was Ethiopian athlete Omar Ahmed (pictured above) of Birchfield Harriers who completed the two-lap course in a blistering 1:04:25. The runners-up were Australia's Dylan Evans (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, 1:04:54 PB) and Alexander Lawrence (Victoria Park Harriers, 1:05:37).

The women's race was also tight as the 2020 Bath Half champion Becky Briggs (City of Hull AC, 1:14:24) – pictured below – had enough in the tank to prevent a home team victory for Team Bath AC's Anna Domville (1:14:54 PB). Katie Olding (Thames Valley Harriers, 1:15:16 PB) completed the podium.

The depth of performance was impressive with nearly 200 inside 80 minutes and more than 500 under 90 minutes. The first M40 master was Marcus England (Western Tempo, 1:08:55) and Mark Jennings (1:13:21) of the Micky Morris Racing Team was the first M50. Anna Harold (Truro Running Club, 1:19:18) led in the W40 category, and the W50 winner was Karima Harris (Highgate Harriers, 1:20:36).

The winning men's team was Dulwich Runners AC and Team Bath AC celebrated victory in the women's team event.

Results and previous reports are available at the runABC South race listing here.

Images courtesy Bath Half Marathon on Facebook