Both pre-race favourites delivered in the Vitality London 10,000 road race on Sunday 22 September 2024. Jack Rowe (#2790 - Aldershot, Farnham & District AC) defended his 2023 crown in 29:14 and Eilish McColgan (#2837 - Dundee Hawkhill Harriers, 31:36) claimed a second Vitality London 10,000 title after her previous victory in 2022.

The winning margin for Rowe was 28 seconds over Seyfu Jamaal (London Heathside, 29:42). Tewelde Menges (Medway & Maidstone AC, 29:55 PB) was third in his best road race to date. Rowe enjoys visiting the London 10,000 as his post-race comments reveal: “It is perfect, it’s why I keep coming back every year, I live local, grew up in London. Did this race for the first time back in 2018. I love coming here, the crowds are always good fun.”

Eilish McColgan, who is the British record holder for the 10K distance with 30:19, raced clear to win by 41 seconds from Lucy Reid (Tonbridge AC, 32:17 PB) and Lily Partridge (Birchfield Harriers, 32:37).

McColgan has had a busy racing programme as she seeks to regain fitness after an injury-blighted 2023, as she explained: “I am really happy, I had surgery at the end of last year, so it’s been a long process to get back to where I am now. Two half marathons and then a 10K this weekend, it has been a really, really tough few weeks of racing. I wish it was the other way round – 10K first and then the half marathons – because today was a little bit sluggish to get my legs going but I couldn’t ask for anymore from my body today. Tired legs but still got the win and still making really good progress."

Among the huge field of more than 15,000 participants on the streets of the capital was double Olympic bronze medal winner Sam Reardon (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers) who ran for Team GB in the 4x400m men's and mixed relays in Paris. He helped recently retired Team GB race walker Tom Bosworth (Tonbridge AC) beat his British race walking record of 39:10!

Bosworth retired from international competition after finishing seventh in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 10,000m walk (40:58.64) in 2022. In the London 10,000 the Kent pair paced each other to 38:08 (Bosworth) and 38:45 (Reardon) as 640 runners beat 40 minutes.

Reardon enjoyed the challenge as he explained: “This is a lot further than I am used to running but it was good fun! It is definitely the furthest I’ve raced. It was cool, weaving in and out of people and it kept me motivated. In my head I was thinking, ‘Pick off the next person’. I hit the wall around 6K or 7K but I just tried to keep going."

For full results and previous news stories visit the runABC South race listing here.

Photo courtesy of Vitality London 10,000