Less than a week after cutting his W60 1500m world record, the Brit improved on his world 5km best at the AC Veterans Championships.
Claire Elms, the most accomplished British Masters record holder of her generation, lowered her own world best 5km to 17:45 (17:41.5 rounded up to 17:42 on the chip) to win the women’s race at the Veterans AC Championships.
At 62, Elms became the oldest ever overall winner after a great battle with Multi-W55 record holder Karima Harris.
When the athletes arrived for the race, there was some doubt that the race would even go ahead as there was thunder and lightning, heavy rain and very strong winds.
Fortunately the sun was out by the start and the wind had dropped to a more manageable 19km/h, although the course had plenty of puddles.
Elms’s biggest challenger here was Harris, six years his junior, who set British W55 bests over 10km (35:54) and 10 miles (59:05). He set British records for the half marathon (77:50) and marathon (2:45:45) last year, so it was no surprise the pair were close throughout, after Elms initially trailed Kent AC clubmate Richard Giles.
After running a “quiet” 18:16 in the Serpentine 5km on Friday before his 1500m record and the pack run, Elms was unsure of his fastest time. However, he was keen to prove that his near 30-second World W60 best of 17:48 (17:45 chip) in April was not a one-off.
After three kilometers of 3:32, 3:31 and 3:34, he matched his then world indoor track best of 10:37 in February. Elms started to slow down slightly with 4km to go, but a late rally saw him drop three seconds off his world best as he fell a few seconds behind M60 multi-world record holder Andrew Ridley.
Harris was second woman home in 17:53 with W45 Nicola Archer completing the podium in 18:26.
Elms’ time now gives her a big lead over her W60s in the 5km road all-time lists, with Scotland’s Fiona Matheson next best (2023 18:21). Note that the W60 5000m world record is 17:50.72 by New Zealander Sally Gibbs in 2024.
Elms’ time here was his fastest since the then W55 world best of 17:39 in 2019, although his personal best of 16:43 was set in 2008 at the age of 44. In the 2025 charts, his age rating for 17:42 is a record 105.73%.
He is leaving his recent form behind with a long injury-free period, new boots and increased strength training in preparation for Hyrox.
Dulwich’s M40 Alex Winchester was the men’s clear winner in 15:36 ahead of M45 Phil Cooper (16:25) and M50 Andy Bond (16:28) who also won gold medals in their sections.
Other men’s age group winners were M35 Edward Rees (16:33), M55 Steve Winder (17:14), M60 Andrew Leach (16:44), M65 David Ogden (19:11), M70 Peter Kennedy (22:33), M75 Francis Brennan (28:09) and M75 Francis Brennan. (23:09).
Other women’s age group winners in addition to the top three were W40 Anastasia Hancock (20:16), W50 W50 Renata McDonnell (19:00), W65 Karen Samuel (27:34), W70 W70 Anna Garnier (23:26) and W80 Pauline Rich (34:32).
There was also a ride and it was won overall by W65 Susan Payne, who won gold in the World Masters 10km British team with Elms in Florida last year.
But (5 km). 1 A Winchester (Dulw, M40) 15:36; 2 P Cooper (Brain, M45) 16:25; 3 A Bond (Dulw, M50) 16:28; 4 E Rees (Dors D, M35) 16:33; 5 M Cummings (Herne H, U40) 16:34; 6 C Norris (VPHTH, M40) 16:39
M50: 2 T South (Sund S) 16:53; 3 R Berry 16:54; 4 C Compton (Kent) 16:54
M55: 1 S Winder 17:14; 2 J Gonzalez-Armas 17:34; 3 J Jennings (Mid M) 17:56
M60: 1 A Leach (East M) 16:44; 2 J Foley 17:04; 3 Ridley 17:43; 4 G Moyse 18:02; S Corfield 6:16 p.m
M65: 1 D Ogden 19:11; 2 M It’s 7:31 p.m
M70: 1 P Kennedy 22:33; 2 C Smith 22:55
M75: 1 F Brennan 23:09; 2 M Man 25:12
M80: 1 P Giles 25:05
Women. 1 C Elms (Kent, W60) 17:45; 2 K Harris 17:53; 3 N Archer (S Lon, W45) 18:26; 4 R McDonnell (Inv EK, W50) 19:00; 5 A Riddell-Webster (W55) 19:27
W60: 2 L Woolhouse 21:23; 3 P major 23:07; 4 C Helder 11:30 p.m
W70: 1 A Garnier 23:26
W80: 1 P Rich 34:32
5 km walk. 1 S Payne (W65) 30:37; 2 C Ha Kwok (W50) 31:13; 3 M Noel (W60) 33:56
