On the 14th of May, under the expert organisation of Ben Pochee's team, the Night of the 10,000m PB's truly lived up to it's name and all the way round the track was thick with spectators. For the home club, Highgate Harriers, had one truly amazing result. Jacob Allen competed in his first ever track 10,000m and ran the remarkable time of 29:14.41 and was 4th but, the first UK runner, in the race. It was the highest grade race of the evening not counting the Elite race (It was No 6 on the cards). Also in that race with a good time was Alex Lapretre who did 30:18.42. Another quick Highgate man was Alex Bampton, who ran 30:51.11 in Race 5.
International Jess Judd of Loughborough University won the Women’s Elite race in a World Championships qualifying time of 31:22.34. Regarding the Elite Men's race, Yamaneberhan Crippa, the Italian, who won the last time at Parliament Hill in the corresponding race in 2019, won again this time in 27:16.18. He told me afterwards he knew he could win the race right from the when it began. Crippa comes from Trentino in Northern Italy and explained. "It was very nice weather for me tonight and I had been training well at the camp in Kenya".