Jones outclasses local field in Durban

British athlete Tish Jones dominated from gun to tape on Sunday, setting a personal best to win the third leg of the Spar Women’s Grand Prix 10km series in ideal conditions in Durban. Jones, who won the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon last year and secured victory at the FNB OneRun 12km race in the Mother City last month, added another victory on SA soil.

After dragging a four-member lead group through halfway in 16:19, which also included South African Nolene Conrad, Zimbabwean Rutendo Nyahora and Ethiopian Elisabeth Arsedo, she maintained her pace up front and soon dropped the rest of the field. She burst clear with less than four kilometres remaining to secure victory in 32:58, clipping seven seconds off her career record.

“I think this was good training for the marathon,” said Jones, who hoped to compete for Great Britain at next year’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. “I need to do more speed, and I wanted a 10km personal best today.”

Series leader Kesa Molotsane, returning to action after undergoing minor surgery, charged through in the latter stages to grab second place in 33:31. Lebogang Phalula finished third, a further eight seconds back, with the first six women all running under 35 minutes.