Eilish McColgan smashes her own British record at Berlin Half Marathon – ‘I’m really happy’

Eilish McColgan took 43 seconds off her own British record as she won the Berlin Half Marathon on Sunday.

McColgan crossed the finish line in one hour, five minutes and 43 seconds, narrowly missing out on the fastest-ever half-marathon time (65:40) – set by Paula Radcliffe at the Great North Run in 2003.

The result sees the Scottish athlete climb to fourth on the European all-time list.

She also holds the British records for the 5,000m, 10,000m, 5km and 10km in what has been a stellar athletics career.

“I’m really happy,” she told organisers at the finish. “It was a bit breezy and cold but I’m Scottish so I’m used to that weather.

“The pace was super quick at the start, so I panicked going through 10km. I got a bit of cramp near the end but I’m glad to get to the finish and run a national record.”

Ethiopia’s Tsigie Gebreselama was second, 30 seconds back, with her compatriot Yalemget Yaregal third, edging out Samantha Harrison for the final podium place.

Harrison clocked a 67:19 personal best to move into equal fourth place with Jess Warner-Judd on the UK all-time rankings.

McColgan trailed Gebreselama by 12 seconds at the 10km mark in 30:44 but she caught and passed her just past 15km.

McColgan has had to contend with knee issues ahead of her debut marathon appearance in London on April 23 but she will take great confidence from this performance.

In the men’s race in the German capital, Sabastian Sawe led a Kenyan clean sweep of the podium, crossing the line in 59 minutes exactly.