Olympian clocks 34:02.52 on the track, while weekend action also includes some strong decathlon performances and marathon marks

Athletics Northern Ireland Winter Sprints & 10,000m, Belfast, December 19

AW world masters male athlete of the year Tommy Hughes came close to Mike Hagar’s world M60 10,000m record of 33:57.16 set in 2013, with the 60-year-old running a time of 34:02.52.

Hughes was running with his son, Eoin (pictured above with Tommy, photo by Bob Given), who finished in a time of 34:03.13.

Sean Tobin won the overall 10,000m in a high quality 28:30.91.

Back in ninth, Mick Hill set a UK M45 lead of 31:23.11 to go sixth all-time in the UK in his age-group.

St-Paul, Réunion, December 18-19

Decathlon world record-holder Kevin Mayer achieved an Olympic qualifying and world-leading mark with a 8552 score which gave him victory by over 500 points.

The women’s heptathlon was a closer affair with 45 points leading the top trio headed by Evelyn Aguilar’s 6055.

Click here to read a full report.

The Marathon Project, Chandler, USA, December 20

Sara Hall followed up her London second place with a 2:20:05 victory to go second all-time in the USA.

Britain’s Sarah Inglis just missed the Olympic qualifying mark with a PB 2:29:41.

The first seven men led by Martin Hehir’s 2:08:59 went inside 2:10 in a show of unprecedented depth in American men’s marathoning.

A full report of the race is here.

Portuguese 20km Championships, Olhao, December 20

In his first race since recovering from coronavirus, Tom Bosworth returned to race walk action with a win and clocked 83:56.

World 50km silver medallist Joao Vieira won his 57th national title with a time of 85:37.

Ana Cabecinha won the women’s title in 1:30:18.

Fine victory for @TomBosworth in Portuguese 20km Champs in Olhao in 83.56 ahead of Joao Vieira 85.37 @BritAthletics @AthleticsWeekly Results https://t.co/mvck4pBgU1 pic.twitter.com/TM4cyN2vdR

— Leeds Walk (@leedswalk) December 20, 2020

Chippenham Shortest Day 10km, Wiltshire, December 20

Ben Cole was quickest in this event with a time of 31:56.

Bobby Rea Cross Country, Dundonald, Northern Ireland, December 20

The overall 2019 British and Masters International cross-country winner Mark McKinstry gained another victory, finishing five seconds clear of Craig McMeechan in the short 4km event.

Neill Weir took the masters M40 race.

Catherine Whoriskey, the Northern Ireland 10,000m track title winner in the summer, comfortably took the women’s race.

ATW Cross Country, Merchant Taylors School Series, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, December 19

English National and UK Inter-Counties under-17 champion Will Barnicoat (picture by Mark Easton) ran out the fastest in the under-18 age group with victory by more than two minutes from Nathan Jones.

Top ranked under-17 3000m runner Alex Molloy was comfortably the fastest in his age group.

English National and UK Inter-Counties champion Kiya Dee was more than 40 seconds faster than Jemima Ridley, after moving up from second in the opening fixture.

AW subscribers can access a full report and results in the Clubhouse section of our website here.

Indian Queens Half-Marathon, Cornwall, December 20

Under-20 Sam Goodchild won the men’s race in 72:08.

Marathon international Emma Stepto, now in the W50 category, was the overall women’s winner in 85:53.

Even Splits 5km, Hull, December 20

Jennifer Walsh (16:47) and Matthew Nelson (14:58.) took the race honours.

Tony O’Brien was third overall in a PB 15:24 which just missed the UK M50 lead of Andrew Grant of 15:23.

Queensland Combined Events Championships, Brisbane, Australia, December 20

World under-20 champion Ash Moloney broke the Oceania area decathlon record with 8492 points, breaking the previous mark of Jagan Hames by two points.

The 20-year-old scored an impressive 4613 points on day one (the 12th best ever day one score) with lifetime bests in the 100m (10.36), high jump (2.11m) and 400m (45.82) as well as a wind-aided 7.67m in the long jump.

On the second day he set further PBs in the 110m hurdles (14.17) and javelin (57.77m).

Cedric Dubler also bettered the Olympic qualifying standard of 8350 points in second with 8367 points.

World U20 champion Ash Moloney broke the Oceania decathlon record at the Queensland Combined Events Championships in Brisbane, with the 20-year-old scoring an impressive 8492 points. @CedricDubler also achieved an Olympic qualifying mark with 8367 points. pic.twitter.com/QO4kRchhGa

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) December 20, 2020

Taipei, December 20

With 30,000 participants this was the biggest worldwide event since the beginning of the pandemic.

Kenyan Paul Lonyangata won by almost four minutes from teammate Elisha Rotich, clocking 2:09:18 for victory.

Askale Merachi led an Ethiopian clean sweep in the women’s race, winning in 2:28:31.

Taiwan’s Chun-Yu Tsao was fourth in a national record of 2:32:41.

Hofu, Japan, December 20

Tatsuya Maruyama won in a PB 2:09:36 with former Boston Marathon winner Yuki Kawauchi second in a 2020 best of 2:10:37.

Yomogi Akasaka was first woman in 2:29:21, just 10 seconds ahead of Shiho Kaneshige.

Auckland, New Zealand, December 18

Former world junior and youth shot champion Jacko Gill beat the 2017 world champion Tom Walsh for the first time in senior competition with a 21.05m throw.

Walsh threw just 20.14m.

Commonwealth hammer champion Julia Ratcliffe won her event with a 71.02m throw to beat Kiwi record holder Lauren Bruce’s 70.42m.

Canberra, Australia, December 19

Australian record-holder Brooke Stratton won the long jump with a 6.71m (+1.4m/sec) leap.