Elite runners descend on Tameside Cycle Circuit

Hundreds of athletes and elite runners descended on Ashton-under-Lyne for Manchester’s first-ever SportsShoes.com Podium 5K graded race series event on Sunday, 16 August.

Organised by online running shoes and clothing retailer SportsShoes.com in partnership with Nike, 281 runners took to Tameside Cycle Circuit for the inaugural races which were hosted by Active Tameside.

Among the elite runners was Team GB athlete James West, who arrived in at SportsShoes Podium MCR just days after competing in the 5,000m at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

West was first across the finish line for the elite men's 5K in 13:49, ahead of Australian former professional cyclist Jimmy Whelan to the post by a single second.

Also hitting the tarmac was Neil Gourley, who won the 1,500m silver medal at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing last year. The four-time British 1,500m champion finished second in the elite men’s mile in 4:18.4, but was beaten to first place by Tom Dodd in 4:17.6.

The elite women's 5K saw Almi Nerurkar cross the finish line first in 15:54 in her first road race of the year, following a fifth-place finish in the 5,000m at the UK Athletics Championships in June this year. Tilly Simpson came second in 16:06.

The elite women's mile was won by European Cross Country bronze medallist Holly Dixon in 4:37, with Hollie Parker in second in 04:46.

SportsShoes Podium race coordinator, Mia France, said: “We’re proud to have brought SportsShoes Podium to Greater Manchester for the first time, with the whole event proving a huge success.

“Tameside Cycle Circuit was the perfect track for the running community, making for fast racing, sprint finishes and lightning-speed times across the board.

“We want to say a huge thank you for everyone who took part in SportsShoes Podium MCR, as well as a congratulations to all the race winners on the day.”

SportsShoes Podium has been hosting record-breaking 5K events across the UK since 2023, attracting thousands of UK and international athletes during that time.

These have included Olympians Emile Cairess, Beth Potter, Alex Yee and Narve Nordas in addition to competitive runners from across the UK and overseas.

Dan Higgins, head of health and social outcomes at Active Tameside, added: “Hosting Podium at Tameside Cycle Circuit was a fantastic opportunity to showcase what our facility has to offer while bringing an incredible event into the heart of Tameside.

“Events like this bring people together, create a real buzz locally and demonstrate that movement can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of age or ability.

“Active Tameside is proud to host an event of this scale, and we want to use the energy and excitement Podium created to inspire more people across our communities to feel connected and discover the enjoyment of moving more.”