James West and Almi Nerurkar triumph at SportsShoes Podium 5km — image accompanying Athletics Weekly's report. Image accompanying Athletics Weekly’s report; reduced and presented for news commentary with the attributed report. View the complete source report.
James West narrowly edged out former Australian cyclist Jimmy Whelan in the SportsShoes Podium 5km in Ashton-under-Lyme, Greater Manchester. West improved his personal best by four seconds, finishing in 13:49. Almi Nerurkar won the women's race with a time of 15:54, marking her first road race of the year.
West, who finished 12th in the European 5000m, aimed for a sub-13:30 time to qualify for the World Road Running Championships. Nerurkar, who had a challenging track season in the US, found the roads less mentally taxing. Both athletes expressed satisfaction with their performances. Read more racing coverage.
The men's race saw Abdi Darood and Alex Durrant battle for third place, finishing four seconds behind the leaders. In the women's race, Nerurkar dropped Tilly Simpson in the closing stages. The event also featured results from various races across the UK. Related: Amy Hunt wins four golds at European Championships.
This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Athletics Weekly. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.
Reader questions
Questions about this report
What should runners know about James West and Almi Nerurkar triumph at SportsShoes Podium 5km?
James West narrowly beats Jimmy Whelan in a close finish, while Almi Nerurkar wins the women's race. James West narrowly edged out former Australian cyclist Jimmy Whelan in the SportsShoes Podium 5km in Ashton-under-Lyme, Greater Manchester. West improved his personal best by four seconds, finishing in 13:49. Almi Nerurkar won the women's race with a time of 15:54, marking her first road race of the year.
When did Runner World publish this racing brief?
Runner World published this brief on August 18, 2026. The underlying Athletics Weekly report was dated August 18, 2026.
Where can readers find the complete original report?
This summary is based on reporting from Athletics Weekly. The attributed source link in the article leads to the publisher’s complete report.
THE WEEKLY BRIEFING
Start the week a step ahead.
A concise edit of the running stories worth knowing, sent every Monday.