Athletics: Ollie Lockley sets personal best at Battersea

Manxman takes fourth spot in tightly-contested 5km race

Manx runner, Ollie Lockley smashed a personal best pace over 5km and only just missed out on a podium finish during his latest race in London.

Taking part in the elite men's 5km contest at the Full Night Under the Lights event at Battersea Park, the Island athlete - representing Leeds City Athletic Club - finished fourth with a time of 13 minutes, 50.1 seconds.

That's 20 seconds quicker than his previous time over that distance and he was only pipped to third place by Aberdeen Amateur Athletic Club runner, Tom Graham-Marr, by half a second.

Furthermore, this latest result means Lockley meets the 5,000m Commonwealth Games qualifying standard, he'd already reached the qualifying standard in the 10,000m a few weeks previous.

More generally, just two seconds separated the entire top four come the finish with Milton Keynes Distance Project competitor, Charlie Wheeler claiming victory (13 minutes, 48.1 seconds).

Completing the podium were Andrew Penney of Hercules Wimbledon AC (13 minutes, 48.9 seconds) and Graham-Marr in third (13 minutes, 49.4 seconds).