Cardiff’s Clara Evans produced an excellent run to claim a top 10 finish in a world class field at the Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run 10K on Sunday.

Evans clocked 33:46, as she finished ninth in the high quality race won by triple world champion Hellen Obiri, in a time of 31:23.

Sunday’s performance is the latest in a series of excellent results for Evans since the turn of the year.

A personal best at the Barcelona Half Marathon in February was followed up by a sixth-placed finish at the Vitality Big Half Marathon in London, third place at the Brecon Carreg Cardiff Bay 10K and a win at the Cardiff Race for Victory 5K, which incorporated the Welsh 5K Championships.

Sunday’s race in Manchester saw another Welsh athlete, Jenny Nesbitt, who has just joined Cardiff AC, finish 13th in the women’s race, clocking a time of 34:28.

In an equally high class men’s race, which was won by Jacob Kiplimo, of Uganda, Ieuan Thomas was the first Welsh athlete home in 13th place in a time of 29:48.

Meanwhile, also on Sunday, there was a Cardiff one-two at Sunday’s Bryn Meadows Caerphilly 10K, which doubled up as the first race in the inaugural Welsh 10K Road Series.

Matt Clowes took the win in a time of 30:22, from his club mate James Hunt, who crossed the line in 31:09. Aberdare AAC’s Daniel Bodman was third in 32:20.

Winner of the women’s race was Shaftesbury Barnet’s Rachel Felton, who crossed the line in 35:01.

Second was Cardiff AC’s Lucy Marland, in 36:44, while Swansea Harrier Alaw Beynon-Thomas, was third in 38:00.

The next race in the Welsh 10K Road Series will be the Speedway 10K in Chepstow on June 16.