Christa Cain delivered a composed performance in the Commonwealth Games 5,000 metres final in Glasgow last night.
The Manx athlete finishied 19th in 16:51.46, just eight seconds outside her personal best.
Conditions were clear for the 9.18pm start, with a 20‑strong field after one withdrawal. Cain’s PB of 16:43, set in Orkney last year, equates to a little over 80 seconds per lap.
The pace lifted early and the main pack began to break up, with Cain running detached but looking comfortable. She was lapped by the leaders around 12 minutes into the race but continued to move well.
Scotland’s Megan Keith surged to the front to the delight of the home crowd and went on to claim bronze behind two Australian athletes.
Television coverage focused on the medallists, but Cain crossed the line strongly to secure 19th place.
It was a well‑judged run from the oldest and least experienced athlete in the field, who had only around two weeks to prepare for an event that is not her preferred distance.