Photo: Paul Stillman

Imy Stewart of Australia runs 17:15 to top the global parkrun rankings, whilst Joshua Grace keeps the British males on top.

Only two weeks after her mother, Australian international Belinda Martin, missed out by just 11 seconds, young Imogen ‘Imy’ Stewart is the fastest parkrunner in the world.

Stewart holds multiple age group world records and has been setting middle distance event records since before her teenage years. It is the first time since starting the global top 10 lists that a non-British runner has been the fastest. It has always seemed likely that an Australian would be the first to do so.

The competitiveness of Bushy parkrun is keeping the men’s top spot out of reach for other nations. With three of the top four times coming from the south west London event it must be the place to be if a runner wants a PB. Joshua Grace was 28 seconds ahead of regular Allan Stewart and Alex Tovey was only four seconds behind him.

Adam Hickey’s 15:26 was a course record at Hockley Woods parkrun, which we understand to be a bit of an undulating course. It was probably worth about 13:50 on the flat…

Freyja Prentice, of Aberdeen AAC, also posted an overseas top 10 performance. At the fast Pegasus parkrun in New Zealand, the Scot seemingly tested the water last week with an 18:20 and then went 30 seconds faster with a bit of course knowledge. Could even have been evidence of jet lag easing off?

Two other Austrian males made it into the rankings with Stefan Music (15:26) and Arron Spiessberger-Parker (15:30) in Rooty Hill and Huskisson parkruns.

A noteworthy mention for Alistair Hay posting the fastest parkrun on German soil with a 15:35 at Hasenheide parkrun. The sub 30 min veteran might have travelled just to try a new parkrun?

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Bushy, UK

Joshua Grace, 14:52, Aldershot, Farnham & District

2) parkrun: Bushy, UK

Allan Stewart, 15:20, Chiltern Harriers

3) parkrun: Brueton, UK

Omer Ahmed, 15:20, Birchfield Harriers

4) parkrun: Bushy, UK

Alex Tovey, 15:24, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow

5) parkrun: Hockley Woods, UK

Adam Hickey, 15:26, Southend-on-sea AC

6) parkrun: Rooty Hill, Australia

Stefan Music, 15:26, Randwick-Botany Harriers AC

7) parkrun: Brueton, UK

Thomas Beasley, 15:29, Birchfield Harriers

8) parkrun: Workington, UK

Mark Walsh, 15:29, Netherhall AC

9) parkrun: Huskisson, Australia

Arron Spiessberger-Parker, 15:30

10) parkrun: Worcester Witchcraft, UK

Oliver Mott, 15:31, Cheltenham & County Harriers

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Nepean, Australia

Imy Stewart, 17:15

2) parkrun: Workington, UK

Tiffany Penfold, 17:41, Copeland AC

3) parkrun: Livingston, UK

Jo Williams, 17:48, Lothian RC

4) parkrun: Pegasus, New Zealand

Freyja Prentice, 17:50, Aberdeen AAC

5) parkrun: Gorleston Cliffs, UK

Colleen Nicole Mukuya, 17:58, Great Yarmouth & District

6) parkrun: Kirkcaldy, UK

Annabel Simpson, 17:59, Haraka Kasi

7) parkrun: Exmouth, UK

Katie Synge, 18:01

8) parkrun: Telford, UK

Kim Fawke, 18:03, Lawley Running Club

=9) parkrun: Chelmsford Central, UK

Sophie Cowper, 18:04, Rotherham Harriers

=9) parkrun: Rushmoor, UK

Lauren Hall, 18:04, Aldershot, Farnham & District

Would you like to run faster at parkrun? Top tips to help runners of all abilities hit a parkrun best can be found here.

RELATED: 7 ways to run faster at parkrun

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