A sensational run from Forden's Andy Davies helped Great Britain to take top spot in the World Masters Mountain Running Championships.

Hot on the heels of his eleventh placed marathon finish in this year's Commonwealth Games, the Welshman won individual gold in the Master 35 category to help the British team to the top podium spot in Slovenia on Saturday, June 2.

The 10.8km event took place on the Ratitovec Mountain in the Julian Alps Mountain Range near Lake Bled in Slovenia, and included a gruelling 1,184m elevation gain.

The terrain included a short stretch on pavement at the start of each race, and then a combination of wide forested path, single track trail, rocky steps, finishing with a grass section to the finish line in a meadow filled with wildflowers.

Davies’ performance helped Great Britain improve on their team bronze medal from 2017 and to be crowned as champions this time. Ben Mounsey was the next Briton home in fifth followed by Craig Freshwater who finished a credible 16th.

The Newtown College lecturer finished ninth at the WMRA World Long distance Mountain Running Challenge in Slovenia back in 2016, but has enjoyed a memorable year after competing for Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the marathon at the IAAF World Championships in London last summer and at his second Commonwealth Games marathon in the heat of the Gold Coast this April.

Other British success came with a silver medal for Jill Stephen in the Master Women 35 category as the Scottish athlete from Hunters Bog Trotters repeated her second place finish from 12 months ago.

Colin Donnelly finished second in the Master 55 race and helped his team to clinch gold followed by Stewart Whitlie who was third and with Guy Woods in sixth.

Of the 109 medals awarded, Italy netted the most with 33, 19 by individuals and 14 for team competition. Germany was second in the medal count with 15, nine individual and six team. Host nation Slovenia and came away with 11, four individual and seven team.