EMMA Gooderham, from Wyre Piddle, was crowned world champion after winning the 50km World Trophy final in Assen, Holland. The 40-year-old won the 31-mile race in a personal best time of three hours 17 minutes 29 seconds.

This performance also saw her knock 14 minutes off her previous best time. The Malvern Joggers member also recorded an all-time world record for her age category.

The event was the final in a series of 50km races held across the world, where the top qualifying athletes were invited to compete for their countries alongside independents in a field of around 150.

Athletes travelled from countries including Australia, Japan, America, South Africa and Russia to compete.

Gooderham qualified having run a 50km race in Gloucester back in June, setting a new personal best of 3.32, becoming British champion.

The course was 10 laps of a flat 5km loop, starting and finishing in Assen Stadium and going through the surrounding woodlands.

She went through the marathon distance in 2.46.04 which was around six minutes quicker than she had ever run a marathon before.

If it had been an official time, this would have placed her easily in the top 15 for British times this year.

Defending champion Sue Harrison, also from Great Britain, came in second in 3.25, with Joanna Zakrazewski, also from GB, closely following behind in third.

In the men’s field, Eliot Kiplogat, from Kenya, won this event in a time of 2.54.53.

He was followed by Pieter Vermeesch from Belgium and Kaito Iwayama from Japan in second and third respectively.

Gooderham is now concentrating on the Commonwealth Ultra-Trail (53km) Championships in just over a month’s time, held in Wales on October 29.