Gayle Lindsay made a triumphant start to the new road running season after clinching victory in the Partner Re Women’s 5K at Botanical Gardens on Sunday morning.

The 34-year-old led the field across the line in 19 min 28 sec to win the all-female event for the second time.

“It was my first race for the season and I feel really good,” Lindsay told The Royal Gazette.

“It was very hot and humid, especially coming along with the sun in your face but otherwise I felt pretty good.

“I had no expectations coming into today. I did not have a set time in mind and just wanted to go out and see how it felt.”

Lindsay battled it out with Maddie Durkin at the front of the pack before making the decisive break on Berry Hill and holding on to claim the title.

“I broke away on the last hill and figured it was there or never,” Lindsay added. “It was a pretty tough race and was actually nice having Maddy there.

“We helped push each other for most of the way and then on the last hill, I just managed to pull into an extra little gear and make a little bit of gap.

“We were pretty much side by side from the start so it was a nice race,” Lindsay said.

“I think we went through the first kilometere in 3:46 and I was feeling pretty good, so I just tried to keep it going.”

Durkin had plenty to be proud of, having achieved her best showing of second with a personal best time of 19:51.

“I am absolutely pleased to come second,” she said.

“Over the last year I have been really working on my running, so it’s good to see progress being made.

“Gayle is such a fierce competitor, so it’s always fun just being able to run anywhere near her; whether it’s behind, to the side or a tiny bit in front. It was a really good race.”

Durkin cited a mental lapse during the latter stages of the race, which ultimately put paid to her title hopes.

“I used to live up Berry Hill so I knew it was not just Tee Street in the end,” she added. “It was Tee Street and then a climb on Berry Hill, so I think I lost a little mental battle as we approached Tee Street.

“But overall I’m very pleased with my run. If I compare my times to a year and a half ago it’s significant progress.”

Laura Burns finished third in 21:25, her best showing in the race, to round off the podium.

“All things considered, I was very happy to cross that finish line,” she said. “I am very pleased.

“It was very hot and humid and there were too many hills, but I think I found some energy after the first mile because I was not feeling fresh at the beginning.”

Burns won a battle between siblings having pipped her sister, Emma Norman, for the final spot on the podium.

“Having your sister behind really helped out a lot,” she added. “She was in fourth, so she kept me going.”

Norman finished in 21:52 followed by Cari De Coning in 22:10 to round off the top five runners in a field of 160.