Kenyan athlete Vincent Mutai out-sprinted course record holder and compatriot Shadrack Kimining to win the Cardiff half-marathon men’s race in one hour and 35 seconds on a humid day.
In the women’s race, Ethiopian Fikir had the edge in a close-edge finish, with just a second splitting the top three.
Josh Hartley and Martyna Snopek won the wheelchair races as the event celebrated its 20th anniversary.
Meanwhile, more than 27,000 club and amateur runners also covered the 13.2 miles (21km) course.
Former winners Shadrack Kimining and Geoffrey Koech returned to the Welsh capital in a strong field in the men’s race that was decided in the final straight.
“I feel good. This was my first time running this course, it was a bit challenging, but it was really enjoyable and now I am a winner so I am so happy and very surprised,” Mutai said.
Former women’s race winner Beatrice Cheserek also returned and led early on, but the Kenyan was dropped before a three-way sprint for the line.
Fikir beat fellow Ethiopian Aminet Ahmed and last year’s runner-up Viola Chepngeno to add the Cardiff title to the Antrim Coast Half Marathon two months earlier in 1:08:13.
