WORCESTER’S Jenny Nesbitt warmed up for an exciting summer season with an impressive victory in her maiden half-marathon.

The 21-year-old donned her Worcester Athletic Club colours to win the female race in Sunday’s Reading Half Marathon.

The first year University of Bath student stormed home in 72.54 minutes to become the fastest female half-marathon runner in England this year.

“I finished the cross-country season and I will soon be heading into the track season so my coach (David Walker) and I decided to tackle a half-marathon,” said Nesbitt.

“I really enjoyed it. I didn’t know what to expect so I thought I would just go out and give it my best shot.

“Reading is one of the fastest courses and I expected it to be flat but there were some steep inclines.”

More than 15,000 runners of all ages and abilities pounded the sun-soaked streets of Reading before crossing the finishing line at the Madejski Stadium.

Kenyan professional marathon runner Robert Mbitha clinched victory in the men’s race in 1.02.57.

Nesbitt, who is studying sport and social science at Bath, is now preparing for the British Athletics 10,000 metre track trials for the Olympic Games at Highgate Harriers on May 21.

She is also running at the British Universities and Colleges Sport outdoor track and field championship in Bedford at the end of this month.

“The 10,000 metre race is more for experience because my main focus in terms of the Olympics is 2020 (Tokyo, Japan),” she said.

“I would like to go to the Commonwealth Games in 2018 (Gold Coast, Australia).

“Next year is the under-23 Europeans and I am looking to do something between 5km and 10km on the track.”

At the end of last year, Nesbitt helped Great Britain to a gold medal at the European Cross-Country Championships in Hyères, France.

She was part of the under 23 women’s squad, who triumphed in the team event to claim GB’s 50th gold medal in the history of the European Championships.

Nesbitt, the 2014 Worcester 10k champion, would like to pursue a career in athletics or sports journalism after graduation from Bath.

The talented Worcester athlete is planning to study for a masters in sports journalism at St Mary’s University in Twickenham.