Warrnambool runners Sam Edney and Hayley Connolly win third Flaggy Five event of 2023

The runner finished Wednesday night's five-kilometre race - that starts and concludes at Flagstaff Hill - as the fastest female in an impressive 24 minutes and 14 seconds.

The triumph signalled her first win in the iconic series run by the Warrnambool Athletic Club.

A delighted Connolly said she had her fellow competitors to thank for pushing her in the windy, hilly conditions.

"Lucky that I had a couple of boys that were behind me the whole way and when I started to slow down they pushed me," she told The Standard.

"So that kept me going, it was good."

Connolly was full of praise for the event which again saw a healthy turnout.

"I think it's great," she said.

"I love it because I've just been getting back into running after a few injuries so my daughters come down and my husband.

"So it's a bit of a family event, it's nice."

Ahead of Connolly was Warrnambool's Sam Edney who was the overall winner of the race, clocking in at a blistering 17 minutes and 55 seconds.

The carpenter, participating in the event for the first time this year, was happy with his effort.

"It was good to come and have a bit of a harder run," he said.

"I thought I'd be somewhere around that mark (time-wise), I was just going to see what the other boys were doing.

"We took off pretty easy until about halfway and then sort of put the foot down a bit."

Edney conceded the five-kilometre distance was still a tough one despite having completed ultra and regular marathons before.

"The shorter ones sometimes sting a bit more," he said.

Money raised from the Flaggy 5 will be contributed to the Clinton Hall Foundation which supports the late Warrnambool runner's children. The final leg of the series will be held on Wednesday, January 25.

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