Distance runner Christa Cain has said stepping out to represent the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Games on Thursday evening ‘felt like a dream’.

The 40-year-old only really took up running seriously four years ago, but found herself toeing the line in the women’s 5,000 metres final with several Olympic and Commonwealth medallists, not to mention African and European champions.

As a result, the pace was hot from the start at a sunny Scotstoun Stadium as the duo of Rose Davies and Jessica Hull secured an Australian one-two, the former collecting her second gold medal of the week having triumphed in the 10,000m race.

Bronze went to Scotland’s Megan Keith after a gutsy run from the 24-year-old from Inverness.

After finishing 19th in a time of 16 minutes 51.46 seconds, Cain said: ‘That was not the typical kind of race that I'm used to!

‘I kind of select the races that I do because I think I’m going to be competitive in them.

‘The temptation is, because you've got fresh legs, you kind of want to go for it, and your head's telling you to go for it.

‘But you just can't get carried away. If you if you blow it in that first kilometre and that's the race ruined.

‘Obviously, with a very late call up to this, my prep's been very limited, and literally competing on to a stage such as big as this with world-class athletes is a great experience.

‘It’s probably the first and last time I'll get to experience it, so I’m soaking up every minute of it.’

Cain was only a late call-up to the team after fellow Manxie Sarah Astin was forced to withdraw from the Games because of injury.

The Douglas woman admitted she’d been a little hesitant to step in as she usually favours longer distance races on roads, and only made her debut at a major track championship at last summer’s Island Games when she won gold in both the 10,000 and 5,000 metres.

‘So when [athletics team manager] Steve [Partington] called me and said: “There's a chance you might have the opportunity to step in. How would you feel?” I was kind of like: "Yeah, that sounds kind of attractive”.

‘And then it kind of went away for a few weeks, and then I got the official call saying: "How do you fancy it?” I was like: "90% yes, but obviously I have my reservations because it is such a big thing”.

‘Competing with the world's best, I knew I wasn't going to be competitive.

‘I wasn't going to be in a race with them. But the opportunity to come out here and have a good run, you can't really say no to that.

‘I had to get the doubts out of my head quite early on and, a few weeks down the line, here we are.’

Reflecting on her running journey, Cain added: ‘Everyone keeps saying what a whirlwind it's been, and even even stepping out there today, it felt like it was a dream.

‘It didn't feel real that I was actually there.

‘Even when the gun went off, I was pinching myself.

‘It was 2022 when I first started, and never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be on a track, let alone rubbing shoulders with with these girls.’