Rose-Anna Hoey achieved another milestone on her road to recovery from serious injury at the weekend.

The 41-year-old led the women’s 40 to 49 field across the line during the 2022 Bermuda National Athletics Association Cross-Country Series opener held at Fort Scaur, Sandys, on Saturday.

It was her first victory since fracturing both arms when she and a group of cyclists on a training ride were crashed into in a hit-and-run last December.

Hoey completed the three-lap racecourse in 18min 36sec to claim the title in her fourth appearance of the 2022-23 running season.

“It was my first win since I have been back out and it’s really nice to be running,” she told The Royal Gazette.

“If you would have told me six months ago that I would be able to run half-decently again, I would have been shocked, but I am starting to feel a little bit better now.

“It was really for teenagers, so I was racing against very strong youngsters who if you added all their ages together you’d probably get my age.

“I eased into it and finished off the first lap quite easy. Second lap I picked it up and by the third lap I had taken the lead, so it was a nice way to race.”

Hoey said the road to recovery has been a long one.

“It’s been a long road to recovery and when I fractured both my arms, I could not even tie shoelaces,” she added.

“I run because I enjoy it first and foremost, so getting back to fitness is something I want to do, but I know what my limitations are right now.”

The three-times Bermuda Half Marathon Derby champion had no expectations going into the race, which she entered at the eleventh hour.

“I just showed up,” she said. ”I hadn’t done the speedwork or anything but maybe the muscles have a little bit of memory there and the body gets used to what it is able to do.

“I am quite pleased with how I did because I’m really not training for speed in any way shape, or form.”

Last weekend’s event at Fort Scaur featured competitors in various age groups ranging from under-ten to 69.

Among them were Carifta athletes Jaeda Grant and J’Auza James, who were victorious in their respective divisions.

The BNAA Cross-Country Series consists of four events and will culminate with the National Championships at Botanical Gardens in December.