For the first time ever, the same female and the same male won both the 5.5 kilometres and the 10 kilometres.

Paige Campbell, who was the fastest female for both said she has gone into both events with the intention to win, despite it being her first time in the Stampede.

She said she had been training intensely for both events and didn’t chose to go in the 21.1 kilometre race as she wasn’t good at “long, long distances”.

The Warren athlete said she had chosen to give it a go this year as it was a local event, the prize money was good, it was run by a great committee and of course, the great scenery.

Despite having only just finishing he two races, Ms Campbell said she would definitely be doing it again next year.

More than 2,500 people ran through the zoo, Dubbo Stampede Running Festival president Tim Ferraro said, a slight dip from last year’s figure of 3000.

However, Mr Ferraro said numbers for the three longer runs- the Cheetah Chase, Zebra Zoom and the Rhino Ramble- had increased.

It showed the event was getting recognition as a well-run marathon, he said.

“We’re getting people that started on the couch going to the five ks, to the ten to the half, to the marathon,” Mr Ferraro said.

Kevin O’Brien was the fastest male in both the 5.5 kilometres and the 10 kilometres.

Meanwhile, the marathon was won by Tim Gowing. Kath Shorter was the first female to cross the line for the Rhino Rumble.

“I always say it takes three things to make the event a success: the sponsors, the Stampede committee and of course all of the people who went it in,” Mr Ferraro said.