Marc Scott wins 40th Great North Run
Marc Scott impressed the Newcastle crowds with a career defining victory having previously taken national titles and NCAA collegiate titles in the US. Eilish McColgan made an impressive debut and finished second woman behind Olympic silver medalist, Helen Obiri.
Mass participation running continued to return to Britain’s roads with a memorable day of racing in Newcastle. Marc Scott (handicap -7.4), who is spending the autumn in Northallerton in Yorkshire with his family before returning to his professional base in Portland had a race long winning battle with Kenyan runner, Ed Cheserek.
The victory represented a victorious end to a rollercoaster of a year that has seen Scott win the UK title over 10000m and run PBs over 3k, 5k and10k in the spring. However a summer foot injury limited his performance in Tokyo and he has nursed himself back to the top with a memorable win at the 40th Great North Run.
The opening 5km sections were covered in 14:28 and14:41, before a 14:15 split to 15km saw the race gear up into a memorable tussel with the Kenyan rival.
Scott looked happy as he negotiated the challenging, hilly finish and enjoyed the praise of the spectators as he clocked 61:22.
Cheserek finished nine seconds back and ahead of Galen Rupp who won the chase for third as he clocked 61:52. Britain’s Jake Smith (handicap -6.9) ran 61:54 for fourth, while Emile Cairess (handicap -6.5) made an impressive half-marathon debut with 61:57 for fifth. Olympic marathon bronze medallist Bashir Abdi was next in 62:08 and Australian Olympian, Stewart McSweyn ran 62:52.
Helen Obiri and Eilish McColgan (handicap -3.9) separated themselves from the field at 5km. Obiri, the Olympic silver medallist made the first of a number of attempts to shake off her British challenger before the 5 mile mark. By 10km, reached in 32:02, they were still together and 20 seconds ahead of the chasers. Locked together until the final kilometre, McColgan had to give way and Obiri won in 67:42, six seconds ahead of McColgan who went to third on the British all-time rankings with her time of 67:48.
Charlotte Purdue (handicap -2.9) , produced a gritty surge for 68:49 for third ahead of the London Marathon on October 3rd.
A week after her Welsh 5km record, Charlotte Arter (handicap -2.4) ran 71:11, ahead of Olympic marathon bronze medallist Molly Seidel (71:55).
Report and photos from the BBC are here
UK runbritain rankings for endurance events and age groups
Other results from the weekend are on the following links: