By Gary Anderson

September 15 - Mo Farah congratulates Kenenisa Bekele after the Ethiopian's win in the Great North RunTriple Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia saw off a thrilling late surge from Great Britain's double gold medallist Mo Farah to claim victory in the Bupa Great North Run in South Shields today, while his compatriot, the great Haile Gebrselassie finished third.

The much anticipated showdown between three of the most decorated distance runners in history, who between them have 12 World Championship titles and seven Olympic gold medals, did not disappoint the large crowds lining the streets in the North East of England, although a victory for Farah would have been what the majority of spectators would have been hoping for.

But it was the 5,000 metre and 10,000 metres world record holder Bekele who crossed the line first in a time of one hour and nine seconds, just a second ahead of the Briton whose legendary speed in the kick for home was not quite good enough to haul in the Ethiopian.

Bekele, Farah and two-time Olympic champion Gebrselassie matched each other stride for stride in the first half of the 13.1 mile race, but gradually the younger pair eased away from the veteran Gebrselassie, with the 40-year-old eventually coming home in third place clocking a world record time for over-40s of one hour 01min 41sec.

Three of the greatest distance runners of all-time Kenenisa Bekele (left) Mo Farah (centre) and Haile GebrselassieThree of the greatest distance runners of all-time: Kenenisa Bekele (left) Mo Farah (centre) and Haile Gebrselassie

















































Ahead of him, Bekele and Farah were left to fight out it out for the win, and Bekele made his decisive move with one mile to go when he surged ahead of the British athlete.

It looked as if Farah had no answer to Bekele's move but the 30-year-old from London put in a fantastic last 400m as he ate up the ground on the Ethiopian, but in a thrilling finish Bekele held on to claim the win in what was his first race at half marathon distance.

'It was amazing," said 31-year-old Bekele, who has also won a record 11 World Cross Country Championships.

"Since before the World Championships I was concentrating on training hard.

"I'm feeling confident, I trained well and in the end I did it."

Farah looks on forlornly as his late surge was not enough to reel in BekeleFarah looks on forlornly as his late surge was not enough to reel in Bekele






























































Farah, who completed the 5,000m and 10,000m double at the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Moscow last month, was disappointed not to have won in front of the home crowd, but acknowledged he had been beaten by one of the great athletes of all time.

"My main preparation was for the World Championships so I only had two to three weeks preparing for this race," said Farah.

"But at the same time I'm disappointed but I was second to a great athlete.

"When Kenenisa went with a mile to go, I thought the pace was ridiculous.

"I thought I could come back.

"It came to the last 200m, right to the line.

"It was a great race and a great finish."

Kenya's Priscah Jeptoo dominated the women's race to claim victory at the Great North RunKenya's Priscah Jeptoo dominated the women's race to claim victory at the Great North Run



























In the women's race, it was an all-African top three as 2012 Olympic Games silver medallist Priscah Jeptoo added to her London Marathon victory earlier this year, coming home in a time of 1:10:40, which was just five seconds outside the course record set by Britain's Paula Radcliffe 10 years previously and was also the third fastest women's half marathon time of all-time.

Jeptoo emulated Radcliffe's feat of winning both the London Marathon and Great North Run in the same year.

The 29-year-old finished ahead of Ethiopian pair Meseret Defar, who won 5,000m gold at London 2012 and triple Olympic champion and world 5,000m and 10,000m record holder Tirunesh Dibaba.

"That was amazing," said Jeptoo. 

"I watched the Ethiopian's on the track at the World Championships and saw how good they were.

"I trained hard to come here and beat them.

"They are tough runners.

"It was a great race."

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