Kenenisa Bekele beats Mo Farah to win Great North Run

London, Sep 16 (IANS)

Kenenisa Bekele (R) on his way to winning the Great North Run on September 15, 2013 in Gateshead, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele stunned local hero Mo Farah to win the Great North Run in a thrilling sprint finish.

The 30-year-old Farah, the double reigning world and Olympic champion, chased down Bekele in the last 400 meters but was beaten by one second here Sunday, reports Xinhua.

Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie was a distant third, after falling behind in the last of the 13.1 miles.

“I’m disappointed but I was second to a great athlete,” said Farah after finishing in one hour 10 seconds.

The three athletes, Farah, Bekele and Gebrselassie, boast 12 world titles and seven Olympic gold medals between them.

Gebrselassie, 40, could not keep apace with the younger pair but his time of 1:01:41 was a world record over the distance for over-40s.

Kenya’s Priscah Jeptoo clocked the third-fastest half marathon in history by a woman to win the women’s race.

The 29-year-old, this year’s London marathon winner and London 2012 silver medallist, was only five seconds slower than the 1:05:40 Britain’s Paula Radcliffe ran 10 years ago.

Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar came second in 1:06:09 ahead of compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba.