Tulu claims Great North title

Derartu Tulu became the first Ethiopian woman to win the BUPA Great North Run with an emphatic victory.

The two-time Olympic 10,000metres champion left her rivals behind after nine and a half miles to win the world’s biggest half-marathon in one hour, seven minutes and 33 seconds.

Behind her there was a close battle for second place which eventually was claimed by Tulu’s compatriot Worknesh Kidane in one hour, eight mins and nine secs.

Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia finished two seconds down on the runner-up at the finish in South Shields.

Tulu said: “It has always been my ambition to win this event. I have tried two or three times before but on this occasion I knew I was coming into the race injury-free.

“Beating so many world-class athletes was a satisfying experience and, in fairness, beforehand I thought it would be a much harder race.”

David Weir took the men’s wheelchair title in 42mins 35secs, ahead of fellow Briton Tushar Patel who clocked 44:13. Germany’s Ralph Brunner finished third in 45:12.

Britain’s Shelly Woods claimed victory in the women’s wheelchair race in 50:07, with Italian Francesca Porcellato 39 seconds off her pace.

Last year’s winner, Sweden’s Gunilla Wallengren, failed in her bid for a fifth successive Great North title and finished third in 53:52.