News29 Sep 2007


Farah flies past Kipchoge; Cheruiyot beats Melkamu in Newcastle

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Mo Farah (GBR) wins 3km Road Race in Newcastle (© Mark Shearman)

On the eve of the Great North Run half marathon (30 Sep), Britain’s European XC champion Mo Farah established a new British best performance over 3km at today's BUPA Great North road races in Newcastle.

Confidence boost
 
Farah biding his time until 150 metres from the finish line, stormed past Kenya’s 2003 World gold and 2007 World silver 5000m track medallist Eliud Kipchoge to claim victory in a time of 7:56.3.

Last year's European 5000m track silver medallist finished sixth in this race two years ago on which occasion Kipchoge won but after leading throughout the race today the Kenyan had no answer to Farah's late charge for the line.

Kipchoge recorded 7:58.1, with France’s Bob Tahri, fifth at the 3000m Steeplechase at the World Championships in Osaka, third in 8:01.3.

"I expected it to be a slow first 1500m and it was, which suited me," said Farah who was on Kipchoge's tail as he passed the bell after the first lap in 3:58. Farah was third last Saturday over 3000m at the World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany, when he also defeated Kipchoge (6th) and defending champion Craig Mottram (4th) - the Australian also finished fourth today.

"That convinced me I could do it again," said Farah. "Eliud made it hard throughout, but I felt comfortable and always believed I would be able to take him towards the finish. Beating these guys has been good for my confidence and it was a great way to end my summer season. Now I'm planning a short rest, before going to Potchestroom (South Africa) to start preparing for the defence of my European Cross Country title in December."

Cheruiyot takes easy win

In the women’s 3km, Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot was the only overseas winner of day easily taking the win ahead of Ethiopia's Meselech Melkamu and Britain’s Kate Reed.

The Kenyan World 5000m silver medallist, and the second fastest runner all-time on the track over 5000, hit the front with 800m remaining, and won in 9:02.7.

Melkamu, no slouch herself being the second fastest runner of all-time indoors at 3000m, clocked 9:09.5 for second, with Reed who led for most of the race finishing third in 9:10.2.

Mile race victories go to hosts

As well as Farah’s win in the 3km, British athletes took the honours in the two Mile races thanks to the running of Andy Baddeley and Lisa Dobriskey.

Like Farah, both used powerful kicks to clinch victories respectively in 4:06.9 and 4:37.6 on the Newcastle-Gateshead quayside course.

That's my 15th race in 16 weeks, so yes I'm tired," said Baddeley, a World Championship 1500m finalist, who outkicked Olympic bronze medallist Rui Silva of Portugal (4:07.5), and Spain’s Juan Carlos Higuero (4:08.5), the European Indoor champion.

Dobriskey, the Commonwealth champion, who went to the World Championships not fully recovered from a foot injury, also relied upon her speed when defeating Sonja Roman and fellow Brit Katrina Wootton in the women's Mile.

Roman from Slovakia led for almost the entire race, before Dobriskey attacked with less than 200m remaining to pull away and win in 4:37.6, with a margin of 1.2sec on Roman, and Wootton finishing in 4:40.3.

Dave Martin (PA Sport) for the IAAF

Results

Men

Mile
1, A Baddeley (GBR) 4:06.9
2, R Silva (POR) 4:07.5
3, J-C Higuero (ESP) 4:08.5
4, V Shabunin (RUS) 4:08.8
5, S Davies (GBR) 4:09.1
6, T Humphries (GBR) 4:09.4
7, C Parr (GBR) 4:09.8
8, D Campbell (IRE) 4:11.4

3km
1, M Farah (GBR) 7:56.3
2, E Kipchoge (Kenya) 7:58.1
3, B Tahri (FRA) 8:01.3
4, C Mottram (AUS) 8:01.6
5, C Birmingham (AUS) 8:10.5
6, A Goucher (USA) 8:11.8
7, J Espana (ESP) 8:15.6
8, C Davies (GBR) 8:17.2
19, D Lashyn (UKR) 8:54.1

Women

Mile
1, L Dobriskey (GBR) 4:37.6
2, S Roman (SVK) 4:38.8
3, K Wootton (GBR) 4:40.3
4, B Lyne (GBR) 4:41.1
5, I Fuentes Pila (POR) 4:44.3
6, J Simpson (GBR) 4:46.8
7, F Fullerton (GBR) 4:47.8
8, J Varga (HUN) 4:48.5

3km
1, V Cheruiyot (KEN) 9:02.7
2, M Melkamu (ETH) 9:09.5
3, K Reed (GBR) 9:10.2
4, J Augusto (POR) 9:14.7
5, O Kratsova (BEL) 9:17.7
6, H Clitheroe (GBR) 9:18.0
7, Y Volkova (RUS) 9:28.3
8, C Casandra (ROM) 9:29.5

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