27:21 victory for Micah Kogo in Manchester (© Andy Brooks)
Micah Kogo, smashing Haile Gebrselassie's UK All-Comers' 10 kilometres record and Jo Pavey also winning a thriller, were crowned BUPA Great Manchester Run champions on Sunday morning.
Kogo the world's fastest 10km man this year with his 27:07 display in Brunsuum on April 1, showed his outstanding ability when beating Haile Gebrselassie's two-year-old time.
The 20-year-old Kenyan looking invincible from gun-to-tape, sliced four seconds from Gebrselassie's performance also set in Manchester, with an excellent performance of 27:21.
Behind him defending champion Zersenay Tadesse lowering his Eritrean record posted in his victory last year of 27:36, also beat the Ethiopian's mark by a second.
Mo Farah in third place was rewarded with a personal time of 28:07 - the fastest time by a British runner for 11 years.
Kogo took charge of the race after 5K (13:49), a very slow first kilometre wrecking the chances of the world class field chasing their primary target - Gebrselassie's 2002 World record of 27:02.
Insisting afterwards victory was more important than breaking records, Kogo and Tadesse broke clear, the confrontation developing into a two-horse battle with Farah bravely chasing the pace.
Kogo after low key celebrations following watching his favourite football team Chelsea win the English FA Cup the previous afternoon, set the seal on his victory between seven and eight kilometres.
The African really began to motor in his determination to get away from Tadesse, the reigning IAAF World Road Running and Cross Country champion and eventually opened a gap of 20 metres.
Kogo said: "That was hard and it was good to win against such a strong field. It is fantastic for me to break Gebrselassie's record.
"It would have been nice to attack his World record, but with so many good men in the field we were all watching each other and started very slowly.
"At 5K I decided to test everyone and then at 8K, decided it was the right place to make a long run for home which paid off."
Farah despite a solid showing, said: "It was good to get third place but I would have liked to have ran under 28 minutes. That's what I wanted to do here."
In nail-biter, Pavey produces narrow win over Kalovics
Pavey was thrilled after taking another major step upwards in her road racing career with a victory where she was chased to the line by Aniko Kalovics.
The 33-year-old Commonwealth 5000m silver medallist, brimming with confidence roared to a personal best time of 31:47 to narrowly win ahead of her Hungarian rival.
Pavey battling hard in the last 200m, had just a second to spare from the east European star at the finish, with Kenya's former Boston Marathon champion Rita Jeptoo third in 31:50.
"That was a hard race and really tested me particularly in the closing stages," said Pavey, quick to thank Kalovics for breaking up the field at the halfway point.
Pavey said: "She really put the boot in there and four of use pulled away from the rest of the field and made it a great race.
"I was feeling okay despite the pressure and in the last two kilometres decided to give it a go and began forcing the pace along."
Pavey who prepared for the race in South Africa combining her training with regular track sessions for the summer's outdoor season, benefited from the speed training.
She said: "With 400m remaining I tried to use my track speed and although initially I got away, I could hear Kalovics not far behind me.
"With 200m, I couldn't feel my legs and it was if I was starting to go the wrong way, but I managed to hold on.
"I just got there and it's great to have pulled off a win at this level. I'm really enjoying road running and of course winning just makes you feel that little bit better."
On a good day for British women, three more of them also managed to achieve top 10 finishes ahead of some very good overseas oppostion.
Kate Reed who forced the early pace, was fifth lowering her lifetime best by a minute to 32:22 while eight placed Michelle Ross-Cope cut her's by a minute-and-half to 32:41.
Commonwealth marathon bronze medallist Liz Yelling also enjoyed a good outing, finishing just a position Ross-Cope in 32:55.
David Martin (Press Association) for the IAAF
Leading Results:
Men -
1. M Kogo (Kenya) 27:21
2. Z Tadesse (Eritrea) 27;24
3. M Farah (GB) 28:07
4. J-M Martinez (Spain) 28:09
5. P Makau Musyoki (Kenya) 28:42
6. R Silva (Portugal) 28:50
7. M Geele (GB) 28:55
8. W Chinhanhu (GB) 29:03
9. J Ward (GB) 29:07
10. I Hudspith (GB) 29:08
11. Y Hychun (Ukraine) 29:11
12. D Webb (GB) 29:12
Women -
1. J Pavey (GB) 31:47
2. A Kalovics (Hungary) 31:48
3. R Jeptoo (Kenya) 31:50
4. J Prokopcuka (Latvia) 31:55
5. K Reed (GB) 32:22
6. A Aguilar (Spain) 32:26
7. N Berkut (Ukraine) 32:38
8. M Ross-Cope (GB) 32:41
9. L Yelling (GB) 32:55
10. J Augusto (Portugal) 32:56
11. J Wilkinson (GB) 33:36
12. L Grigoryeva (Russia) 33:59
