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Lead Stories: Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Radcliffe to Contest Great South Run

Posted October 9th, 2008 at 9:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Paula Radcliffe British Flag Britain’s Paula Radcliffe will test the progress of her marathon training by competing in the BUPA Great South Run in Portsmouth, England, on October 26, organizers Nova International announced today.

“It is excellent news Paula’s first appearance since the Olympics will be on British soil,” commented David Hart, the communications director of the ten mile race where the fastest-ever women’s time was 51:00 set by Irishwoman Sonia O’Sullivan in 2002.

Although widely regarded as one of the world’s best-ever road runners, Radcliffe has not contested a ten mile race during her professional career. As a teenager in 1990 she recalled running a U.K. championship race over the distance and “squeezed under the hour,” she said. However, when she ran her career best over the half-marathon distance in the BUPA Great North Run in 2002, she passed the ten mile mark in an unofficial 50:01, according to records kept by BBC statistician Mark Butler, one of the fastest ten mile times ever recorded by a woman.
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Kebede & Wami Win Great North Run

Posted October 5th, 2008 at 11:45 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

Olympic medalists Tsegaye Kebede and Gete Wami of Ethiopia were victorious at today’s BUPA Great North Run from Newcastle to South Shields, England, the world’s largest half-marthon.

Kebede, the Beijing Olympic bronze medalist in the marathon, beat compatriot Gebre Gebremariam by a wide margin. Clocking 59:45, he was the only athlete to break the one hour mark on the slightly downhill course. Gebremariam was alone in second place in 1:00:29, while American Abdi Abdirahman narrowly edged 2007 world marathon champion Luke Kibet of Kenya, 1:01:33 to 1:01:34, for third.
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Caine To Recruit Athletes for Nova International

Posted December 13th, 2007 at 4:11 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results

Nova International, which produces Britain’s Great Run series of road races, has tapped Andy Caine to be their elite race manager following the departure of Matt Turnbull. Caine, a Scotsman, will recruit all professional athletes for events like the BUPA Great North Run, BUPA Great Manchester 10-K, and BUPA Great Capital Run.

“It really is a dream job as far as any career goes in my opinion,” Caine wrote in an e-mail message. “It will also be a tough one. I’ve got some big boots to fill, but I’d like to think my past 12 years competing and my time at Nike will give me the skills required to make a big impact.”
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Olympian Jon Brown Changes Allegiance to Canada

Posted November 14th, 2007 at 6:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Jon Brown, twice fourth at the Olympic Marathon wearing the vest of Great Britain, has switched his allegiance to Canada. A long-time resident of British Columbia, Brown had already possessed a Candian passport but still ran for Britain.

“I no longer will be representing Great Britain in athletic competition,” said the 36 year-old athlete in an e-mail message sent to the Race Results Weekly office. “Instead I will now be running for Canada.”

A three-time Olympian for Britain, Brown still holds the British record for 10,000m, 27:18.14, set in Brussels in 1998. His best times at the standard distances are 7:45.41 for 3000m, 13:19.03 for 5000m, 61:49 for the half-marathon and 2:09:31 for the marathon.
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