by There was a Kenyan double in a soggy Great North Run with contrasting victories for Mary Ngugi-Cooper and Abel Kipchumba.
Ngugi-Cooper was part of a leading group of six who stayed together almost to the end, with the 35-year-old edging Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi in the sprint.
Ngugi-Cooper is the 11th consecutive Kenyan winner of the women’s event, but has strong links to the United Kingdom. She is based in Leeds with her British husband and is coached by Steve Cram.
She told the BBC: “It was incredible. I’ve always dreamed of coming and running here in the Great North Run. Winning it is a dream come true. It was a little tough mentally because no one was giving up and you get to the last kilometer and everyone is there.
Britain’s Eilish McColgan was in the lead group and crossed the line in fifth position, five seconds behind Ngugi-Cooper, whose winning time was one hour, seven minutes and 40 seconds.
“I’m really happy with this,” Scot McColgan said. “It was a really tough field that was put together this year, so to be among those women and still be there with 200 meters to go, if you would have told me that last week I would have broken your hand.”
The men’s race was a one-man show, Kipchumba broke away from the start and defied the wet conditions to cross the finish line in 59 minutes 52 seconds.
Briton Marc Scott, winner of the event in 2021, dominated Norwegian Sondre Moen to finish second, one minute and 19 seconds behind.
There were home winners in the wheelchair events at Jade Hall and Johnboy Smith.
Hall was making her comeback after giving birth to her daughter in March and said: “I wasn’t really sure how it was going to go. The weather was tough today but I really enjoyed it.
“It was really difficult. I feel like I have a different body now and I’m learning how it works for me.
Smith said: “It was a good race, very, very difficult. Wet, cold, miserable, but fun at the same time.
