MANCHESTER, England, (Reuters) – World men’s marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie completed a fourth victory in the Great Manchester Run over 10 kms yesterday while Briton Helen Clitheroe won the women’s event.
The 38-year-old Ethiopian clocked 28 minutes 10 seconds on the loop course in cool, windy conditions with light rain in front of thousands of enthusiastic spectators.
“I like this race and its atmosphere. I would have liked to run faster but the wind was really uncomfortable,” said Gebrselassie.
Gebrselassie said his focus now was on a fast marathon later in the year in order to get a qualifying time for next year’s London Olympics. He said no decision had yet been made although he has previously indicated that he would like to race in the Berlin race where he set his world record of two hours three minutes 59 seconds.
Clitheroe, who the 3,000 metres gold medal at the European indoor championships last March, clocked 31:45.
Former world 100 and 200 metres champion Tyson Gay won a 150 metres race in 14.51 seconds ahead of fellow-American Darvis Patton.
