Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir wins Great North Run half marathon

Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir triumphed in the women’s race at the Great North Run half marathon with a remarkable time of 1:06:45 ahead of the World Athletics Road Running Championships.

Jepchirchir, who set a women-only world record at the 2020 World Half Marathon Championships, left her competitors in awe.

Peres Jepchirchir surge

For the women, Jepchirchir surged ahead and secured a remarkable victory in the challenging conditions, outpacing her fellow New York Marathon winner Sharon Lokedi, who finished second in 1:07:43. Britain’s Charlotte Purdue, who finished third in 2021, repeated her performance and prepared for her upcoming Berlin Marathon bid.

Jepchirchir expressed her determination, stating, “I decided to run by myself,” as she prepares for the World Athletics Road Running Championships and her return to the New York City Marathon alongside Lokedi.

In the men’s category, Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola secured victory with a stellar performance, completing the race in 59:58. Tola’s superb run marked a strong comeback after narrowly missing out on retaining his world marathon title just two weeks earlier.

British long-distance legend Mohamed Farah concluded his illustrious career with a respectable fourth-place finish, crossing the finish line in 1:03:28.

Although he aspired to reach the podium in his final race, he faced stiff competition from the top three, all of whom boast Olympic and world medals.

Mo Farah

Tola and Farah set the pace at 5km, leading a group of seven athletes with a time of 14:11. Tola made his move on the downhill stretch, displaying the form that eluded him in the closing stages of the Budapest marathon.

His remarkable performance allowed him to break away from the competition.

In the end, Tamirat Tola emerged victorious, clocking in at under one hour. Bashir Abdi claimed second place with a time of 1:01:20, followed by Muktar Edris in third with 1:01:54.

Among the countless inspiring stories in the mass race, British runner Jim Roberts stood out as he completed the half marathon untethered, setting a unique record with a time of 2:08:25.

In his post-race interview, Mohamed Farah reflected on his illustrious career, saying, “All I know is running, and that’s what made me happy for so many years.”