Man, what a run by Huds

May 21 2007 By The Evening Chronicle

Ian Hudspith ran his fastest 10k for 11 years when he finished an excellent 10th in yesterday's BUPA Great Manchester Run.

The Morpeth Harrier left many of the country's leading distance runners in his wake as he come home in 29min 8sec to equal his best-ever time for the distance, which he ran in 1996.

Conditions were near perfect as Hudspith settled down behind the leading group, which included European cross country champion Mo Farah, Kenya's Micha Kogo, the world's fastest 10k runner this year, and defending champion and world cross-country champion Zersenay Tadesse (Eritrea).

While victory went to Kogo in a new UK All-Comers' record, with Tadesse in second and Farah third, Hudspith battled his way to a very creditable 10th and was the fifth British athlete to finish.

Hudspith, who now has the Blaydon Race as his next target, said: "I was very pleased with that. It was one of the strongest fields ever assembled with a host of overseas athletes among the line-up, so to equal my best-ever time for the distance of 11 years ago shows I am in reasonably good shape.

"I know there will be a few Africans in the Blaydon again but I hope to do as well as I did four years ago, when I finished in third place."

Morpeth's Chris Sampson ran a personal best of 31:11 for 48th position, while Farah's personal best time of 28:07 was the fastest by a British athlete for 11 years.

Jo Pavey held off the challenge of Hungary's Aniko Kalovics to win the women's race in 31:47, with Kenya's Rita Jeptoo in third place.

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; 13 I Galan (Spain) 29:12; 14 D Robinson (GB) 29:12; 15 R Russell (GB) 29:16; 18 S Hepples (GB) 29:31; 48 C Sampson (Morp) 31:11.