There's no stopping for Keitany: Mary cruises to third Great North Run win

MARATHON-GBR-GREAT NORTH RUN Kenya's Mary Keitany wins the women's elite race of the Great North Run half-marathon in South Shields, north east England on September 10, 2017. The Great North Run is Britain's largest running event with more than 50,000 participants covering the 13.1 miles from Newcastle to South Shields. / AFP PHOTO

World recorder holder in women-only marathon bags memorable victory.

Kenya's Mary Keitany won her third Great North Run title yesterday in the third fastest women's time in the race's history.

Keitany broke clear of the pack in the opening stages and set a tough pace as she finished in one hour five minutes 59 seconds, one minute and 45 seconds clear of fellow Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot, who won the English race last year.

Caroline Kipkirui, who pushed hard to keep pace with compatriot Keitany up until the eight-mile mark, finished third in 1:09:52.

At the same time, Britain's Mo Farah was victorious in the men's category for a record-breaking fourth successive year.

Farah, a four-time Olympic champion, saw off a determined challenge from New Zealand's Jake Robertson in the closing stages of the race to finish in one hour and six seconds.

The 34-year-old is the first athlete to win the Great North Run four times in a row.

He is now level in terms of most victories with Kenya's Benson Masya, who was champion four times in the 1990s.

Elsewhere, Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei became the first woman to run under 30 minutes after she smashed the world record at Prague Grand Prix 10 kilometre at the weekend.

The 23-year-old, clocked 29:43 to break through the 30-minute barrier and shattered her own record of 30:04 she set in the Czech capital in April. She recorded a world best for 5km of 14:33 on her way to the memorable victory.

This outstanding performance marked the fifth world record of the year for Jepkosgei, who set new times in four races: 10km, 15km, 20km, and the half marathon.

President Uhuru Kenyatta led Kenyans in sending congratulatory messages to Jepkosgei.

"Congratulations Joyciline Jepkosgei for breaking the world 10km record at the 2017 Birell Prague Grand Prix. You have done our country proud," Uhuru wrote on his official Twitter account.

Jepkosgei, who ventured into running while still a student at Cheptil High School, said she never relented even after failing to make the team to the London World Championships.

"I felt bad after missing out. I wasn't in great shape during the national trials," said Jepkosgei.

"So, together with my coach Nicholas Koech (also her husband), we went back to the drawing board and planned how to attack the 10k world record. We planned and worked extremely hard for it.

"Coming to Prague, I was very confident of breaking the world record, my second this year. It also feels good for President Kenyatta to recognise my performance after he congratulated me on his Twitter account. I feel motivated."

Kenya's Fancy Chemutai was second in her lifetime best of 30:06, while 2016 race winner Violah Jepchumba, a Kenyan-born Bahranian, was third in 30:25.

It was a 1-5 finish for Kenyans in the corresponding men's race, with 22-year old Bernard Kimeli producing a world-leading 27:10 to win ahead of his compatriot Mathew Kimeli, who had 27:11. Rhonex Kipruto was third.