Record-breaking fifth consecutive victory for Sir Mo Farah in Great North Run
Sir Mo says swapping the track for the road has been a daunting transition, but he is beginning to feel more confident.
Sunday 9 September 2018 16:44, UK
Sir Mo Farah has won the Great North Run for a record-breaking fifth-consecutive time.
The Olympic champion led from the start, covering the half marathon, 13.1-mile course in 59 minutes and 26 seconds - just four seconds short of the personal best he set at the same event in 2015.
He triumphed by 30 seconds, shrugging off New Zealand's Jake Robertson in the final section of the course. Belgium's Bashir Abdi was third.
Despite his dominant performance, Sir Mo said he was tiring towards the end. "The conditions made it tough," he said.
"If they had been perfect as in previous years, I would definitely have run a lot faster. The last two miles, particularly the last one, were tough."
Sir Mo, who swapped the track for the road after the Rio Olympics in 2016, said it had been a daunting transition.
"When you're new to this, you do fear it," he explained.
"You don't know what to do. You almost cower in the corner. But I don't have that fear now. I have more confidence now, having run a couple of marathons."
Sir Mo heads to Chicago next month to try to secure his first major marathon title, and says he "can't wait".
"There is definitely a bit more work to do towards Chicago," he said.
"The aim was to use this as a test - play with the pace, go to the front and wait. So we're already thinking about what lies ahead and how to do it."
His aim is to "stay injury-free and stay focused and keep doing what I'm doing".
Favourite Vivian Cheruiyot saw off fellow Kenyan Brigid Kosgei to win her second women's title in 67 minutes and 43 seconds.
Britain's David Weir won the men's wheelchair race for the seventh time in his career, setting a course record of 41 minutes and 19 seconds.