- Great Manchester Run
-
The Bupa Great Manchester Run is an annual 10 kilometre run through the streets in Manchester city centre, which was established in 2003. Usually held in mid-May, it is among the largest and most prestigious mass participation runs in the United Kingdom.[1] It is part of the Great Run series of road races in the UK and is sponsored by Bupa.
Contents
2007–2008
The 2007 race had an estimated 28,000 participants.[2] Briton Jo Pavey won the women's event while Kenyan Micah Kogo won the men's, beating the UK all-comers' record by four seconds with a finishing time of 27:25 minutes.[3] Celebrity participants included Kelly Holmes, Amir Khan and members of the cast of Coronation Street.[2][4]
The following year saw almost 25,000 runners complete the course. Pavey successfully defended her title at the event while Rose Cheruiyot and Bezunesh Bekele took second and third place respectively. Austrian Günther Weidlinger took the title in the men's race. Unusual for a distance dominated by African runners, the top three finishers in the men's race (which also included Ukrainian Serhiy Lebid and Sweden's Mustafa Mohamed) were all European competitors.[5][6]
2009 and Great City Games
Athletes completing a lap of honour on the 150 metre track after the City Games.
The race was upgraded to IAAF Gold Label Road Race status and the 2009 edition was expanded to include the Great City Games. Around 33,000 runners signed up for the 10 kilometres race and both events were contested on 17 May.[7]
Previous 10 km winner Haile Gebrselassie stated that he wanted to regain his UK All-Comers' record, which was broken by Micah Kogo's event winning run in 2007.[8] Despite a strong first half of the race, Gebrselassie failed to break the record after he was impeded by wet and windy conditions. Vivian Cheruiyot won the women's race in 32:01 minutes but conditions also slowed her time, much to her dissatisfaction. Brian Alldis and Shelly Woods won their respective men's and women's wheelchair races.[9]
The addition of The Great City Games brought much attention to the Great Run event.[10][11][12] Comprising a number of 150 metres races to be run on the streets near Manchester's Deansgate, Olympic Champions Usain Bolt and Christine Ohuruogu accepted invitations to compete.[13][14] Other competitors included Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, Ivory Williams, British Olympians Marlon Devonish and Donna Fraser, and a number of other British and Jamaican athletes.[15] Bolt suffered minor leg injuries after crashing his car near Kingston, Jamaica, but after cancelling a track meet and resuming training he stated that he would be fit to compete.[16][17] Bolt completed the distance in a world best time of 14.35 seconds while Ferguson-McKenzie won the women's race in 16.54 seconds.[18]
Past winners
Key: Course record
Edition Year Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s) 1st 2003 
Paul Tergat (KEN)28:48 
Berhane Adere (ETH)31:50 2nd 2004 
Craig Mottram (AUS)27:54 
Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL)32:12 3rd 2005 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)27:25 
Lornah Kiplagat (NED)31:28 4th 2006 
Zersenay Tadese (ERI)27:36 Berhane Adere (ETH)31:07 5th 2007 Micah Kogo (KEN)27:24 
Jo Pavey (GBR)31:41 6th 2008 
Günther Weidlinger (AUT)28:10 Jo Pavey (GBR)31:58 7th 2009 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)27:39 Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN)32:01 8th 2010 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)28:02 Werknesh Kidane (ETH)31:19 9th 2011 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)28:10 Helen Clitheroe (GBR)31:45 References
- General
- Tergat and Adere win inaugural Great Manchester Run. IAAF (2003-05-26). Retrieved on 2009-10-26.
- Powell, David (2004-05-24). O'Sullivan underlines her Olympic claims. The Times. Retrieved on 2009-10-26.
- Tadesse and Adere win, as numerous national 10km records fall in Manchester. IAAF (2006-05-21). Retrieved on 2009-10-26.
- Specific
- ^ BBC Programmes: Great Manchester Run (accessed 17 November 2007)
- ^ a b "Thousands take part in city run", BBC News (accessed 17 November, 2007)
- ^ "Pavey races to Manchester victory", BBC Sport (accessed 17 November, 2007)
- ^ Holmes set to race in Manchester, BBC Sport (accessed 17 November, 2007)
- ^ History and Tradition. Great Run. Retrieved on 2009-05-15.
- ^ Martin, Dave (2008-05-18). Pavey and Weidlinger take confident 10km race victories in Manchester. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-10-26.
- ^ Bolt to run on Manchester streets. BBC Sport (2009-05-18). Retrieved on 2009-05-15.
- ^ Gebrselassie returns to run 10km in Manchester. IAAF (2009-03-12). Retrieved on 2009-05-15.
- ^ Gebrselassie wins in Manchester. BBC Sport (2009-05-17). Retrieved on 2009-05-17.
- ^ Bringing track and field to the streets…Bolt to run 150 metres in Manchester. IAAF (2009-03-18). Retrieved on 2009-05-15.
- ^ Bolt to wait and see on street race. Associated Press (2009-05-06). Retrieved on 2009-05-16.
- ^ Broadbent, Rick (2009-03-19). Usain Bolt confirmed for Manchester but Dwain Chambers is out. The Times. Retrieved on 2009-05-16.
- ^ Bolt to run on Manchester streets (2009-03-18). Retrieved on 2009-05-15.
- ^ Ohuruogu to compete in Manchester. BBC Sport (2009-04-06). Retrieved on 2009-05-15.
- ^ City Games Athletes. Great Run. Retrieved on 2009-05-15.
- ^ Turnbull, Simon (2009-05-16). Bolt's back: The world's fastest man is ready to run again. The Independent. Retrieved on 2009-05-16.
- ^ Kessel, Anna (2009-05-01). Bolt hoping to run in Manchester despite car crash. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2009-05-16.
- ^ Bolt runs 14.35 sec for 150m; covers 50m-150m in 8.70 sec!. IAAF (2009-05-17). Retrieved on 2009-05-17.
External links
Annual 10 km road races Europe BOclassic · Corrida de Langueux · Dublin Women's Mini Marathon · Grand 10 Berlin · Great Manchester Run · Great Yorkshire Run · London 10,000 · Memorial Peppe Greco · Parelloop · San Silvestre Vallecana · Singelloop Utrecht · Tilburg Ten MilesNorth America Beach to Beacon 10K · Bellin Run · Bolder Boulder · Cooper River Bridge Run · Crescent City Classic · Crowley Road Race · Great Cow Harbor 10K · Midnight Sun Run · Monument Avenue 10K · New York Mini 10K · Peachtree Road Race · Pittsburgh Great Race · Run Hit Wonder · Vancouver Sun RunWorld See also: 15 km racesGreat Run road races Great Capital Run • Great Edinburgh Run • Great Edinburgh International Cross Country (Great Winter Run)
Great Manchester Run • Great North 10K • Great North Run • Great South Run • Great Yorkshire Run • Great Birmingham Run
Outside UK: Great Australian Run • Great Ethiopian Run • Great Ireland Run
IAAF Gold Label Road Races Xiamen International Marathon • Mumbai Marathon • Tokyo Marathon • World's Best 10K Race • Lake Biwa Marathon • Lisbon Half Marathon • Maratona di Roma • Seoul International Marathon • Prague Half Marathon • Paris International Marathon • London Marathon • Boston Marathon • Prague International Marathon • Great Manchester Run • World 10K Bangalore • Bogota International Half Marathon • Great North Run • Berlin Marathon • Portugal Half Marathon • Chicago Marathon • Beijing International Marathon • Delhi Half Marathon • Frankfurt Marathon • Great South Run • New York City Marathon • Fukuoka MarathonAthletics in the United Kingdom 
Major meetings London Grand Prix • British Grand Prix • Aviva Indoor Grand Prix • Aviva International Match • AAA ChampionshipsMajor road races Major cross country Antrim International Cross Country • Great Edinburgh International Cross Country • UK Cross ChallengeChampionships See also: Category:Athletics in the United Kingdom • Category:British athletesCategories:- 10K races
- Sport in Manchester
- Athletics competitions in England
- Recurring sporting events established in 2003
- Athletics in Greater Manchester
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