Great North Run: Mo Farah wins again

Britain’s Mo Farah has won a record sixth successive Great North Run with a personal best time.

Farah, 36, finished in 59 minutes seven seconds after racing ahead of Ethiopian Tamirat Tola in the final mile.

Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, who won the London Marathon in April, set a new half marathon world record to take the women’s race in 1:04:28.

David Weir won his eighth wheelchair title, with Jade Jones-Hall making it a British double in the women’s race.

Farah – a two-time Olympic champion at both 5,000m and 10,000m – said the race was good preparation for the Chicago Marathon on 13 October, with Tokyo 2020 on the horizon.

“I’ve really enjoyed it but the past couple of years has been in the middle of marathon preparation. It was good to test myself,” he told BBC Sport after beating the record of Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who won five consecutive wheelchair titles.

“Things are looking good and I’m happy with the win. Tokyo is definitely on the cards – as an athlete you always want to represent your country.

“You just have to take it one year at a time. Hopefully, come Tokyo time, we will be in the mix.”

Behind Farah, Tola finished second in 59:13, with Dutchman Abdi Nageeye in third. Britain’s Callum Hawkins, 27, was fourth.

Kenya dominated the women’s race, claiming the top four places. Behind Kosgei’s record run, Magdalyne Masai finished second, with older sister Linet third and Mary Keitnay, last year’s champion, in fourth.

Charlotte Purdue set the third-fastest half marathon time by a British woman, finishing fifth in 1:08:10.

Britons were also strong in the wheelchair events, with Simon Lawson third behind Canadian Brent Lakatos in the men’s race.

Former women’s wheelchair champion Shelly Woods, who only returned to competition in May following the birth of her son in 2017, finished second behind compatriot Jones-Hall, with Poland’s Martyna Snopek third.

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