60,000 heroes put city in the spotlight

RUNNERS LACED UP FOR FAMOUS HALF-MARATHON

- By BARBARA HODGSON

THE world spotlight was on Tyneside yesterday as 60,000 people for the 44th Great North Run.

Newcastle city centre was buzzing from early morning as runners made their way to the start on the Central Motorway and the atmosphere was similarly building in South Shields well ahead of the finish.

Starting later than the elite runners some of them hours later were floods of runners who between them would raise an estimated £25m for charities.

Among the celebrities lining up there for action - which began with Newcastle United stars Jacob Murphy and goalie Nick Pope, this year's race starters, ringing the bell was Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes who told how race founder Sir Brendan Foster had been trying to get her to take part in the Great North Run for the past 21 years.

"I have actually started the run off before so I know how fantastic it is as an event," she said. She said she loved the pre-run buzz and being "immersed in it among the other runners" who were running it for personal reasons or for charity, she added.

And the champion, who won double Olympic gold in the 800 and 1,500 metres at the Athens Olympics in 2004, was looking forward to getting a medal at the end like everyone else. "I'm going to be proud - I'm proud of every medal!"