Big win for Bekele

ETHIOPIAN STAR WINS AS CHRIS THOMPSON AND LILY PARTRIDGE GAIN NATIONAL TITLES AND JAKE SMITH SETS U23 RECORD

- STEVE SMYTHE

KENENISA BEKELE won Britain’s top spring half marathon to prove his 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon race preparations are on course and Lily Partridge did likewise in the women’s race.

The fact Bekele broke Mo Farah’s course record is rather an irrelevance in a race that has been run just twice before, and in previously variable weather conditions, but far more telling was the way he floated alone in the second half to a time of 60:22 despite the blustery conditions. It must give the Ethiopian heart for next month when he returns to the capital to take on Eliud Kipchoge.

Sadly, the race initially built up as a Bekele v Farah showdown and then a Bekele v his replacement Lawrence Cherono was waylaid by injuries to both.

However, for half the distance, Bekele did not have it all his own way in unusual conditions for this past month. Following recent stormy weekends, 16,000 runners set off from near Tower Bridge on a very cool, sunny Sunday morning.

The Ethiopian – in terms of records and titles arguably the world’s greatest distance runner – was easily on course for a sub-hour run as he passed 5km in 14:00 after Chris Thompson blasted a 4:24 opening mile.

Alongside Bekele were the Brit and Midlands cross-country champion Omar Ahmed (14:01), even though the latter was not officially on the elite start lists.

In the second 5km, the pace slowed but Thompson still went through in 28:34 ahead of Bekele’s 28:35, times that win the vast majority of 10km races, and they were still short of halfway.

Thompson even surged clear at one stage when Bekele eased back at a drinks station and also took ground when his rival had trouble with some of the sharp bends.

Soon after, however, the Briton seemed to pay for his burst and slowed, with 4:50 for the seventh mile. Bekele quickly caught him up and then pushed on alone.