Flying finish ensures Alex Teuten sets fantastic new mark in Great Manchester Run. Southsea athlete gives Kenyan talent Stanley Biwott a big scare

Alex Teuten was delighted with his Great Manchester Run debut as he finished eighth and was the third British athlete home.
Alex Teuten set a new 10k personal best with a superb run in Manchester. Picture: Duncan ShepherdAlex Teuten set a new 10k personal best with a superb run in Manchester. Picture: Duncan Shepherd
Alex Teuten set a new 10k personal best with a superb run in Manchester. Picture: Duncan Shepherd

The 27-year-old, from Southsea, has been running into excellent form and a fantastic 5k personal best of 13min 51sec in Ipswich recently saw him come into the race feeling confident.

He knew he would be up against some world class international stars but set out with intent to mix it at the front of the field.

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That brave approach paid off and even though he suffered a stitch that knocked him back he managed to regather himself and storm home in a new personal best time of 29min 35sec.

The Southampton club racer also featured on the BBC television coverage of the event with his fast finish, chasing down Kenyan Stanley Biwott, a 2.03 marathon runner and former Paris Marathon champion.

Teuten said: ‘Manchester is a first for me, having completed Great South and Great Ireland events in the past. It didn’t disappoint! I knew I was in pretty good shape after a strong showing at the Ipswich 5k last week.

‘However the race unravelled a bit at 3k when I picked up a stitch and had to fall off the group I was in to let it settle. Fortunately it did and I was able to close back up, however the pace was not especially quick up to 7k (21 minutes). So I started winding it up from there and slowly whittled down the group from about 15 to four.

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‘I ended up running side-by-side with Dan Studley for the last mile, a friendly rival of mine, which was enjoyable.

‘The fast pace meant we closed on three of the Kenyans who fell away at the end.

‘I went past Weynay Gebrselassie and Abdi Ulad and had a great battle with Biwott (second in the London Marathon 2016, beating Mo Farah, and the winner of the Paris Marathon in 2012). But he ultimately held on by half a metre. It was a great race and experience.’

Teenage Ugandan talent Jacob Kiplimo took the win in a staggering time of 27.31 –  the fourth-fastest time for 10k on the roads this year – with Nick Goolab the first British athlete in fourth place with 28.40. 

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Since hosting its first race in 2003, the Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run has quickly grown to become one of the most popular events on Britain’s running calendar and Europe’s biggest 10k race.

There is also a half marathon with the races taking in the city centre and passing several of Manchester’s most recognisable landmarks, such as Old Trafford, before ending at Deansgate.

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