East Africans may have been shut out at the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, which ended Sunday, September 13. But the same cannot be said about the Great North Run, a half-marathon.
Former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei of Kenya clocked a one-hour, six-minutes, and 15-seconds finish time for the win over fellow Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui, who finished over two minutes back in 1:08:19. Ethiopian Melknat Wudu placed third in 1:09:37.
The top British runner was Amy-Eloise Neale, who finished fifth in 1:10:27
Meanwhile, the top three men were Zouhir Talbi from the USA, who is the only athlete to run sub-60 minutes with his 59:47 win. The 31-year-old former Moroccan finished just six seconds off his personal best, which he set in New York in March.
Alex Mutiso Munyao took second in 1:00:01, while Yohei Ikeda of Japan finished in 1:00:40 for third.
The top British athlete was Marc Scott, who finished in eighth position with a time of 1:02.10.
The Great North Run takes place in the North East of England, following a 21.195 kilometre half marathon route from Newcastle upon
Tyne to the coastal town of South Shields.
Results
Women
| PLACE | NAME | COUNTRY | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brigid Kosgei | KEN | 1:06:15 |
| 2 | Sheila Chepkirui | KEN | 1:08:19 |
| 3 | Melknat Wudu | ETH | 1:09:37 |
| 4 | Honami Maeda | JPN | 1:09:43 |
| 5 | Amy-Eloise Neale | GBR | 1:10:27 |
| 6 | Natosha Rogers | USA | 1:11:44 |
| 7 | Annabel Gummow | GBR | 1:12:37 |
| 8 | Nancy Scott | GBR | 1:12:51 |
| 9 | Amelia Quirk | GBR | 1:13:09 |
| 10 | Rebecca Weston | GBR | 1:13:51 |
| 11 | Shiori Zama | JPN | 1:14:46 |
| 12 | Rio Einaga | JPN | 1:15:20 |
| 13 | Evie Warren | GBR | 1:16:37 |
| 14 | Lucy Morrison | GBR | 1:17:26 |
| 15 | Claire Frankland | GBR | 1:17:42 |
| 16 | Grace Tindall | GBR | 1:18:11 |
| 17 | Hannah Lewis | GBR | 1:18:24 |
| 18 | Christa Cain | GBR | 1:18:28 |
| 19 | Freya Ross | GBR | 1:18:33 |
| 20 | Mimi Corden-Lloyd | GBR | 1:19:03 |
Men
| PLACE | NAME | COUNTRY | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zouhair Talbi | USA | 59:47 |
| 2 | Alex Mutiso Munyao | KEN | 1:00:01 |
| 3 | Yohei Ikeda | JPN | 1:00:40 |
| 4 | Casey Clinger | USA | 1:01:36 |
| 5 | Kosei Matsunami | JPN | 1:01:59 |
| 6 | Shouya Yonei | JPN | 1:02:01 |
| 7 | Clayton Young | USA | 1:02:04 |
| 8 | Marc Scott | GBR | 1:02:10 |
| 9 | Joe Hudson | GBR | 1:02:22 |
| 10 | Yuki Takei | JPN | 1:02:50 |
| 11 | Andrew Butchart | GBR | 1:02:58 |
| 12 | Taiga Hirayama | JPN | 1:03:16 |
| 13 | Hugh Armstrong | IRL | 1:03:37 |
| 14 | Chris Coulson | GBR | 1:03:47 |
| 15 | Ayumu Kobayashi | JPN | 1:03:55 |
| 16 | Calum Johnson | GBR | 1:04:00 |
| 17 | Santiago Catrofe | URU | 1:04:15 |
| 18 | Killian Mooney | IRL | 1:04:48 |
| 19 | Callum Davidson | GBR | 1:05:32 |
| 20 | Kieran Walker | GBR | 1:05:34 |
