Great RunSeries Goes Down Under
15/12/2008
The inaugural HBA Great Australian Run was held in Melbourne last month, joining the network of 'Great Run Events' that take place across the globe.
As well as the hugely popular Great Run series that is staged each year across the UK in venues such as Manchester, Newcastle and London, the mass participation running series also includes the Great Ireland Run in Dublin and Africa's biggest mass participation run, the Great Ethiopian Run.
The newest addition - the HBA Great Australian Run in Melbourne, which took place on November 30th, saw athletics legend Haile Gebreselassie win in 42 minutes 40 seconds - his best time of the year over this distance, despite having to compete with some serious jet lag. Patrick Makau of Kenya came in second place with a time of 43 minutes 15 seconds and Australia's Collis Birmingham crossed the finish line in 43 minutes 35 seconds to take third place, beating Aussie favourite, Olympian Craig Mottram.
Two-time world marathon champion Catherine Ndereba was the first woman to cross the finish line. The Kenyan won easily in a time of 50 minutes 43 seconds, well ahead of New Zealand's Alice Mason, who completed the race in 51 minutes 27 seconds. Australian Lisa Weightman came a close third in a time of 51 minutes 31 seconds.
Brendan Foster, founder of the world's biggest half marathon, the Bupa Great North Run, said: "The HBA Great Australia run has been created with the same intentions and objectives as the Bupa Great North Run - to create a truly unique atmosphere by having elites and amateurs running together at the same time, enjoying exercising and being active."
It is hoped that the HBA Great Australian Run will be a permanent annual fixture in the long list of 'Great Run Events' world - wide.