The Great South Run is an annual 10 mile (16.09 km) road running race which takes place in Portsmouth, United Kingdom providing an intermediate distance between the ten kilometre and the half marathon (21.097 km) runs. Launched in 1990, it is part of the Great Run series created by former British athlete Brendan Foster.[1] It was originally held in Southampton, but the race moved to its current course after the first edition.[2]

Great South Run
DateMid-October
LocationPortsmouth, United Kingdom
Event typeRoad
Distance10 mile (16.09 km)
Primary sponsorAJ Bell
Established1990
Course recordsMen:
Kenya Joseph Ebuya 45:15
Women:
United Kingdom Eilish McColgan 50:43
Official siteGreat South Run
2017 Finishers Great South Run medal

The Great South Run has become one of Europe's most popular mass participation races over 10 miles, with a record 21,000 entries for the 2009 race.[3] Although the elite race is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race which attracts some of the most successful professional runners,[4] it is not a recognised distance for purposes of IAAF records.[5] World record holder Paula Radcliffe and 2007 World Champion Luke Kibet are among the past winners. The event is currently sponsored by AJ Bell. Previous sponsors have been ExpressTest by Cignpost Diagnostics (2021), Simplyhealth (2017-2019), Morrisons (2015),[2] Bupa (1993–2014) and Diet Coke (1990–1992). The 2016 and 2022 races did not have a major sponsor.

The 1999 edition of the race was selected to be the Amateur Athletic Association 10-mile championships that year.[6] In 2021, British runner Eilish McColgan set the current women's record of 50:42.[7] Paula Radcliffe won the women's race in 2008 in a time of 51 minutes 11 seconds, a new British record.[8] Kenyan runner Joseph Ebuya won the 2010 edition in 45:15 minutes, which was a significant improvement upon the previous UK all-comers record held by the 1995 winner Benson Masya.[9]

Channel 5 broadcast the Great South Run every year until 2019. The event is currently untelevised.

Past winners

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Previous course record holder Sonia O'Sullivan took consecutive wins in 2002–2003.
 
Mo Farah won the race in 2009.

Key:   Course record

Edition Year Date Men's winner Time (m:s) Women's winner Time (m:s)
1st 1990   Marti ten Kate (NED) 47:52   Alison Gooderham (GBR) 56:09
2nd 1991   Thomas Naali (TAN) 47:11   Olga Bondarenko (URS) 53:16
3rd 1992   Boay Akonay (TAN) 47:04   Iulia Negura (ROM) 53:19
4th 1993   Gary Staines (GBR) 46:11   Iulia Negura (ROM) 53:01
5th 1994   Gary Staines (GBR) 47:00   Gitte Karlshøj (DEN) 54:49
6th 1995   Benson Masya (KEN) 45:56   Liz McColgan (GBR) 53:12
7th 1996   Gary Staines (GBR) 46:57   Derartu Tulu (ETH) 52:39
8th 1997   Christopher Kelong (KEN) 46:53   Liz McColgan (GBR) 52:00
9th 1998   Stéphane Franke (GER) 47:40   Marian Sutton (GBR) 54:17
10th 1999 19 September   Simon Kasimili (KEN) 47:42   Esther Kiplagat (KEN) 54:42
11th 2000 26 November (rescheduled after event cancelled in September due to flooding)   Gert Thys (RSA) 48:26   Restituta Joseph (TAN) 55:10
12th 2001 14 October   Khalid Skah (MAR) 46:17   Restituta Joseph (TAN) 52:36
13th 2002 8 September   Simon Kasimili (KEN) 47:27   Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL) 51:00
14th 2003 12 October   John Yuda (TAN) 46:35   Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL) 53:26
15th 2004 10 October   Hendrick Ramaala (RSA) 47:14   Benita Johnson (AUS) 52:32
16th 2005 9 October   John Yuda (TAN) 46:45   Derartu Tulu (ETH) 51:27
17th 2006 22 October   Simon Arusei (KEN) 47:17   Jo Pavey (GBR) 52:46
18th 2007 28 October   Luke Kibet (KEN) 47:31   Rose Cheruiyot (KEN) 53:44
19th 2008   Bernard Kipyego (KEN) 46:42   Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 51:11
20th 2009   Mo Farah (GBR) 46:25   Inês Monteiro (POR) 52:32
21st 2010   Joseph Ebuya (KEN) 45:15   Grace Momanyi (KEN) 52:03
22nd 2011   Leonard Komon (KEN) 46:18   Aselefech Mergia (ETH) 52:55
23rd 2012   Stephen Mokoka (RSA) 46:40   Jo Pavey (GRB) 53:01
24th 2013   Emmanuel Bett (KEN) 48:03   Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 53:53
25th 2014   James Rungaru (KEN) 46:31   Belaynesh Oljira (ETH) 52:40
26th 2015   Moses Kipsiro (UGA) 46:00   Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 51:17
27th 2016   Chris Thompson (GBR) 47:23   Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 51:49
28th 2017   Chris Thompson (GBR) 48:32   Gemma Steel (GBR) 55:25
29th 2018   Chris Thompson (GBR) 46:56   Eilish McColgan (GBR) 54:43
30th 2019   Marc Scott (GBR) 46:57   Eilish McColgan (GBR) 51:38
2020 Event cancelled due to COVID-19
31st 2021   Jack Rowe (GBR) 47:20   Eilish McColgan (GBR) 50:43
32nd 2022   Ben Connor (GBR) 47:19   Lily Partridge (GBR) 54:29
33rd 2023   Zak Mahamed (ETH) 46:41   Lily Partridge (GBR) 54:05
2024 Event cancelled due to high winds and rain[10]

References

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General
Specific
  1. ^ IAAF back Nova International in street racing initiative[permanent dead link]. Great Run (18 May 2009). Retrieved on 25 October 2009.
  2. ^ a b History and Tradition Archived 2 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Great Run. Retrieved on 25 October 2009.
  3. ^ Hedley, Nicola (19 October 2009). Kibet seeks another victory in Portsmouth. IAAF. Retrieved on 25 October 2009.
  4. ^ Ndereba to headline women's 10-miler field in Portsmouth. IAAF (29 September 2009). Retrieved on 25 October 2009.
  5. ^ "Gebrselassie approaching Record for Running Records". International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). 16 March 2006. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  6. ^ British Road Race Championships – Great South Run winners. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 25 October 2009.
  7. ^ "O'Sullivan carves up World 10 Mile best in Portsmouth | NEWS | World Athletics". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  8. ^ Superb Radcliffe wins Great South. BBC Sport (26 October 2008). Retrieved on 25 October 2009.
  9. ^ Martin, Dave (24 October 2010). Ebuya clocks the fastest ever 10 Miles in UK. IAAF. Retrieved on 24 October 2010.
  10. ^ https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2024-10-19/great-south-run-cancelled-due-to-high-winds-and-rain
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