Fabled event celebrates 45th anniversary as US athlete lands a first, while Kenyan lays down an impressive marker and blister issues return to haunt Eilish McColgan.

Zouhair Talbi created a piece of history, while Brigid Kosgei underlined her return to form and Eilish McColgan suffered a painful morning as the AJ Bell Great North celebrated its 45th anniversary edition on Sunday (September 13) with some typically eventful elite races.

Making his debut at the event, Talbi became the first US winner in its history as he clocked a time of 59:47 in the warm and sunny conditions that was just outside his personal best and saw off the challenge of Kenya’s Alex Mutiso (60:01) and Japan’s Yohei Ikeda (60:40). 

The 31-year-old, who competed for Morocco at the Paris Olympics but became an American citizen in 2024, had been shoulder to shoulder with defending champion Mutiso for much of the race but timed his late charge perfectly, clocking 4:38 between miles 11 and 12, then dropping a 4:18 closing mile to hit the line first. 

This win continues a brilliant year for Talbi, who became the fastest US athlete in the history of the Boston Marathon back in April when finishing fifth in 2:03:15. He will now turn his attention to the New York Marathon in early November. 

Casey Clinger is also targeting New York and was the next US runner home over the route that runs from the centre of Newcastle to South Shields on England's North East coast, finishing fourth in 61:36, while his compatriot Clayton Young was seventh in 62:04.

Behind him came Marc Scott, finishing as first Briton in eighth with 62:10. He was followed by Joe Hudson in ninth (61:40), while Andrew Butchart was 11th in (62:28). Running 63:47 to finish 14th, Morpeth Harrier Chris Coulson secured the North East title, those championships being incorporated into the Great North Run for the first time. 

In the women’s race, Kosgei showed that she is a force to be reckoned with once again, the former marathon world record-holder winning by just over two minutes. Although she was shy of her own course record of 64:28 that she set seven years ago, the 32-year-old clocked 66:15 as she tunes up for a return to the Chicago Marathon. Defending champion Sheila Chepkirui was the woman that got closest to her, with 68:19, while Ethiopian Melknat Wudu was third in 69:37.

It's seven years since Kosgei ran 2:14:04, then the fastest performance by a woman over 26.2 miles, in Chicago, and though the 32-year-old followed it up with victories in London and Tokyo, as well as an Olympic silver medal, she has struggled with injury in recent years.

However, she broke the course record at the Tokyo Marathon with 2:14:29 in March and was certainly convincing in her latest appearance on UK soil.

The first Briton home was Amy-Eloise Neale, fifth in 70:27, as Eilish McColgan endured a frustrating morning. The Scot, third last year, had won the Big Half a week previously as she returned from a broken toe that had come along with the blister issues she struggled with at the London Marathon in April. 

She had been planning to be in contention again on Tyneside this time around but was forced to step off the course before the field had reached halfway. 

“Tough day for me, not through injury…but another bloody blister,” McColgan wrote in a post on Instagram. “Bottom of my foot is ripped off. Honestly don’t know why I’m having so many problems this year, as it’s never been an issue before, but we need to get it sorted ASAP! I’m feeling pretty frustrated. My body is actually in a really good place.”

For Neale, her performance was a timely confidence boost as she continues her preparations for her marathon debut in Chicago, while Annabel Gummow (72:37) and Lydia Turner (72:47) completed the British top three. Turner's performance also secured the North East title.

In the wheelchair races, David Weir completed the 10th Great North Run win of his illustrious career thanks to a dominant victory in a time of 43:06. Irishman Patrick Monahan was second in 45:31 while Johnboy Smith (46:14) won the battle for third with fellow Brit and last year’s winner Sean Frame (46:18). 

Mel Woods, the T54 400m and 1500m Commonwealth champion, is building up to her marathon debut in Berlin later this month and clocked 50:19 to take victory.