BRITISH hope Gemma Steel was squeezed out in a sprint finish to the tape as she took second place in the 25th Great South Run.


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The 28-year-old, from the Charnwood Athletics Club, came home two seconds behind Ethiopian race winner Belaynesh Oljira who clocked 52 minutes and 40 seconds over the ten-mile course.

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Steel also finished runner-up in the Great North Run in September.

Kate Brown (Aldershot, Farnham & District) was the first Hampshire woman home, crossing the line in 13th place in a time of 1.01.15.

 

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She was followed in 14th place by Eastleigh Running Club’s Hannah Howard (1.03.31).

Kenyan James Rungaru won the men’s race at the event in Portsmouth, clocking 46mins 31secs, with Stockport’s Ross Millington the leading Briton in seventh place with a time of 48:13.

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Andy Vernon was the first Hampshire male runner home, the Aldershot, Farnham & District runner crossing the line 12th in a time of 48min 53sec.

Other Hampshire athletes in the top 60 of the men’s race were Basingstoke & Mid-Hants’ Alex Hamilton (36th, 55.01), Richard Murphy from Denmead Striders (45th, 56.51), Paul Pallister from Hardley Runners (46th, 57.09), Stubbington Green’s Lewis Banner (56th, 58.02) and Southampton City Athletic Club’s Matthew Emery (60th, 58.09).