The world cross-country champion Joseph Ebuya eased to a UK Allcomers' 10 miles record at the Great South Run in Portsmouth today. Ebuya took advantage of perfect weather conditions around the flat and fast course to knock 40 seconds from the long-standing time of 45min 56sec, achieved by Benson Masya 15 years previously.
The Kenyan demolished Saif Saeed Shaheen and Vincent Yator, who finished in 46min 37sec and 47:28 respectively.
Ebuya's time of 45min 16sec, on his debut over the distance, is the quickest in the world this year and was exceptional considering he ran the last six miles on his own.
He said: "I think with pacemakers I could probably have run closer to 45 minutes but it doesn't matter – this is an important win. The conditions were right for fast running and, although Shaheen and Yator looked good in the early stages, they had no answer when I pulled clear between three and four miles."
The 23-year-old, who burst on to the global scene when he won the world cross-country title in March, was full of praise for the support he received en route: "I didn't feel as if I was in an empty space when alone. The support from the spectators all of the way was unbelievable. I've never seen so many watching a race. They were spilling into the streets."
Scott Overall went to the top of the UK rankings after winning a close domestic battle with the Scot Andy Lemoncello by four seconds, in a time of 47:37.
Grace Momyani, who won 10,000m gold at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, made it the first Kenyan double for three years, taking the women's title in 52:03. Momyani, who missed her personal best by 12 seconds, said: "I feel OK, I wasn't certain how I would perform as I had little time to prepare after competing in Delhi."
Freya Murray, in her first 10-mile event, became the UK's fifth fastest performer in a time of 52:27. Murray was fifth behind Momyani in their track encounter in Delhi and surpassed the hopes of her US-based coach Steve Jones – the British marathon record holder. She beat off the challenge of more fancied rivals such as Hungary's No1 Aniko Kalovics, who placed third in 53:01.
"I couldn't believe it, I didn't know what to expect in my first race at the distance," said Murray after being advised to run by Jones after a tough training session on Wednesday night. "I spoke with Steve on the telephone and he told me to get out there and mix it, give it my best shot."
Murray is now Scotland's second fastest runner, behind only Liz McColgan's time of exactly 52 minutes in the 1997 Great South Run.
She added: "When Grace broke away Kalovics was still running strongly and I was determined to stay with her. I just kept telling myself go, go, go – and it paid off when I got clear at halfway and that made me more determined to stay in front. I'm amazed to have run so quickly as I was tired after Delhi. But it was something new and has certainly told me a lot about myself and longer distances."
Her fellow Scot Stephanie Twell, the Commonwealth 1,500m bronze medallist, was happy with sixth place. Twell, who plans ultimately to take to the roads in the footsteps of the world marathon record holder, Paula Radcliffe, clocked 53:52.
She said: "I ran a conservative race as all my training this summer has been based around 1,500m – which is not exactly the best preparations for this distance. But I did feel comfortable throughout and it was something new for me to do. Yes, I will move up eventually to longer distances but not for the moment."
The 2012 London Olympic Games are a major target for Twell, who added: "Before I do I want to run a really fast 1,500m."
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