Yuda regains Great South crown

Yuda last won the Great South Run in 2003

John Yuda regained his Great South Run title despite veering off course four miles into the 10-mile Portsmouth race.

The Tanzanian, along with defending champion Hendrick Ramaala and Wilfred Taragon, followed a television crew's motorbike instead of the leading car.

But Yuda recovered to win in 46 minutes 45 seconds, 54 seconds ahead of Ramaala in second with Taragon third.

Derartu Tulu set an Ethiopian record of 51:27 to win the women's race with ease from compatriot Elfenesh Alemu.

Tulu decimated Teyiba Erkiso's previous three-year-old national record of 52:55, with Alemu also 37 seconds under the old mark.

Going around the roundabout twice probably cost me several seconds John Yuda

Aniko Kalovics came in third and lowered the Hungarian record to 52:28.

Yuda said a mistake he made during the race probably cost him the chance to break his own national record.

The 26-year-old momentarily went off course after following a television motorcycle rather than the lead car.

"Going around the roundabout twice probably cost me several seconds," said the Tanzanian.

"It is disappointing that this happened, but it was also important I forgot it and that I got back into the race as quickly as possible.

"I just got on with running and getting back to the front."

Angus MacLean was the leading Briton, finishing in sixth place in 48:16, while John Mayock came home in eighth place.

Hayley Yelling, the European cross-country champion, was the first Briton home in the women's race in a personal best of 53:03, but Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan struggled throughout the race, finishing 11th in 56:51.

Elsewhere, David Weir won the wheelchair race, clocking 35:15 to finish well in front of Tushar Patel.

Shelly Woods took the women's wheelchair race in a time of 44:01 to follow up her win in last month's Great North Run .