Mottram notches fourth Dublin win

Australia's Craig Mottram dominated in Dubin

Australian Craig Mottram claimed a fourth successive win in Sunday's 10k BUPA Great Ireland Run in Dublin.

The 25-year-old, who won silver over 5,000m at the Commonwealth Games, broke clear with three kilometres remaining to triumph in 28 minutes, 51 seconds.

Irish athletes Mark Kennealy and Mark Carroll delighted the home crowd by finishing second and third.

Ethiopean Meselech Melkamu shattered the course record in the women's event.

The 20-year-old, a late replacement for injured Sonia O'Sullivan, sliced 35 seconds off Amy Rudolph's winning time of last year to take the tape in 31:41.

Olympic 10,000m gold medallist Fernanda Ribeiro, of Portugal, was second and Hungary's Aniko Kalovics third.

Mottram said he never doubted his ability to pull off a fourth win.

"Mentally I knew I was up for a big challenge," he said. "But physically because of the training I had put in before the Commonwealth Games, I knew I had plenty of strength and was always confident of victory."

Dubliner Kennealy managed to stay with Mottram for most of the race, but was left for dead by the Australian's sprint finish.

US-based Carroll finished two seconds behind his team-mate and was given the nod for third in a photo-finish with six times European cross country champion Sergiy Lebid.