Amateur runner beats Mo Farah to win Vitality London 10K
Ellis Cross, a local amateur, who was not even part of the official elite field, paid $60 to sign up for the race
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London Vitality 10,000
Mo Farah’s return to competitive racing was not one to remember, as he was beaten by amateur club runner Ellis Cross at the Vitality London 10K on Monday.
The Vitality 10K marked Farah’s return to competition since failing to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics last June. The 39-year-old finished in 28:44, which is almost a minute outside of his personal best.
Cross, a local amateur runner from Farnham, Surrey, who was not even part of the official elite field, paid $60 to sign up for the race. He paid to take the train into London the morning of, wore bib number 219 and finished two seconds ahead of the four-time Olympic champion over 5,000 and 10,000m to win in 28:42. The 25-year-old will be getting his race registration money back, as he received over $3,000 for winning the race.
Farah has implied that he would like to represent Team GB one last time before he calls it a career, and this summer presents three opportunities for him to do so at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games or European Championships. The question is whether he will achieve the standard to qualify for one of the three.
Eilish McColgan and Ellis Cross celebrate winning the London 10km. ?MarkShearman @EilishMccolgan @elliscross96 @dundeehawks @AFDACofficial @AthleticsWeekly pic.twitter.com/mskVasC0Cf
— Mark Shearman MBE (@AthleticsImages) May 2, 2022
Scotland’s Eilish McColgan won the women’s race, two seconds shy of Paula Radcliffe’s British record, posting a time of 30:23 to break her mother’s, Liz, Scottish 10K record. McColgan has started the season with a bang, breaking Radcliffe’s British half-marathon record in February before improving her 5K national record in Malaga last weekend.
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