Kenenisa Bekele breaks Mo Farah’s London Big Half course record

On Sunday morning at London’s Vitality Big Half Kenenisa Bekele shattered Mo Farah’s course record, running 1:00:22 to take over a minute off the old mark. Sunday’s race was billed as a showdown between Bekele and Lawrence Cherono, but Cherono didn’t finish. Farah didn’t race on Sunday due to an Achilles injury.

Second place went to Britain’s Christopher Thompson and his compatriot Jake Smith secured third.

What a hero ? @JakeSmith_run https://t.co/PXS7p29pxq

— Tom Marshall (@TomMarshall1500) March 1, 2020

RELATED: Kenenisa Bekele says Mo Farah can’t break his world records

Sunday’s half-marathon was a tune up race for Bekele, who’s set to run the London Marathon in April. There, Bekele will face current world record holder (and the only person to run a marathon in under two hours) Eliud Kipchoge. Bekele’s PB of 2:01:41 is only two seconds off of Kipchoge’s official world record. Bekele ran the time at the 2019 Berlin Marathon, shocking running fans who had almost entirely counted the runner out for the win, let alone the second-fastest time ever run.

London 2020 will also feature the fifth-fastest marathoner of all time, Mosinet Geremew, who owns a 2:02:55 PB.

Here's the moment @LilyPartridge01 crossed the finish line at the Cutty Sark. A great performance. ???#BigHalf #MovedByLondon pic.twitter.com/C9HEORnU2W

— The Big Half (@OfficialBigHalf) March 1, 2020

RELATED: Fastest-ever marathoners to race head-to-head at 2020 London Marathon

In the Big Half women’s race, Britain’s Lily Partridge won with a time of 1:10:50. In the wheelchair competition, Canadian Brent Lakatos was the winner. One the women’s side, Shelly Woods would take the title.

The London Marathon will run April 26.

RELATED: BBC documentary reveals Farah lied in USADA investigation