Craig Mottram’s year has ended with a flourish, setting a new world road best for 3000m at the Great North Run in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England.

As he did at the IAAF World Cup in Athens two weeks ago, Mottram once again overcame his African opposition, this time 2003 world 5000m champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, to score an impressive victory.

Having beaten Ethiopian world record holder Kenesisa Bekele in Athens, Mottram once again proved too strong, racing to the line in 7:41.7 seconds, breaking a 16-year-old world best time set by Morroco's Brahim Boutayeb in 1990 at 7min 49sec.

Mottram sat on the shoulder of leader Kipchoge for the entire race, surging past him about 200 metres from the finish.

After the race, Mottram told AAP, "It was a tough race, but a great way to finish the season."

"They (Kipchoge and Bekele) are two of the best distance runners in the world at the moment, and I like to consider myself in the top five, so every time we line up it’s a great race.

"It's great for the people to see someone other than an African coming out and running well, showing the rest of the world that it can be done.

"I seem to be able to do it week in and week out now, and that's been a goal of mine, and hopefully I can continue to do it in the next few years."

Spain's Ivan Hierro was third. Mottram returns to Australia next week for a well earned break before commence preparations for the 2007 world Championships in Osaka, Japan.

In the women’s half-marathon Benita Johnson, the 2003 World Cross Country champion, finished third in a world class field.

The Australian star was defeated by former world 10,000m champion Berhane Adere of Ethiopia and Kenyan Susan Chepkemi. Adere kicked away in the last 500m to clock 1:10.01 with Chepkemi outsprinting Johnson for second. 

Athletics Australia