Mathathi with course record and Kabuu scorch to Kenyan victories at Bupa Great North Run

Kenyan stars Martin Mathathi and Lucy Kabuu with phenomenal performances scorched to the men and women's titles at the 31st BUPA Great North Run.

Mathathi followed in the footsteps of 12 of his previous countrymen when winning the men's race ahead of team mates Jonathan Maiyo and Emmanuel Mutai the first podium clean sweep of the medals from the east African nation for a decade.

The 25-year-old who is based in Japan sliced nine seconds from the previous course record belonging to Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese with his fantastic time of 58 minutes 56 seconds.

Behind him Jonathan Maiyo better known as a pacemaker in major global marathons took second with a time of 59:27 while pre-race favourite Emmanuel Mutai had to settle for third in 59:52, albeit that was a personal best for this year's Virgin London Marathon winner.

The race started slowly before Maiyo edged his nose into the lead just after five miles with a change of pace which was good enough to draw himself and Mattathi clear of a small pack which was led by Mutai.

However Mattathi despite a small 10 yard gap opening always looked the more comfortable of the two and between seven and eight miles which he passed in 35:57 went into the lead before proceeding to go even faster.

The 2007 World 10,000 bronze medallist and fifth in last month's race in Daegu, having been told he could break the course record made that a possibility when passing 10m in 44:41 just seven seconds slower than Tadese achieved in 2005 and then at 12 miles was 10 seconds ahead of current World record holder's split at that point.

Then he again switched gear to write himself into the record books when he swiftly ran the remaining 1.1 miles towards the finish with a performance he hadn't expected.

"I expected to run 60/59 (minutes), " said Mathathi a former World junior record holder at 10 miles and who has been based in Shizuka, Japan, for the last eight years where he is sponsored by the local motor company.

"But my manager (Ricky Simms who was travelling in the nearby media vehicle) told me that if I kept going at the pace I was I was going to run 58 minutes," he said.

"I had a done a lot of speed work before I came here, but I didn't know what the course was like. However the further I ran the more I began to like it," added Mathathi who plans contesting the 10,000 at next year's London Olympics before stepping up to the full marathon distance.

His victory may have been very convincing but it was the tiny figure of former Commonwealth 10,000 metres champion Kabuu who thrilled spectators with one of the greatest ever front running performances in the World's biggest half marathon event.

The 27-year-old in her first major race since giving birth to her daughter Angel in May last year and running in a vacuum which saw her win by almost two-and-a-half minutes, clocked the third fastest time over the Newcastle to South Shields course of 1:07:06.

That saw Kabuu who broke clear just before four miles stifle the threat of 2009 winner Jessica Augusto who crossed the line in 1:09:27 and her Portuguese colleague Marissa Barros who repeated her third position of a year ago and recorded 1:10:29.

The trio were followed home by top Britons Jo Pavey and Helen Clitheroe who on her debut at the distance was thrilled with her performance while the highly fancied Mara Yamauchi dropped out after eight miles not feeling in good shape.

Kabuu who also spent several years representing the Shizuka club before returning home to have her first has prospered since returning to serious training this season in an exalted training group which includes World 5,000/10,000 gold medallist Vivian Cheruiyot.

"My preparations made me very confident that I would do well here," said the two-time Olympic 10,000m finalist. "It's only my second half marathon and I'm very happy to win and in a good time as well.

"The pace was a little show and so I went with my pace which I was happy with. I knew the Great North was hilly and my training has been with hills so I was happy to race hard."

Kabuu looking to the future, added: The weather was fine and the crowd cheered me which was fantastic and I will definitely come again.

"Next year I'm looking towards the Olympic 10,000 in London and planning to beat Vivian Cheruiyot. She's a very strong runner but so am I."

Pavey back in action after a foot injury prevented her taking part in the recent World Championships Marathon and planning an autumn marathon, said: "I'm pleased to be back racing. It would have been nice to get a quicker time but the plan is to do well in New York.

"Today I lacked a bit of race fitness so it was good to have Helen with me so we could pick people off together. I think it was a great stepping stone for my bigger plans."

Pavey who clocked 1:10:49 and not surprised by Kabuu's win, added: "It's nice to see her again. We both ran at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and we both had babies around the same time. Once she's in the line up everyone knows it's going to be a fast time."

Clitheroe in what has been the greatest year of her career highlighted by taking the European Indoor 3,000 title and recorded 1:10:57, said: "I really had no expectations of what I could do, there was no time set in my mind.

"At three miles I went through horrible problems. But I got back and with Jo we worked really hard together. I felt like doing cartwheels down the last mile."

Shelly Woods retained her wheelchair title and won the Bupa Great North Run title for a fourth time in a time of 50:14 ahead of the USA's Amanda McGrory who set the course record of 49:47 and this year clocked 52:43, with Italy's Francesca Porcellato third in 55:01.

Woods who took an early lead, said: It's the first time I've ever really been in that situation so I just went all out as I knew Amanda has a fast finish."

With David Weir after a shoulder injury and lacking fitness after the birth of his child, the men's race saw Josh Canada add to his victory of three years in a time 43:57.

Frenchman Denis Lemeunier third in the 2009 event stepped up a position clocking 44:48 with Aron Anderson from Sweden finishing behind in 47:07.

Released by Bupa Great North Run

(Photo by Bupa Great North Run)