Gebrselassie runs fastest 10km

Manchester - Ethiopian running star Haile Gebrselassie won the Great Manchester Run on Sunday in the fastest 10km time of the year.

The 39-year-old clocked 27:39 to claim his fifth victory on the streets of Manchester and then turned his attention to booking his place at his fifth Olympic Games.

The Ethiopian missed out on a place in the marathon at London 2012, but has his sights on competing at this summer's London Olympics over 10 000m.

Gebrselassie, double Olympic and four-time world 10 000m champion, will run over the distance in Hengelo, the Netherlands, next Sunday in a race which will double as the Ethiopian Olympic trials, with the top three set to be selected for the team.

"I am so happy today, everything was perfect," he said. "I am not surprised to run that fast. I wanted to run under 27 minutes.

"According to my training this year, I feel I can run faster on the track. I want to go under 27 minutes, that's what I am thinking. If I run this fast on the road, why not on the track?

"The top three in Hengelo go to the Olympics, that's what the federation said.

"At the moment if I get in the top three I go. My question is, what is the possibility in London? We'll see."

In the women's race, Kenya's Linet Masai, the former world 10 000m champion, took victory in 31:35.

Results from the Great Manchester Run on Sunday:

Men
1. Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) 27:39
2. Tsegay Kebede (ETH) 27:56
3. Ayele Abshero (ETH) 27:56
4. Stephen Kiprotich (UGA) 28:19
5. Patrick Makau Musyoki (KEN) 28:21

Women

1. Linet Masai (KEN) 31:35
2. Nadia Ejjafini (ITA) 31:52
3. Doris Changeiywo (KEN) 32:04
4. Charlotte Purdue (GBR) 32:13
5. Anna Incerti (ITA) 32:23