JON Brown is determined to shake off his tag as the nearly man of British athletics in tomorrow's BUPA Great North Run.

Brown narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal when he came home in fourth place in last month's marathon - an exact repeat of what happened in Sydney four years earlier.

But rather than reflecting on his bad luck, Brown has pledged to make partial amends by becoming the first British winner of the men's Great North Run since Steve Kenyon celebrated victory in 1985.

"Usually I don't think about racing for a while after I've run a marathon," admitted the British number one. "But it's been four weeks since the race in Athens and my recovery has been surprisingly good.

"You get your sharpness back in three or four weeks and it's going to be interesting tomorrow - I feel fairly confident."

Brown's double Olympic disappointment would have tested the mental resolve of most athletes, but the gritty Yorkshireman is philosophical about his successive fourth-place finishes.

"If somebody had said I was going to finish fourth before the race I would have said okay and been happy with it," he said.

"Initially it was very disappointing but, on reflection, it was a fair result because I was beaten by three better guys on the day.

"I know how well I can perform when I stay injury-free and my training goes according to plan.

"I'm finally back in the shape I was four years ago, so my performance in the Olympics wasn't a surprise to me."

Nevertheless, Brown will have to be at his best to beat a field that includes last year's winner, South African Hendrick Ramaala, and European marathon bronze medallist Julio Rey.

The women's race promises to be every bit as competitive, with former winner Susan Chepkemei hoping to wipe Paula Radcliffe's name from the record books.

Radcliffe won last year's race in a world record time of 1:05:40 but, if weather conditions are favourable, Chepkemei is confident she can come close to bettering that mark.

"I hope the other ladies in the race push on," said the Kenyan, who beat compatriot Joyce Chepchumba by five seconds in 2001. "Because, if they do, then Paula's time could be beaten."

Chepchumba will line up against two leading Ethiopians, last year's runner-up Berhane Adere and Derartu Tulu, and another former winner, Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan.