WORLD half marathon champion Paul Kosgei became the first man to break the 60-minute barrier in Britain with a thrilling victory in yesterday's BUPA Great North Run.

The 24-year-old Kenyan fought a ding-dong battle with Tanzanian John Yuda before breaking clear 400 metres from the finish to win in 59 mins 58 secs - four seconds faster than fellow countryman Benson Masya's eight-year-old course record.

In the women's race, Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan ran the fastest half marathon in the world this year, but was 12 seconds outside Paula Radcliffe's brilliant run of 67.07 two years earlier.

Kosgei admitted he was surprised to dip under the hour following a strenuous 10K in Sicily, when he had stomach problems. But he said he was always confident that he had greater finishing power than his friend Yuda.

Kosgei said: "It wasn't the plan to run under 60 minutes, especially after the race in Sicily, but I'm delighted to have done it.

"The conditions were good and while it was difficult to hit the wind on the sea front it wasn't too bad.

"John Yuda is my friend but I have beaten him in sprint finishes in the Commonwealth Games and the World Half Marathon Championships and I was confident I could do it again."

The two men set a blistering pace from the off, opening with a first mile time of 4 mins 22 secs, seeing off all but this year's Boston Marathon winner Rodgers Rop.

But the Kenyan could only stay with the leaders for three miles, when he had to submit to the relentless pressure.

After that it was neck-and-neck between Kosgei and Yuda, and no matter how hard the Tanzanian tried to unship his rival, the taller man refused to yield.

The two men turned on to the seafront shoulder-to-shoulder, but Kosgei unleashed his devastating final burst, beating his challenger by four seconds, with Rop a distant third a further 1 min 38 secs behind.

O'Sullivan had a much easier victory after maintaining a fierce pace, and when last year's winner Susan Chepkemei dropped out at four miles the way was clear for the 32-year-old mother of two.

O'Sullivan was very aware of her chance to beat Radcliffe's course record, but explained: "There was the wind, hills and tiredness towards the end.

"I knew what the course record was but it wasn't my main consideration.

"I felt I was running steady all the way. I didn't want to relax and lose my concentration.

"When I turned on to the sea front I was hoping that the wind would be behind me, but it was against."

O'Sullivan, however, was happy to have clocked the fastest women's half marathon time of the year, and she added another Irish record to her comprehensive collection, ranging from 800 metres to 13.1 miles. Now she is hoping to add the marathon record to the list in New York next month.

"I would like to hold the Irish records between 800 metres and the marathon. I'm nearly there but there is still plenty of time to do it," said O'Sullivan, who beat her training partner, Australian Susie Power, by an emphatic 37 seconds.

First North-East finisher in the men's race was Morpeth Harrier Ivan Hollingsworth, who finished 22nd in 67 mins 14 secs, while Chester-le-Street's Morag McDonnell headed the region's women, placing 18th

* Morpeth Harrier Kirk Wilson was a clear-cut winner of the BUPA Junior Great North Run.

The 16-year-old quickly headed the 7,000-strong field on the new course in the Newcastle and Gateshead Quayside area and was well clear after the first mile.

Emily Pidgeon, 13, travelled from Gloucester to win the girls' race by over a minute and a half from local entry Mary Ferrier, of Gateshead Harriers.