NORTH-EAST based Ethiopian athletes filled the first three places and provided the most exciting finish ever to the Tees Pride 10K in Middlesbrough yesterday.

Only one second separated the three Africans in a thrilling sprint finish, with the verdict - and £350 first prize - going to Tadele Geremew, who has joined Elswick Harriers after settling on Tyneside.

Geremew, winner of the previous weekend's Tynedale ten miler and unbeaten on the roads this year, finished a whisker ahead of fellow countryman Yared Hagos, the Darlington 10K record holder, who was credited with the same time of 30 mins 31 seconds.

Teesside-based disabled athlete Wondike Fikre Indelbu, who won the 1500m silver medal at last year's Paralympics in London and was victorious in three local 10Ks this summer, had to settle for third place, one second behind.

It was Geremew's seventh victory of the year, including the big Plymouth Half Marathon, and his third success on consecutive weekends, while Wallsend Harrier Hagos was second for a fourth time on the roads this summer.

It was Indelbu's first defeat over 10K since moving to Middlesbrough, seeking asylum in the UK, and he was 22 seconds slower yesterday than in his winning run at Darlington last month, when he beat Hagos by one second.

With Great Britain marathon international Alyson Dixon deciding not to defend her women's title to concentrate on next weekend's Great North Run, Durham City's Rosie Smith, winner in 2011 and runner-up to her Wearside rival last year, took the women';s first prize, also £350, in a time of 33 mins 51 secs, a new personal best by 27 seconds. She beat Mandale's Josephine Stone by nearly two minutes, with Loftus and Whitby veteran Nicola Kent third in 39 mins 29 secs.

Results - Men: 1 T Geremew (Elswick) 30 mins 31 secs; 2 Y Hagos (Wallsend) 30.31; 3 W Indelbu (Unatt) 30.32; 4 P Newton (Morpeth) 30.45; 5 P Pollock (Kent) 31.00; 6 B Douglas (Durham City) 32.04; 7 S O'Grady (New Marske) 32.09; 8 J Bulman (NM M40) 32.11; 9 J Askew (Durham City) 32.28; 10 G Jayasuriya (Middlesbrough & Cleveland) 32.34. M45 D Lockett (Salford) 35.01; M50 K Smith (Tyne Bridge) 34.06.

Women: 1 R Smith (Durham City) 33.51; 2 J Stone (Middlesbrough Mandale) 35.48; 3 N Kent (Loftus & Whitby W40) 39.29; 4 L Davies (Mandale) 39.45; 5 K Neesam (NM W45) 39.48.