DURHAM City doctor Rob Hand bounced back from the disappointment of his Flora London Marathon debut with a sprint-finish victory in yesterday's annual Gateshead 10K road race, writes Frank Johnson.

And the 40-year-old had the satisfaction of beating London veterans' champion Dave Robertson by ten metres as his superior track speed decided a ding-dong battle with the Sunderland Harrier.

Hand, winner of string of North-East road races since joining the veteran ranks in February, starting with the Redcar Half Marathon, had his eyes on the over-40 crown in London. But he was third veteran home as Robertson took the title, with North-East athlete, Ieuan Ellis, the defending champion, in second place.

Hand said: "I was disappointed with my performance in London and I certainly hoped to run under 2:30. I was happy enough with my preparations but possibly I could have eaten a little better before the race.

"Since then I've done a bit of track work and that helped me in the sprint finish today."

It was Robertson's second race in 24 hours, having helped Sunderland to third in the British Veterans Road Relay Championships in Sutton Coldfield.

He said: "That was still in my legs and Rob just had a little too much for me at the end of the race."

Another over-40, Caroline Bowman, of Chester-le-Street, won the women's race.

Results - Men: 1 R Hand (Durham City M40) 32.28; 2 D Robertson (Sunderland M40) 32.30; 3 M Price (Salford) 32.34; 4 M Smith (Unatt) 32.51; 5 I Ellis (Elswick M40) 33.04; 6 N Armsworth (Morpeth) 33.13; 7 M McDonald (Low Fell) 33.22; 8 T Power (Jarrow and Hebburn M40) 33.58; 9 P Besford (Gateshead) 34.51; 10 P Johnson (Thames Valley) 35.13.

Women: 1 C Bowman (Chester-le-Street W40) 39.37; 2 A Banner (Els) 40.53; 3 S Morton (Els) 41.32; 4 K Bentley (ClS W35) 42.41