TEESSIDER Matty Hynes ran one of the best races of his life to finish runner-up only eight seconds behind Uganda’s World and Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich in yesterday’s BUPA Great North Gateshead 10K.

Now with Gateshead Harriers, 26-year-old Hynes, continued to build on his growing reputation when he clocked 29 mins 47 secs – 24 seconds outside his previous best – in the rain as he chased Kiprotich into the finish at Gateshead International Stadium, heading third-placed Marius Ionescu, the Romanian 2012 Olympic Games marathon international.

Hynes, who has blossomed in the last three years under the guidance of Mandale’s former top road racing international Stan Markley, won last November’s big Leeds Abbey Dash 10K in 29 mins 23 secs – his personal-best - and gained his first Great Britain vest this summer when he was picked to compete in the European Cup 10,000m at Skopje, Macedonia.

Wallsend’s Ethiopian athlete Yared Hagos, the Darlington 10K record-holder, finished seventh, 27 seconds ahead of his fellow countryman and Teesside-based Paralympian Wondiye Indelbu.
The women’s race was won by European Cross Country Championships silver-medallist Gemma Steel, who headed two Commonwealth Games marathon contestants, Susan Partridge (Leeds and Scotland) and Alyson Dixon (Sunderland Strollers and England).

Men: 1 S Kiprotich (Uganda) 29 mins 29 secs; 2 M Hynes (Gateshead) 29.47; 3 M Inescu (Altringham & Romania) 29.51; 4 J Beattie (Run Fast) 29.52; 5 D Hawkins (Leeds) 29.58; 6 M Scott (Richmond & Zetland) 30.15; 7 Y Hagos (Wallsend) 30.33; 8 W Indelbu (Unatt) 31.00; 9 R Houston (Central AC) 31.15; 10 L vanHaefton (Highgate) 31.54.

Women: 1 G Steel (Charnwood) 32.45; 2 S Partridge (Leeds City) 33.16; 3 A Dixon (Sunderland Strollers) 34.26; 4 R Robinson (Kendal) 34.29; 5 K Brough (Vale Royal) 34.56.