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| Thousands finish Great North Run | Thousands finish Great North Run |
| (1 day later) | |
| Thousands of runners have finished the 29th Great North Run on Tyneside. | Thousands of runners have finished the 29th Great North Run on Tyneside. |
| A record 54,000 people registered for the annual half-marathon between Newcastle and South Shields, watched by about 30,000 spectators. | |
| Musician Sting and Ashes-winning England and Durham cricketer Steve Harmison had sounded the starting gun. | Musician Sting and Ashes-winning England and Durham cricketer Steve Harmison had sounded the starting gun. |
| Kenya's Martin Lel won the elite men's race for the second time in his career, while Portugal's Jessica Augusto won in the elite women's event. | Kenya's Martin Lel won the elite men's race for the second time in his career, while Portugal's Jessica Augusto won in the elite women's event. |
| Sting flew in from the United States to start the race with Steve Harmison Great North Run 2009 photos | Sting flew in from the United States to start the race with Steve Harmison Great North Run 2009 photos |
| Sting said: "It is so exciting to be here and the atmosphere is incredible. | Sting said: "It is so exciting to be here and the atmosphere is incredible. |
| "It is a perfect day with blue skies and everybody is smiling." | "It is a perfect day with blue skies and everybody is smiling." |
| Britain's David Weir broke the men's wheelchair course record by over a minute, while American Amanda McGrory won the women's wheelchair title. | Britain's David Weir broke the men's wheelchair course record by over a minute, while American Amanda McGrory won the women's wheelchair title. |
| The first celebrity to finish the race was Olympic rower James Cracknell. | The first celebrity to finish the race was Olympic rower James Cracknell. |
| Other famous entrants this year included chef Gordon Ramsey, EastEnders actors Kara Tointon and Joe Swash, and Hull City manager Phil Brown. | Other famous entrants this year included chef Gordon Ramsey, EastEnders actors Kara Tointon and Joe Swash, and Hull City manager Phil Brown. |
| Sir Bobby Robson's son Mark, who ran to raise funds for his late father's cancer foundation, said: "He was the honorary starter for the race twice and I always remember him saying that his hand nearly fell off because he shook so many hands. | Sir Bobby Robson's son Mark, who ran to raise funds for his late father's cancer foundation, said: "He was the honorary starter for the race twice and I always remember him saying that his hand nearly fell off because he shook so many hands. |
| "He loved doing it and it is a great event". | "He loved doing it and it is a great event". |
| The first Great North Run took place in June 1981 with 12,770 runners. | The first Great North Run took place in June 1981 with 12,770 runners. |