KENT athlete Lisa Dobriskey continued her international athletics education by finishing ahead of World 1500m bronze medalist Bouchra Ghezielle from France in the BUPA Great North Run women's mile on Saturday.

The 21-year-old from Ashford finished fourth, less than a second behind the Russian winner Tamara Tomashova in 4mins 39.2secs and well in touch with fellow Commonwealth Games 1500m team member Helen Clitheroe, who was runner-up in 4mins 38.6secs.

Matt Skinner of Blackheath and Bromley Harriers finished 12th in the international men's 3000m race in 8mins 29.7secs in another supporting race ahead of the main event on Sunday.

In the 25th BUPA Great North Run there were 38,000 competitors on the roads between Newcastle and South Shields.

The leading Kent athletes were Spencer Barden from Maidstone (Belgrave Harriers) who finished 17th and Michael Coleman from Dover (Medway and Maidstone AC) who came in in 18th place.

Charlotte Dale from Whitstable (Invicta East Kent) finished 14th in the elite women's race.