Look Huw's the winner (From Bucks Free Press)

Look Huw's the winner

10:16am Wednesday 14th July 2004 in

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THE only man in the history of world athletics ever to beat the horse in the Man versus Horse Challenge won Sunday's 23rd Wycombe Half Marathon.

Huw Lobb beat his Great Britain marathon team colleague John McFarlane, who hails from Holtspur, into second place.

Last year's winner Paul Gregory from the Vale of Aylesbury club was third almost seven minutes behind the winner.

Lobb was a surprise last-minute entrant on the day and like McFarlane used the 13.1-mile gruelling event as a training run for next month Kosice Marathon in Slovakia where they will both represent Great Britain.

Last year's winner, Gregory, admitted he couldn't live with the pair as he came third.

He said: "They were just quality. They are in a totally different league to me. It soon became obvious to me that I wasn't going to be able to defend my title. They were out of sight."

Lobb, who lives in London and runs for the Bedford and County club won the race in one hour, seven minutes and 39 seconds.

The South of England Cross Country Champion, won the race even though he stopped at one point en-route to adjust his sock after developing blisters.

The 27-year-old who scooped £25,000 last month for winning the 22-mile Man versus Horse Challenge, where he beat the horse by two minutes, said after his winning run: "I enjoyed it. Wycombe is a hilly course and it was a good training run."

He beat his pal McFarlane by six seconds.

The women's race was won by Bristol's Annabel Granger.

The 31-year-old claimed her first ever half marathon victory in a time of 1.19.39.

Lesley Whiley, from Reading Road Runners was second.

Last year's ladies winner Danielle Sanderson, from Bushey, did not enter because of injury.

Some 908 runners from the field of 1,166 competitiors who started the race managed to finish it, including Stephen Ball.

The 49-year-old flew in from Prague to complete his 100th half marathon on Sunday after also doing his first and his 50th half marathon at High Wycombe.

Alfred Benjamin also maintained his record of running in every single Wycombe Half Marathon and now has his sights set on joining Ball in the 100 club.

To see where you finished see Friday's Bucks Free Press