The race saw the four fastest times ever run in the city and not one of the podium places was filled by an African.

Two Ethiopians had entered on the eve of the race and then a Kenyan added his name to the entry list even later, but it was three Britons – including one from Peterborough – who stole the show.

Cardiff's Jame Thie took the honours and his whoops of delight after crossing the line showed just what it meant to win.

Thie missed the magical four-minute barrier by just 1.19 seconds, but beating a field full of overseas stars who have been to Olympic Games and World Championships was a big buzz to the Cardiff runner and the first prize of £1,000 wasn't bad either!

He said: "This has come at the end of a rollercoaster few days.

"I went to Manchester for my 5000m debut on Saturday and I knew after a few laps that things weren't right and I dropped out after two miles.

"So you can see why I was so pleased to come here and win. I work for Reebok but I don't get any Lottery support so winning £1,000 is fantastic because I have to pay the bills.

"I make a living out of running road miles and have been to Bermuda, New York and Hawaii to run in these kind of races.

"It felt great when I realised I was going to win and that's why I celebrated like I did."

Shiferaw, who has represented Ethiopia in the steeplechase at the Olympic Games, had set the pace for the first half along with Ugandan Pascar Owar and Kenyan Simon Tonui – a frequent race winner in the UK who had travelled to the race to interpret for some of his fellow Africans and decided to race.

But into the second half with a long straight heading to the finish at Cathedral Square, Thie hit the front and he had enough in hand to keep his rivals at bay.

n WHILE the men's race proved a keenly-contested sprint for the line, the women's race saw Aldershot's Stephanie Twell finding it easier to pick up her £1000 first prize.

Twell, a late addition to the field, is the reigning European junior cross-country champion and her class told as she came home with 18 seconds to spare.

With pre-race favourite Hattie Dean, who had broken the British 3000m steeplechase record on Saturday, failing to turn up, Twell led all the way for a comfortable win.

"It wanted to treat it as a hard training run but I really enjoyed it and it was a great course," she said.

Rotherham's Jenny Blizzard, who has broken onto the international stage under the guidance of former GB runner Dave Tune, won a keen tussle for second, being given the same time as Norwich's Ruth Senior.

Mizuno's Julian Moorhouse, who organised the race along with city running store Advance Performance, was disappointed at the failure of more elite women to support the race – with prizes of £1000 for first, £500 for second and £250 for third plus junior and regional awards, but delighted with how the event went on the whole.