(22/09/2005)

World marathon record holder Paul Tergat will compete in the BUPA Great South Run on October 9th in Portsmouth despite a recent injury.

The Kenyan, who won the half-marathon event in 2001, withdrew from last week's Great North Run after picking up a slight hamstring knock in a training session.

But Great South Run organisers have been told Tergat is making every effort to be fit for the 10-mile race.

Elite athletes director Matthew Turnbull told the BBC: "Paul has every intention of running in Portsmouth.

"He felt a hamstring pulling in his last training session before travelling to the Great North Run and withdrew as a precautionary measure.

"But he's still preparing for the New York Marathon so would prefer to have at least one race under his belt before then."