Derartu Tulu is ready to battle Paula Radcliffe for the title of the world's best female distance runner after yesterday's confidence-boosting victory in the 25th anniversary Great North Run.
The Ethiopian followed up the success of fellow countryman Dejene Berhanu, who won the 2004 men's race, by brushing aside an experienced elite women's field.
And if Tulu's triumph was not quite as emphatic as that enjoyed by men's winner Zersenay Tadesse, then the double Olympic 10,000m champion was still able to send a clear message to her rivals that she is by no means a spent force at 33.
"I had a plan but the plan wasn't to win," insisted the woman who finished fourth in the marathon at last month's World Championships in Finland.
"The plan was to be aggressive and run the fastest time possible.
"After Helsinki the Great North Run was my main focus. I have never won this race and I desperately wanted to do well this year.
"It's five or six weeks since Helsinki so I felt fine going into the race."
Tulu dominated from the start and, although she slowed over the final two miles, such was her convincing lead that Worknesh Kidane and the fast finishing Jelena Prokopcuka, in second and third place respectively, were never in contention.
At the 15K mark Tulu and early pacesetter Kidane pulled clear of Berhane Adere and it appeared the crowd was set for an exhilarating two-horse race.
However, Adere was dropped within two minutes as the 2005 champion in waiting stormed home.
"My plan was to compete with what I thought was a very strong field and, if I got into the lead, to stay there until I tired," added Tulu.
"This is the sixth time I've run the Great North Run and the best I have finished in the past is third.
"To finally come first feels great. I'm happy to be number one and to run such a good time. It's the second fastest time I've run in a half marathon.
"I did expect some of the other athletes to make it tougher for me. I expected to have a fight with Catherine Ndereba and Edith Masai but I managed to gain control early on."
Now Tulu will set her sights on making the grade as a full-time marathon runner with Britain's darling of the distance game, Radcliffe, firmly in her sights.
"Helsinki was my first time running a major championship marathon but I'm ready to take it on," she added. "I will try to challenge Paula Radcliffe and my aim is to run under two hours 20 minutes in the next few months. If I can do that then who knows?"
