Azmeraw Bekele won the 2014 Great Ethiopian Run for the second time in his career on Sunday to take the title he first claimed back in 2010, while Wude Ayalew triumphed in the women's competition.

It was Ayalew's third time succeeding in the Great Ethiopian Run after winning back-to-back races in 2007 and 2008, as confirmed by the event's official Twitter account:

Bekele crossed the finish line in a time of 30 minutes and 11.01 seconds while Ayalew clocked a time of 34 minutes and 3.04 seconds.

For the women's race, this was the slowest victory time run since Genet Getaneh's 2004 victory, while Bekele was also slower than those results of recent years, registering the second-slowest winning time in the event's history.

More than 37,000 runners took part in one of Africa's most highly anticipated events, chaired by Ethiopian hero Haile Gebrselassie, who won the inaugural race back in 2001.

The streets of Addis Ababa welcomed more than 500 elite runners for this year's contest, per the official Bupa Great Run website, with Bekele and Ayalew ultimately coming out on top.

Runners set off on the 10-kilometre journey from Jan Meda Recreation Ground before doubling back around at the Diaspora Roundabout, taking in some of the capital city sights along the way.

As much as this was a competitive fixture in the running calendar, however, the Great Ethiopian Run once again showcased a deeper sense of all-inclusive celebration with live music and events strung along the route.

The masses were on hand to witness a selection of the world's finest road runners come together under one banner, with Bekele and Ayalew welcomed back to the Jan Meda Recreation finish line by thunderous applause.

The reaction was similar for those that came in their wake, however, signifying that this was more a recognition of the race and its accomplishments in uniting the nation.