The original 'Hardest Geezer' speaks out: Briton who was the first to run across Africa in 1998 praises Russ Cook despite overlooking his own record - after row broke out with Dane who conquered feat in 2010

The Briton who was the first person in history to run the entire length of Africa nearly 30 years ago has spoken out after 'Hardest Geezer' Russ Cook broke his world record, MailOnline can reveal. 

Businessman and former model Nicholas Bourne, who ran an astonishing 7,499 miles from South Africa to Egypt in 1998, was quick to congratulate Cook after the 27-year-old conquered his 10,000-mile odyssey to Tunisia at the weekend.

Cook's staggering achievement has sparked a furious row in the world of endurance running after it emerged that similar feats had been accomplished twice before - including 14 years ago by a Danish ultrarunner who has accused the 'Hardest Geezer' of overlooking them. 

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline today, Bourne said: 'I would like to congratulate Russ on completing an incredible challenge and I hope he receives the recognition he deserves and inspires others to undertake their own challenge and meet some incredible people along the way.'

Addressing the controversy, he added: 'It was a long time ago so there's no reason Russ would have necessarily been aware. 

'I have attempted a few ultra records, both running and cycling, and the landscape has changed in that 30 years ago there was no governing body so the takeaway from this is that anyone planning a record should contact the sport's governing body.

'And governing bodies should make contact with the Guinness book of records as they are still often the first point of contact.

'I hope that more people can be inspired to undertake travel in this way… it is an incredible experience that affords some insight into the day to day challenges of individuals and communities in different parts of our incredibly beautiful world that we need to look after better than we do.'

However, Jesper Olsen from Copenhagen, who ran the route in 2010, was less than impressed. Last night he told MailOnline: 'Mr Cook is not the first and neither was I [...] Our world with our type of runners is very small. It is not done that you try to ignore other people who have done that run.

'The first person to run the length of Africa was Nicholas Bourne from the UK and it was ratified by the Guinness Book of Records.

'I must be sure to say that I definitely have respect for the run (by Mr Cook) and there should be no doubt that it is a very impressive run. There is no doubt that it is not that.

'It is a huge effort that he has done. But it is a little like somebody saying they have broken the 10,000m record when they haven't.

Olsen said he only learned of Cook's challenge two weeks ago. 

Fellow World Runners Association member Marie Leautey said the group were made aware of it only one month ago and attempted to contact him before releasing their statement.

Ms Leautey, 46, praised Cook's effort but added that she she does not want her friend Olsen's achievement to be 'written off from history'. 

Ms Leautey, a finance consultant based in London, added: 'It's not really about claiming a title or a claim for glory or recognition, it's just a fact-checking thing and it has to do with sportsmanship.

'We are a small community, only seven of us, we all appreciate the people who have done it before us because they are the ones that have made it possible for us to do.

'Cook has done a fantastic run and we really want to applaud him for it and say congratulations, but we also don't want Jesper's run to be written off from history because it doesn't feel right.'

She said the running group received an online backlash for claiming Olsen's run predates Cook's challenge.

In 1998, the BBC reported on Mr Bourne's run which began in South Africa and ended at the Pyramids in Cairo.

Bourne 'braved deserts, floods, war zones and wild animals to complete' the endurance test, the BBC said.

He was raising money for the charities Born Free and Save the Children.

The 6ft.4in former model said at the time: 'I wanted something else in my life. I also wanted to highlight some of the things that I felt were necessary to highlight, about conservation and about education for children.'