BENGALURU: With favourable weather conditions prevailing, Kenyans Alex Korio and Irene Cheptai emerged as the men’s and women’s Elite category winners in the TCS World 10K Run here on Sunday.
In the men’s category, Korio finished in 28 minutes, 12 seconds and behind him were Kenya’s Edwin Kiptoo and Uganda’s Stephen Kissa. The top three along with the others were in a bunch till about the 7K mark. That was when Korio broke off. Kiptoo and Kissa were together with the others way behind. While Korio went on to finish comfortably, Kiptoo shot past Kissa in the last 50 metres inside the Sree Kanteerava Stadium to take second place.
Korio said, “I had prepared well and the field was good. I was familiar with the road and weather. I realised I could win after the 6K mark. It was windy and that is why we could not break the course record.” Korio added that the $26000 he won in prize money would help him complete construction of his house back home. It was a surprise to see 2015 and 2016 TCS World 10K winner Mosinet Geremew (Ethiopia) finish 10th, while 10K and 15K world record holder Leonard Komon (Kenya) finished eighth.
Among women, Cheptai finished in 31:51 and Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa and Kenya’s Helah Kiprop finished second and third. Cheptai and Kenya’s Gladys Chesir broke away from the rest of the pack just before the 7K mark. But then Chesir fell back and Degefa and Kiprop caught up. However, at the 8K mark, Cheptai pushed on and clinched the race.
On the triumph, Cheptai said, “I was slightly sick and did not expect to win. This is my first 10K on the road and this could be a good step from cross-country to road running. In the second half, I thought I could manage to break the course record. I tried to push on from the 7K mark and by 8K, I realised that I going to win.”
Among Indian runners, Naveen Kumar and Saigeeta Naik topped in the men’s and women’s categories. Naveen, competing in a 10K event for the first time, said, “I thought that if I get the opportunity, I would go for the win. The idea was to push after the 8K mark. I can only say that my training has paid off.”
Results
Overall: Elite men: 1. Alex Korio (Ken, 28:12 min); 2. Edwin Kiptoo (Ken, 28:26); 3. Stephen Kissa (Uga, 28:28); 4. Mule Wasihun (Eth, 28:34); 5. Birhanu Legese (Eth, 28:36).
Women: 1. Irene Cheptai (Ken, 31:51); 2. Worknesh Degefa (Eth, 32:00); 3. Helah Kiprop (Ken, 32:02); 4. Gladys Chesir (Ken, 32:11); 5. Magdalyne Masai (Ken, 32:37).
Indian men: 1. Naveen Kumar (14th, 30:56); 2. Sandeep Tayade (15th, 31:02), 3. Shankar Man Thapa (16th, 31:07), 4. Anil Pawar (17th, 31:12), 5. Indrajeet Patel (18th, 31:33).
Women: 1. Saigeeta Naik (11th, 36:01), 2. Kiran Sahdev (12th, 36:30), 3. Preenu Yadav (13th, 36:46), 4. Jyoti Chouhan (14th, 37:12), 5. Monika Raut (15th, 37:30).
vivekphadnis@newindianexpress.com