Ethiopia’s running star Haile Gebrselassie returned to the track in impressive fashion on Saturday, breaking 27:00 for 10,000m for the eighth time in his life. The 34-year-old, who had originally bade farewell to track racing with his fifth place in the 10,000m at the 2004
Haile Gebrselassie broke 27:00 for 10,000m in his first track race in three years. © www.photorun.net
ctory went to his compatriot Sileshi Sihine in 26:48.73, ahead of the Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge (26:49.02) and Moses Mosop (26:49.55). Ethiopians dominated proceedings in the 10,000m, with seven runners in the top ten finishers.
The track excursion does not alter Gebrselassie’s priorities—the marathon will remain his focus. Gebrselassie failed to finish the Flora London Marathon in April because of breathing problems; it remains to be seen when he will next line up at the half-marathon distance.
On two previous occasions, Gebrselassie set world records in the 10,000m at the meeting in Hengelo: he ran run 26:43.53 in 1995 and three years later improved to 26:22.75. His compatriot and successor as world record holder over 5,000m and 10,000m, Kenenisa Bekele, was on hand in Hengelo to contest the rarely run 2-mile distance. Although Bekele easily won, his time of 8:13.51 fell well short of pre-race expectations. The 24-year-old had been wanting to break the world best of the Kenyan Daniel Komen (7:58.61). However, it was clear before the meeting that his current form would not sustain a world record bid, especially since Komen’s mark is particularly outstanding. Since Bekele dropped out of the World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa in Kenya in March when going for his sixth consecutive gold medal, the Ethiopian has been unable to regain his top form.
David Cheruiyot Breaks Course Record at Ottawa Marathon, KIMbia’s Simon Bairu Takes 10K
David Cheruiyot’s performance was the highlight of a running weekend in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, which saw a total of 29,641 participants in various races. The Kenyan won Sunday’s marathon with a new course record of 2:10:35. The fastest woman was Canadian Lioudmila Kortchaguina in 2:31:56. One day earlier the 10K saw a fine field as well. KIMbia’s Simon Bairu (Canada) won in 28:29, while 2003 world marathon champion Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) took the women’s race in 33:01.
“We’re thrilled with the outcome,” said Susan Longbottom, president of the Ottawa Race Weekend. “We’ve recorded a new course record, a new participation record and an overall growth of 3 percent.”
The men’s marathon race in Ottawa had its first sub-2:11 mark. In addition to Cheruiyot, two more runners broke this mark: Abderrahime Bouramdane (Morocco) finished second, only five seconds behind the winner in 2:10:40. Bencent Kiplagat (Kenya) took third place in 2:10:48. Three more Kenyans took the next places, achieving times faster than the former, three year-old course record of 2:11:47. In the women’s race Ethiopians Kebebush Haile (2:35:41) and Yeshi Esayias (2:36:57) finished second and third respectively.
In the 10K men and women fought for an overall victory the day before. The women’s elite field started 3:51 minutes before the men. Under normal circumstances Catherine Ndereba should have had a very good winning chance, but the Kenyan suffered from a cold. She pulled away from her competitors at 6K and won well ahead of Florence Jepkosgei (Kenya/33:30). But she wasn’t fast enough to finish ahead of the fastest men. Chala Lemi overtook Ndereba just before the 9K mark, but in the end the Ethiopian finished only second in 28:33 minutes. With just 350 meters to go Bairu took the lead. Third was Linus Maiyo (Kenya) in 28:46.
More than 50,000 Runners at Bolder Boulder, KIMbia’s Edna Kiplagat Wins
There was another record registration at the Bolder Boulder race in Colorado. A total of 50,816 athletes participated in the 29th edition of this 10K race. Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi was the fastest runner in 29:52. He finished six seconds ahead of Solomon Tsige. While Worku Beyi (both from Ethiopia) took third place, clocking 30:04, U.S. runner Alan Culpepper finished fourth in 30:13. KIMbia’s Charles Munyeki (Kenya) and John Yuda (Tanzania) came in fifth and sixth with 30:31 and 30:33, respectively.
In the women’s race a KIMbia team member was the winner: Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) clocked 33:42. She was well ahead of Amane Gobena (Ethiopia/33:59) and U.S. runner Elva Dryer (34:01), who also runs for the KIMbia team.
Deena Kastor Back in Training after Skin Cancer Scare
Deena Kastor, the fastest female marathon runner in the world last year, recently received substantial treatmeant for skin cancer. As the 34-year-old American explained recently on her Web site, the cancer was diagnosed in three places on her body and then removed. It has now been announced that the treatment has proved successful. “It was a great relief,” said the Olympic bronze medalist from Athens in 2004. “My dermatologist has since confirmed that they were able to remove the cancer completely.”
Kastor, who lives and trains at altitude in Mammoth Lakes in California, is now preparing for the track season. “The first training sessions have gone very well,” explained the American record holder who in 2006, ran the world’s best marathon time of 2:19.36 in London. At Boston this April, she suffered from menstruation cramps and finished fifth in 2:35.09, which was still good enough to win the national title.
“My goal now is to qualify for the 10,000m at World Championships in Osaka,” said Kastor, who will attempt to qualify for the World Championships at the U.S. championships at the end of June. This summer she plans to run 3,000m and 5,000m on the European track circuit. The long-term objective is the Olympic Marathon in Beijing in 2008; she must qualify for this in Boston next April.
