Kenya’s Alex Oloitiptip and Gladys Cherono emerged champions in the TCS World 10K Bangalore on Sunday. Oloitiptip, known as Alex Korio until last year – when he finished runner-up here – won in 28:07, from countryman Nicholas Kipkemboi, who was five seconds behind, and Ethiopia’s Berhanu Legesse.
Cherono claimed a close women’s race by a fair distance in the end, skipping away from Ethiopia’s Guteni Shone as the contest entered its final 400m. Kenya’s Esther Chemtai brought up third, four seconds from Shone and 11 from the victor.
Suresh Kumar Patel, the Indian men’s winner here in 2011, was again the country’s top runner in 20th place overall, seeing off V.L. Dangi and Mohd. Yunus, in that order.
Sudha triumphs
Sudha Singh, meanwhile, triumphed among the Indian ladies, with Preeja Sreedharan second and O.P. Jaisha third. Uttar Pradesh won the Nation’s Challenge, the team event, with Maharashtra second and Kerala third.
The champions walked away with USD 21,000 each while the Indian winners earned a sum of Rs.1 lakh. The elite Indian women runners seemed a satisfied lot after the TCS World 10K Bangalore, having improved significantly on last year’s showing.
The results : Elite men : 1. Alex Oloitiptip (Ken) 28:07, 2. Nicholas Kipkemboi (Ken) 28:12, 3. Birhanu Legesse (Eth) 28:16, 4. Mike Kigen (Ken) 28:29, 5. Philemon Rono (Ken) 28:37, 6. Dickson Marwa (Tan) 28:50.
Indian men : 1. Suresh Kumar Patel (UP) 30:34; 2. V.L. Dangi (Mah) 30:53; 3. Md. Yunus (UP) 30:58.
Elite women : 1. Gladys Cherono (Ken) 32:03; 2. Guteni Shone (Eth) 32:10; 3. Esther Chemtai (Ken) 32:14; 4. Lucy Kabuu (Ken) 32:18; 5. Emily Chebet (Ken) 32:19; 6. Pascalia Kipkoech (Ken) 32:22.
Indian women : 1. Sudha Singh (UP) 35:25; 2. Preeja Sreedharan (Ker) 36:01; 3. O.P. Jaisha (Pun) 36:31.
Nation’s Challenge : 1. UP 1:36:56, 2. Maharashtra 1:39.18; 3. Kerala 1:39.58; 4. Punjab 1:40.16.
