Bengaluru, India: Procam International announced the list of international elite athletes confirmed to run the TCS World 10K, scheduled for May 15th 2016. The elite field of athletes include World half-marathon female champion, Peres Jepchirchir, Gladys Chesir who has the record for the fastest 10K for a woman, clocking 30:41 at the Berlin 10K, defending World 10K champion Mosinet Geremew and former World Record holder in the marathon, Patrick Makau.
Amongst the women, the 22-year-old Jepchirchir, produced one of the biggest surprises of 2016 when she captured the world title at the IAAF World Half Marathon championships in Cardiff in March, catapulting herself to the forefront of the world road running stage. That victory over several better established runners has given the rising star a necessary confidence boost that she relishes as she prepares for debut in racing in India.
"I don't think [being a world champion] will add a lot of pressure but it will surely be more challenging. My career and experience has taught me that if you feel confident in your training you cannot fear the other runners, but you must simply give your best." Shared, the young Kenyan who is also aiming for an Olympic spot on her national running team in the 10,000m and is hoping to use her outing in Bengaluru as a good gauge of her ability.
But Jepchirchir's appearance in Bengaluru won't be the proverbial Sunday stroll, as she won't even be the fastest woman in the race. That honour belongs to Kenyan Gladys Chesire, a bronze medalist from last year's 10K, whose 30:41 run in Berlin last October ranks her the ninth fastest of all-time. Joining them would be last year's runner-up, Wude Ayalew of Ethiopia, a former course record holder in Bangalore, and winner of World 10K in 2010. Joining the select field of elite runners, will also be Agnes Tirop, the 2015 world cross country champion, who will be making her road running debut, in a race that truly celebrates the difference of Road Vs. Track racing.
With a strong line-up of women this year, amongst the elite field of international runners in the men's race, Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia will return to defend his hard won 2015 World 10K title. Last year, the Ethiopian, now 24, edged compatriot Fikadu Seboka by just two seconds in 28:16, a strong performance given the sometimes-difficult Bengaluru course.
"The course is not so smooth in some areas so you have to be careful," said Geremew, who won the Hyderabad 10-K three years ago in 27:36, the fastest 10km ever run on Indian soil. "Bengaluru is a big and colorful race and very well organised. I am really looking forward to coming back." Says the young Ethiopian, who holds the honor of being one of eight men globally to have dipped under 28 minutes for 10KM.
The men's international elite field also includes Patrick Makau, the former world record holder in the marathon (2:03:38) who will be racing for the first time in India and Tesfaye Abera, 2014 Mumbai Marathon champion who won the 2016 Dubai Marathon in a big personal best (2.04.24) which also makes him the current holder of the fastest Marathon Time.
The Kenyan men, would not be hard to miss on the 15th of May, with Edwin Kipyego, the winner at this year's Hague Half Marathon, Josphat Bett, a former world junior champion and India's hero of a fairy tale script, Gideon Kipketer who started the 2016 Mumbai Marathon as a pacer, but went on to win the country's most prestigious run in 2:08 minutes. All of them hoping to mark more than attendance at this race and aiming to beat the men's course record of 27:44 set in 2014.
All will be gunning for a share of the total prize pot of US$ 197,768, with US$ 23,000 going to the men's and women's race winners.
