Bengaluru: When big guns like Kenenisa Bekele and Wilson Kipsang clashes at Bupa Great Manchester Run while Zersenay Tadese takes on the Gifu Seiryu Half-Marathon tomorrow, the Indian city Bengaluru will be witnessing the 7th running of its annual World 10K road race.
Tadese, the winner of inaugural men’s race her in 2008, still holds the course record (27:51) and went on to set the world record in half-marathon (58:23) two years later. Kipsang, who finished fourth in 2009 at Bangalore, went on to win the Olympic bronze medal in marathon at London two years ago. Perhaps Bekele must have still waiting for his turn to come for the Bangalore sojourn.
Kenyans set to rule in men’s race:
Defending champion Alex Korio Oloitiptip is all set to log horn with his compatriot and 2012 winner Geoffrey Kamworor-Kipsang on Sunday. Age is in favour of Kamworor as he, with his latest victory in the IAAF World Half-Marathon championships at Kobenhagen, is eyeing for the top prize in the garden city for one more time. However their Kenyan teammate Peter Matelong, a newcomer here but leading the list with the fastest timing of 27:49 which he clocked while finishing fourth at Taroudant last year, will try to make things tougher for the champions to realize. This apart another runner from the land of African safari, Daniel Salel, is also emerging as a challenger. Salal was a former world youth champion in 3000m and made his mark at India with a silver medal in 10000m at Commonwealth Games in Delhi four years ago. He is swearing to make amends the 19th place finish in Bangalore last year. In spite of a good line-up Tadese’s course record still looks formidable due to a late morning start of the races on Sunday.
Kabuu vs. Kiprop for women’s title:
The Kenyan women are trying to match their male counterparts in taking the prime places at Bangalore in the last few years. This time also they would like to repeat their display as last year’s bronze medalist and former Commonwealth Games champion Lucy Kabuu trying her might with country-mate Helah Kiprop, who won the women’s crown in 2012 here. Incidentally Kiprop is having a better track record on Indian soil with a third place in Delhi half-marathon two years ago apart from the golden glow in the inaugural Kochi International Half-Marathon last December. Kabuu was a victor at Delhi in 2011.
Two other Kenyans credited with better personal best timings to their credit – Joyce Chepkirui (30:37) and Linet Masai (30:48) – may pull a surprise or two in the women’s race. Two other ladies from different nations are also in the fray with prior running experience at Bangalore – Malika Asahssah (Moracco, 4th in 2012) and Helalia Johannes (Namibia, 7th in 2012).
Young vs. Experienced to race for Indian pride:
From the Indian perspective the men’s field includes veteran Soji Mathew to young sensation Abhishekh Pal, silver medalist in last year’s Asian Youth Games at Nanjing in 3000m. On the distaff side, the much experienced Priyanka Singh Patel will have the young girl Sanjeevani Jadhav, the double gold medalist in the recent Federation Cup junior national championship at Chennai and a bronze medalist in World School Gymnasiade at Brasilia running for glory.
Elite athletes’ line-up for tomorrow: (with PB in parenthesis)
MEN:
Alex Korio Oloitiptip KEN 27:52 (2010) Defending champion
Geoffrey Kanworor-Kipsang KEN 28:00 (2012) Winner in 2012
Kinde Atanaw ETH 27:36 (2013)
Jacob Kipleting Kendagor KEN 28:08 (2013)
Peter Matelong KEN 27:49 (2013)
Thomas Ayeko UGA 28:02 (2011)
Aziz Lahbabi MOR 28:07 (2014)
Vincent Chepkok KEN 28:11 (2012)
Jeffrey Egglesten USA 28:34 (2011)
Daniel Salel KEN 28:30 (2013)
WOMEN:
Joyce Chepkirui KEN 30:37 (2013)
Linet Masai KEN 30:48 (2010)
Lucy Kabuu KEN 31:41 (2008)
Guteni Shone ETH 32:44 (2012)
Helah Kiprop KEN 31:44 (2012)
Malika Asahssah MOR 31:46 (2013)
Ababel Yeshaneh ETH 33:04 (2012)
Netsanet Gudeta ETH 33:14 (2013)
Helalia Johannes NAM 33:07 (2006)
Beatrice Mutai KEN 32:25 (2014)