Hyderabad/India 10K – Ethiopian Geremew pips Kenyan Kipkemboi for top honours in Hyderabad 10K – By Ram. Murali Krishnan

Hyderabad, India – 25 November 2012 – Running only on his third race at 10 km distance, Ethiopian Geremew provided a stunner when he captured the men’s crown in Jamba Cloud Hyderabad 10K on Sunday (25) clocking a praiseworthy 27: 36.   The women’s honour went to another Ethio Yebrqual Melese.

The Hyderabad race, established nine years ago by the 10K Foundation and was an annual feature in Andhra Pradesh capital, received further significance this year as it comes under the tutelage of Procam International—the promoters of three IAAF Gold Label road races in India at Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.

Geremew beats Kipkemboi at tape

Kenyan runners Nicholas Kipkemboi and Daniel Yegon were pre-race favourites on the men’s field.     

Kipkemboi received fame after he beats fellow Kenyan world record-holder Leonard Komon in Seven Hills 15K run at Nijmegen, Netherlands, barely a week ago.  Arrived at Hyderabad with a previous best of 28:33 at 10K achieved in another race at Holland earlier this summer, Kipkemboi predicted to go under 28 minutes here.  Yegon, last year’s winner here, also shown confidence in defending his title.

When the race was flagged off at People’s Plaza this morning, both Kipkemboi and Yegon bounced in to front running positions. Also ran in the lead group along with the Kenyan duo were Jackson Kiprop of Uganda and Mosinet Geremew from Ethiopia.  Kiprop, only on last month finished seventh in the IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships at Kavarna, Bulgaria, had a PB of 28:35 for 10K.  Geremew, the winner of Great Ethiopian Run at Addis Ababa last year, entered the fray with a fast 27:53 he achieved for a win earlier this April at Paderborn, Germany.

Running around the popular Hussain Sagar Lake, Geremew put pressure on the two Kenyans and Kiprop as he increased pace during the second half of the race.  Turning towards the finish the Ethio made a strong kick with Kipkemboi still on his side.  In what is considered as a race of his career, Geremew clocked an impressive 27:36, beating the Kenyan on tape.  The Ethiopian’s time was the second fastest for this distance this season, behind Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai’s 27:29 recorded at Boston in June, and also ranked him fifth if intermediate times from races longer than 10k also in consideration.  Kipkemboi, a shade away in 27:37, finished second while Ugandan Kiprop completes the podium in 28:16—all three personal bests.

“Hyderabad was a new experience (for me).  It was a little hot (today) but running in this city was a pleasure as I also recorded my PB”, 20-year-old Geremew revealed after the race. 

Kipkemboi found the climate of Hyderabad matches his home (Kenya) and shown interest for a come-back next year.  Kiprop expressed his like on weather, enthusiasm of people and the whole environment.

Melese joins Ethiopian party with women’s title

As like in men’s field, Kenyan Beatrice Mutai was a favourite in the starting line-up for women’s race.  Having finished third in Nijmegen 15K behind Ethiopian strong women Tirunesh Dibaba and Tiki Gelana, Mutai was expected to create fireworks at Hyderabad.   However another Ethio spoilt Mutai’s ambition in the Indian city that was once ruled by the Nizams and is a treasure-trove of several heritage monuments.

Yebrqual Melese, the 22-year-old Ethiopian who finished fourth in this year’s Delhi half-marathon, had stiff challenge from Mutai all the way.  But a determined Melese pulled away in the final kilometre to win the race in a modest 33:21 clocking with Mutai finished 15 seconds later.

The women’s race also witnessed an Indian made it to the podium in Olympian Sudha Singh.  The Indian, already popular with her inaugural steeplechase gold medal at the Asian Games in Guangzhou two years ago, represented the nation at the London Olympics this summer.  She made it a habit to run the distance races on road for quite some years and her experience paid off well when she clocked a noteworthy 35:18 for her third place today. Her training-mate and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Kavita Raut finished fourth in 36:01.

Rattiram Saini was fastest among the Indian men with a time of 30:16. 

As much as 2,500 runners took part in the 10k race while another 6,000 in Mazza run.  Tollywood Megastar Chiranjeevi, former All-England Badminton champion Pullela Gopichand and ace tennis player Sania Mirza were among the celebrities who graced the occasion to cheer the participants.    

 

Ram. Murali Krishnan

Top Results:


MEN

1.Mosinet Geremew ETH 27:36

2.Nicholas Kipkemboi KEN 27:37

3.Jackson Kiprop UGA 28:16

4.Daniel Yegon KEN 28:41

5.Hillary Kemboi KEN 28:52

6.Sibusiso Nizima RSA 29:35

7.Obadiah Kemboi Kisang KEN 29:39

8.Rattiram Saini IND 30:16

 

WOMEN

1.Yebrqual Melese ETH 33:21

2.Beatrice Mutai KEN 33:36

3.Sudha Singh IND 35:18

4.Kavita Raut IND 36:01

5.Kiplagat Eunice Jerotich KEN 36:13

6.Monica Athare IND 37:21

7.Monica Raut IND 38:13

8. Rohini Raut IND 38:57