Kenyan almost smashes Haile’s record

By Feverpitch Reporter and IAAF

Beijing Marathon runner-up, Nicholas Kamakya came up two seconds shy of shattering Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie’s course record in the Wincanton 15km race on Monday.

Kamakya, who won the event held in Heerenberg, Netherlands clocked 42:38 to better compatriot Wilfred Murgor who ran 42:47 for runners-up.

In the women’s race, Caroline Kilel, a member of the Birmingham World Half national team, upstaged Olympic marathon champion Constatina Tomescu Dita to soar to top honours in 49:47. The Beijing champion took distant second in 51:36.

Undulating course

Despite the weather conditions in Heerenberg, an eastern Dutch town near the German border, the men’s race got off to a fast start over the undulating course.

A group comprised of World junior Cross Country champion Ayele Abshiro of Ethiopia, and Kenyans Linus Chumba, Wilfred Murgor and Kamakya, passed the first five-kilometre marker in 13:58, well inside the split time Gebrselassie ran two years ago.

As Kamakya pressed the pace after the initial five kilometres, the group broke and only Murgor, who was running outside of his home country for the first time, could follow.

Just after 11 km, Murgor also lost contact. Hindered by the rain and wind Kamakya’s pace lessened but after a strong final kilometre, he missed Gebrselassie’s course record by a mere two seconds, crossing the finish in 42:38.

Fast start

Kilel was a strong winner in the women’s race. The Kenyan, who finished fourth at the World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham in October, had a very fast start, clocking 16:01 for the first 5000m.

She than lost contact with a group of men around her and ran the rest of the race alone to win unchallenged in 49:57.