Philemon cruises to World 10K win

A 24-year-old policeman, who started his running career just two years ago, won the TCS World 10K on Sunday, declaring later that his belated start had indeed motivated him to work harder to catch up with more experienced rivals. Philemon Limo of Kenya had the race stitched up just after the halfway stage, but the women’s event was much tighter, with Ethiopian Dire Tune nosing ahead of compatriot Merima Mohammed at the tape.

India’s best runners were left trailing in the wake of the Kenyans and Ethiopians. Asian Games and CWG medallist Kavita Raut finished 16th, over a minute behind the winner, while Sudha Singh was 20th. National Games gold medalist Suresh Kumar was the best Indian in the elite field, finishing 20th, ahead of armymen VL Dangi and Kheta Ram.

READ ON...

Drama at Wanjiru burial preparations

Kemboi, Keitany win in Orego

World steeplechase champion Ezekiel Kemboi and former Africa 1,500 metres holder Haron Keitany were among Kenya’s winners at Saturday’s Prefontaine Diamond League athletics meeting in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Kemboi won the 3,000m steeplechase in eight minutes, 8.34 seconds to finish ahead of compatriot Paul Kipsiele Koech (8:10.13) and Ethiopia’s Gary Roba (8:11.34).

Keitany (3:49.09) defeated Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop to third place in the 1,500m, with Silas Kiplagat (3:49.39) second. Kiprop clocked 3:49.55.

Caster Semenya, whose 800m triumph at the 2009 World Championships was followed by a gender controversy, finished second in the women’s 800m, but said she wasn’t disappointed.

She closed from eighth to second on the final lap, but left herself too much to do and couldn’t threaten race winner Kenia Sinclaire of Jamaica, who won in a world-leading time of 1:58.29.

“The time is good. Under two minutes, 1:58,” said Semenya, who was runner-up in 1:58.88. “Now I can train harder so I can run a fast time. It was good to be back — fans — I miss that a lot.”

Kenya’s Olympic silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei was second in 1:59.15.

READ ON...

Negari and Deba win Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon titles in their debuts in San Diego

Terfa Negari of Kenya won the men’s Rock ‘n Roll Marathon on Sunday and Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia took the women’s event.

Negari pulled away at mile 19 to breeze to victory in 2 hours, 11 minutes, 18 seconds, kissing the ground after winning his first title at 26.2 miles in his San Diego debut. Tesfaye Sendeku of Ethiopia was second in 2:12:23. Gilbert Chepkwony of Kenya was third in 2:12:50.

READ ON...

Bernard Lagat discusses Kenyan training and racing and how his style has resulted in a long career

Watch more video of Prefontaine Pre Classic 2011 on flotrack.org

Bernard Lagat gets treatment from Dr. David Pascal after the 2 mile at the 2011 Pre Classic

Watch more video of Prefontaine Pre Classic 2011 on flotrack.org

Holiday Marathons offer path to grass-roots racing

Fast or slow, everyone in this race was wearing No. 1.

And that's not all the 150 or so runners in the Memorial Day Marathon in New York City's Van Cortlandt Park had in common. They also were running for free and far from the Big Apple's crowded streets.

"This is more of a community event," said David White, a 41-year-old runner from Manhattan. "It's just a small-town kind of thing. This is the love-of-running type thing."

Welcome to Holiday Marathons, a series of races in New York City's fourth-largest park that forsakes the electronic timing, extensive swag and large entry fees common at the corporate-sponsored events that populate the running calendars across the country.

"This is the anti-New York Road Runners race," said Kate Donovan, a Van Cortlandt Park regular who lives in the Bronx. "It's for free and for fun."

READ ON...