Running in rainy and windy conditions, Nicholas Kamakya Manza of Kenya won the 14th edition of the Wincanton Montferland 15Km Run, falling just two seconds shy of Haile Gebrselassie’s 42:36 course record set by two years ago. His compatriot Caroline Cheptonui Kilel was the fastest woman in 49:57 beating Olympic marathon champion Constantina Dita of Romania.
Despite the weather conditions in 's Heerenberg, an eastern Dutch town near the German border, the men's race got off a fast start over the undulating course. A group comprised of Manza, World junior Cross Country champion Ayele Abshiro of Ethiopia, and Kenyans Linus Chumba, Wilfred Murgor and Nicholas Kamakya, passed the first five kilometre marker in 13:58, well inside the split time Gebrselassie ran two years ago. As Manza 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 kilometres Murgor also lost contact. Hindered by the rain and wind Manza'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.
Murgor tooki second place nine seconds behind. Abshiro who had lost contact but came back strongly, also finished within 43 minutes to take third in 42:50.
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.
Dita, who ran a more even race, sat in third behind Kilel and Dutchwoman Ilse Pol until the 11th kilometre and eventually finished a distant second in 51:36. Pol took third in 51:46.
2319 runners finished the 15 kilometre race.
Wim van Hemert for the IAAF
Leading Results -
MEN -
1. Nicholas Kamakya Manza, KEN 42:38
2. Wilfred Murgor, KEN 42.47
3. Ayele Abshiro, ETH 42:50
4. Jacob Cheshire, KEN 43:13
5. Linus Chumba, KEN 43:53
6. Getu Feleke, ETH 43:53
7. Koen Raymaekers, NED 47:09
8. Patrick Stitzinger, NED 47:29
9. Wesley van der Gouw, NED 47:33
10. Petr Pechek, CZE 48:06
WOMEN -
1. Caroline Cheptonui Kilel, KEN 49:57
2. Constantina Dita, ROU 51:36
3. Ilse Pol, NED 51:46
4. Fridah Domogole, KEN 52:37
5. Merel de Knegt, NED 53:14
6. Naomy Jepkosgei, KEN 53:22
7. Petra Kaminkova, CZE 54:37
8. Nadja Wijenberg, NED 55:16
9. Miriam van Reijen, NED 56:17
10. Lenko Sibravova, CZE 57:21
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