By Josh Ball
Shadrack Biwot won the Half-Marathon yesterday and laid claim to being one of the greatest runners in the history of International Race Weekend in the process.
The Kenyan is the only competitor to have won all three events – the Mile, the 10K and the half – in the same year, and he did so comfortably even though he only decided to enter yesterday's race on Saturday afternoon.
Biwot blew away his opponents, as he did all weekend, finishing in one hour, six minutes and 14 seconds, ahead of Ethiopian Abiyot Endale who came home in a time of 1:07:02.
"It was great man, I was just having fun out there, the course wasn't that bad at all," said Biwot. "I felt good, the course was nice and the hills were not that bad."
For the Kenyan's opponents the scary thing is that he feels he can go even faster and he's coming back next year to prove it.
"For the first 10K I didn't feel a thing, then I opened the gas, I just decided to go," he said. "I was feeling pretty good, I made my move and that was it. It has been great, I was just having fun, and I was comfortable.
"I'm going to go back, talk to my coaches and try to figure out what my next move is, but I feel pretty good and I'll be back next year.
"I want to thank the people of Bermuda, the race directors, my coaches back in Eugene, my team-mates, everybody – the whole trip was really nice."
For a while Endale felt that he might win but then Biwot kicked into gear and the race was all over with little more than two miles to go.
"It was a good race, it was nice, but I started the race on my own and the whole way, up to 11 miles, it was a little bit hard because there was no-one helping the pace," said Endale
"Biwot was staying behind me and then with two miles left, he went. It's a little bit different staying back to leading, because in the mind if you intend to stay back behind someone you can push, where I know that he did the mile, the 10K, so I know he's not coming into the race the wrong way.
"I just had to push myself, he took the pace and then with two miles left, he went. It was good but he's a very great runner, so I am happy with second. I have enjoyed myself a lot."
Giitah MacHaria from Canada completed the top three, finishing in 1:09:15.
"It was good, it was a little bit hot for me especially as I have come in from Canada were it was minus 15 when I left, but I enjoyed myself," he said.
"I kind of didn't want to go out quickly because I raced on Saturday, so I was a little bit conservative, so I couldn't catch them then."
Belainesh Zemdkum ended her weekend by winning the women's race with a time of 1:14:19, a good four minutes ahead of American Sara Slattery who ran a 1:18:22. Zemdkum's performance was all the more impressive given she was battling a stomach bug.
"I was sick on Friday so I made a little recovery, but it wasn't bad, and I am happy. I ran on my own, stuck to my plan. I think I am coming back next year, I will go training, and then come back and win the 10K and Half-Marathon, I am so happy."
Of the local runners Jay Donowa was the first male. He finished sixth overall with an impressive time of 1:13:57, and was nearly five minutes quicker than his nearest rival Tony Banks who posted a time of 1:18:31. Simon Ashby was third among the Island's athletes finishing in 1:22:20.
Forty-four year-old Victoria Fiddick proved that age is no reason not to improve, winning the local women's race in a personal best of 1:24:58 with Ashley Estwanik second in 1:28:11.
"It was a good run for me," said Fiddick. "That's probably the fastest time I've ever run in Bermuda for the half, so at my age I'll take that. I've probably done a two minute better time than I've ever done on the course, so you can't ask for more than that.
"At my age to cut your time down by two minutes, that's alright. The marathon ladies were just ahead of me and I just kept with them and was making sure I didn't lose them."
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