Dutchwoman Hilda Kibet clocked the fastest 10-mile performance of the year with her 51:30 victory at the 26th edition of Dam tot Dam loop from Amsterdam to Zaandam, The Netherlands, on Sunday (19).
The men's race was won by 19-year-old Kenyan John Mwangangi, who outsprinted 2009 winner Moses Masai by one second in 45:26. Mwangangi's performance was the second fastest of the year.
After the gun sounded in Amsterdam, the race quickly became a family affair in the women's race, which started 5:46 minutes earlier than the men's race to create a confrontation between the sexes in the closing stages. Lornah Kiplaget, an aunt to Hilda Kibet, took the early lead along with Ethiopian Mestewat Tufa. The three went out fast with the experienced Kiplagat, who last Sunday took the Dutch 10Km title in Tilburg, forcing the pace. The trio passed the 10 kilometres marker in 31:35 but by that point Tufa was already running behind the leaders, losing contact. Kibet was now pressing and Kiplagat eventually lost contact as well.
Running in light rain and 17 C temperatures, Kibet forged on but was not able to fight off the chasing men. Tufa was the first of the leading women to be taken over, with Kiplagat next to fall. And finally, with thousands of spectators lining the streets in Zaandam, Kibet had to bow, losing her shot at a 5000 EUR bonus. Nonetheless, Kibet's time was the fastest of the year bettering the 51:51 by Lineth Chepkurui at the tn-miler in Washington DC on 11 April.
In the men's race, there was a lead group of eight African runners, led by Kenyan Jonathan Maiyo who brought them through the first five kilometres in 14:12. As the pace remained swift, the leading group finally broke. Maiyo, Masai, Ayele Abshiro and Mwangangi passed the ten kilometre mark in 28:16.
The four stayed together, eventually overtaking the leading women. Reaching the streets of Zaandam, Masai and Mwangangi were seconds ahead before the young Mwangangi outsprinted the defending champion to take the victory. His winning time of 45:26 was just three seconds shy of the this season's world leading 45:23 set by Kenyan Shadrack Kipchirchir in Schortens, Germany, on 21 August.
Leading results -
Men:
1. John Mwangangi, KEN 45:26
2. Moses Masai, KEN 45:27
3. Ayele Abshiro, ETH 45:33
4. Jonathan Maiyo, KEN 45:33 [correct]
5. Nicolas Kiprono, UGA 46:29
6. Tariku Bekele, ETH 46:44
7. Abebe Dinkesa, ETH 47:26
8. Allan Noliwa, KEN 47:27
9. Abdelhadi bel Hachimi, MAR 47:46
10. Koen Raymaekers, NED 47:51
11. Patrick Stitzinger, NED 48:08
12. Jamal Baligha, MAR 48.39
Women:
1. Hilda Kibet, NED 51:30
2. Lornah Kiplagat, NED 52:03
3. Mestewat Tufa, ETH 52:43
4. Aniko Kalovics, HUN 53:42
5. Salina Kosgei, KEN 53.51
6. Pauline Wangui, KEN 54:07
7. Gatheru Wanjiru, KEN 54:09
8. Pauline Wambui, KEN 54:37
9. Ferhiwot Gosku, ETH 54:46
10. Karolina Jarzinska, POL 54:56
11. Helah Kiprop, KEN 55:08
12. Merel de Knegt, NED 56:02
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