Kenya’s Agnes Tirop pulled a surprise to many when she broke the World 10K women race in Bengaluru that was held early Sunday in Bengaluru, India.
The race that was ran under humid and hot conditions could not prevent the battle between three women who all went through the race with a course record in mind as they fought their way to the very last 500m which separated the three.
A pack of nine runners went through two kilometres in 6:30 and three in 9:42 before a slight increase in pace saw the pack reduced to the five main protagonists at the halfway point, reached in 16:01.
The Kenya trio of Pauline Kamulu, Caroline Kipkirui and Agnes Tirop were accompanied by Ethiopia’s Netsanet Gudeta and Senbere Teferi.
With the world half marathon champion Gudeta continuing to force the pace, as she had done almost from the gun, after 6km Kamulu started to drop away.
After nine kilometres was passed in 28:25, Kipkirui started to suffer and was unable to stay with her two rivals. With 500m to go it was down to a head-to-head battle between Teferi and Tirop, the latter using her sub-8:30 speed over 3000m on the track to outkick Teferi about 250m from the line before winning in 31:19.
“I knew my training had been going well but I didn’t come here expecting to win as it was such a strong field. Maybe my chances were 50/50. It helped that the Ethiopians made the pace in the first half of the race and I felt very comfortable following them,” said Tirop.
The Ethiopian crossed the line in second place three seconds later while Kipkirui closed the podium three in 31:28.
Gudeta and Kamulu took fourth and fifth place in 31:53 and 32:16 respectively.
irop was closely followed by Teferi
LEADING RESULTS
WOMEN
- Agnes Tirop (KEN) 31:19
- Senbere Teferi (ETH) 31:22
- Caroline Kipkirui (KEN) 31:28
- Netsanet Gudeta (ETH) 31:53
- Pauline Kamulu (KEN) 32:16
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