CAPE TOWN – It was more Kenyan magic as Alfred Ngeno and Tadu Nare took the Heritage Day honours at the FNB Joburg 10K CITYRUN – the second in the FNB Run Your City Series, following the Cape Town ONERUN 12km in May and just three weeks before the series finale – the Durban 10K CITYSURFRUN.
Kenyans Morris Gachaga and Brillian Kipkoech reigned supreme in Cape Town (Gachaga for the third year in succession), while their marathon-distance compatriots, Edwin Koech and Celestine Chepchirchir made it to the top step of the podium in the recent Cape Town Marathon.
And once again they proved their world class yesterday, with Ngeno crossing the line ahead of 15 000 participants in 29:16 – 11 seconds inside the year-old course record and just a whisker ahead of compatriot Kevin Kibet.
South Africa’s Elroy Galant was up with the leaders in the first half, but the Cape Town Marathon, just 9 days earlier was still in his legs and he dropped behind to take third in an excellent 29:38.
Nare came within one second of the course record of Irvette van Zyl when she won the women’s race in 33:53, and a 12 second margin over race favourite, fellow Kenyan Mary Nyaruai Ekiru. Comrades champion, Gerda Steyn, was delighted with her third position in 34:31 – 27 seconds quicker than last year, boding well for her New York Marathon next month.
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1 Alfred Ngeno (Ken) 29:16; 2 Kevin Kibet (Ken) 29:17; 3 Elroy Gelant (RSA) 29:38; 4 Albert Tonui (Ken) 30:05; 5 Victor Chepkkwony (Ken) 30:18
1 Tadu Nare (Ken) 33:53; 2 Mary Ekiru (Ken) 34:05; 3 Gerda Steyn (RSA) 34:31; 4 Glenrose Xaba (RSA) 35:19; 5 Fortunate Chidzivo (ZImb) 35:46