New records set at Madrid’s Vallecana 10K
Madrid: Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo and Kenyan runner Brigid Kosgei established new men’s and women’s records in the annual San Silvestre Vallecana 10K race.
Kiplimo, 18, completed the course through the Vallecas neighbourhood in 26:41 here on Monday, besting what was thought to be the unassailable mark of 26:54, set in 2011 by Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, reports Efe.
Ethiopian competitor Abadi Hadis finished second with a time of 26:54, while Kiplimo’s countryman Mande Bushendich completed the podium.
Three Spaniards – Chiqui Perez, Toni Abadia and hurdler Fernando Carro – took the sixth, seventh and eighth spots, respectively.
In the women’s race, Kosgei picked up her second Vallecana trophy in three years with a time of 29:54, nearly a minute faster than Gelete Burka’s previous record of 30:53.
Kenya’s Helen Obiri, world champion in the 5,000m, came second, just five seconds behind the winner. Tirunesh Dibada of Ethiopia, an Olympic gold medalist, had to settle for third.
Next was Ethiopian-born Spaniard Trihas Gebre, followed in fifth by Sara Ribeiro of Portugal. Spain’s Solange Pereira finished eighth.
Maria Jose Perez, Chiqui’s sister, took the 10th spot.
A total of 42,500 people took part in the event, which features an amateur “fun run” before the professional race.