Chicago marathon champion Brigid Kosgei ended the 2018 on a high note by winning the San Silvester Vallecana Madrid 10km road race defeating Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri who was making a debut in road running.
Experienced road runner Kosgei led a 1-2 finish for Kenyan runners in the Spanish Capital on Monday night to usher in new year in style.
the two time Honolulu marathon champion clocked 29:54 to claim the title ahead of Obiri’s 29:59 before Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia completed the podium in 30:40.
In men’s race, Ugandan world cross country junior champion Jacob Kiplimo ran the fastest time in 10km road race to win the title.
He timed 26:41 ahead of compatriot Abdi Hadis (26:54) and Ugandan Mande Bushendich completing the podium in 27:24.
Despite running a world record, the downhill nature of the course, can’t count as a world record, but it is still a notable performance as it took 13 seconds off the previous race record set by Eliud Kipchoge back in 2006.
Selected results
MEN:
- Jacob Kiplimo (UGA)- 26:41
- Abadi Hadis (ETH)- 26:54
- Mande Bushendich (UGA)- 27:24
WOMEN
- Brigid Kosgei (KEN)- 29:54
- Hellen Obiri (KEN)- 29:59
- Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH)-30:40