Nijmegen, The Netherlands – The 20th edition of the Zevenheuvelenloop (Seven Hills Run) 15 kms race on Sunday (16 Nov) produced a surprising victory for 23 year-old Kenyan Richard Yatich in 42:43, the best time in the world of the year, which beat the distinguished name of Paul Tergat into third.

Yatich who set a Half Marathon personal best of 63:33 in Lille on 6 September, already had a lead of about 25 metres after one kilometre of the race, and from that point on he steadily increased his lead after intermediate splits of 14.25 and 28.33, and won by 48 seconds from Tanzania’s 17 year-old Fabiano Joseph who took the World Half Marathon silver medal in Vilamoura last month.

Paul Tergat, the world’s fastest ever Marathon runner was third, twenty seconds further adrift.

Mestewat Tufa (Eth) was an easy winner of the women’s race in 49.06 (with splits of 16.41 and 33.08), Magdeline Chemjor was second nearly two minutes back.
 
Wim van Hemert for the IAAF
 
Men
1  Richard Yatich (Ken)  42:43 
 world best time of 2003
2  Fabiano Joseph (Tan)  43:31 
3  Paul Tergat (Ken)  43:51 
4  Assefa Mezgebu (Eth) 44:11 
5  Marco Gielen 44:13
6 Jeroen van Damme 44:28 
7 Guus Janssen 44:34 
8 Koen Raymaekers 44:40 
9 Jamal Baligha (Mor) 44:51 

Women  
1  Mestewat Tufa (Eth)  49:06
2  Magdaline Chemjor (Ken) 51:23
3  Irma Heeren (Ned) 51:29
4  Petra Kaminkova (Cze) 51:51
5  Hilda Kibet (Ken) 52:27        
6 Miranda Boonstra (Ned) 52:29
7  Nadja Wijenberg (Ned) 52:33
8 Kristijna Loonen (Ned) 53:13
9  Daphne Panhuysen (Ned) 53:24