James Kwambai retained his title in a time of 1:00:22 at the fifth edition of the Udine Half Marathon. On the women's side the win went to the kenyan Hellen Cherono who clocked 1:10.07.

Kwambai took the honours by beating his compatriot Benson Cherono in a men’s race totally dominated by Kenyans who took the top seven positions.

Pius Muli, a former World Youth 3000m champion, made a good job as pacemaker in the first 10 km. The goal at the start was to run the first 10 km split in 28:30. The flat course has enjoyed a solid reputation as one of the fastest in Europe since the 2003 world cross country silver medallist Patrick Ivuti ran here in 59:45 in 2002 to set the Udine Half Marathon record.

Muli set a fast pace in the first 5 km and led a kenyan group which included Kwambai, the young Benson Cherono and the former World Junior 10,000m champion Benson Barus. After a 14:58 split for the first 5km Barus and Kwambai ran side by side with Muli.

Kwambai and Cherono pushed the pace at the 15 km and pulled clear of the other kenyans. The 18 km split was run in 51.25, which indicated a possible final time under the 1 hour barrier. 

The time became a bit slower when the race turned into a neck and neck battle between Cherono and Kwambai in the last three km. With only one km to go the latter pulled away from Cherono and retain his Udine Half Marathon title in 1:00:22, a time which improves his previous PB by 16 seconds from the time he ran last year.

Cherono finished second in 1:00:28 over Yussuf Songoka, third in 1:01:20 and Benson Barus, fourth in 1:01:31.

"Udine is one of my favourite races because I like running over flat courses", said Kwambai.

Hellen Cherono takes simple win in women’s race
 
Hellen Cherono led the race from gun and to tape and her win in 1:10:07 was never under threat in the women’s race.

"The course was ideal to set a fast time. I am delighted with my performance which indicates that I am in good form. I am training in Brescia under the guidance of my Italian coach Claudio Bellini  to prepare a marathon race in autumn", said Cherono.

The young kenyan follows in the footstps of her more illustrious compatriot Margaret Okayo, who won in Udine in 2003 prior to her second New York marathon win.

Second today was the Italian Anna Carmela Incerti, bronze at the 2003 World University Games in Daegu in 2003, who lowered her PB by one and half minute from 1.12:04 to a good 1:10:56, which stands as the fastest time of the year in Italy.
 
At 8km Incerti managed to catch up with Romania's Simone Staicu, who was running in third place behind Hellen Cherono and Anne Jelagat. The 24-year-old Italian pulled clear of the Romanian and was 40 seconds behind the kenyan pair.

Then at the 10km Incerti, Italian marathon champion last year in Florence, dropped the fading Jelagat and secured a well-deserved second place.

"Udine is one of my favourite races because it was here that I set the under 23 national record in 2002 with 1:12:30. I knew I was in form but I did not expect this time. I realized that I could clinch the second place when I saw that Jeagat was fading and I managed to drop her. This is the first time that an italian runner finishes in the first three in Udine and this makes me happy.", said a delighted Incerti.

Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF

Selected results from the Udine Half Marathon:

Men:
1 James Kwambai   (Kenya)  1:00:22
2 Benson Cherono   (Kenya) 1:00:28
3 Yussuf Songoka  (Kenya) 1:01:20
4 Benson Barus  (Kenya) 1:01:31
5 Richard Mayo  (Kenya) 1:01:34
6 Simon Kisinga Kiilu (Kenya) 1:02:40
7 Simon Bor   (Kenya) 1:02:56
8 Ottavio Andriani  (Italy)  1:03:01
9 Samwel Kalya  (Kenya) 1:03:02
10 Mostaà Errebah  (Italy)  1:03:56

Women:
1 Hellen Cherono  (Kenya) 1:10:07
2 Anna Incerti  (Italy)  1:10:56
3 Simone Staicu  (Romania) 1.12:49
4 Renate Runnger  (Italy)  1:14:06
5 Anne Jelagat  (Kenya) 1:14:16