Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse runs to a national 10km record of 30:57 in Istanbul (© Can Korkmazoglu)
Istanbul, TurkeyTurkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse, the World record holder for 5000m on the track, ran a national record time of 30:57 to win today's 5th edition of the Maltepe University 10km Road Run but failed in announced World record bid in what was her road race debut.
Making her intentions known from the start, Abeylegesse blasted off from the gun and produced a 2:58 opening kilometre, well under the World record pace. The gap between the Turk and the rest of the women’s field opened to half a minute at 3km mark, however, the pace slipped to 9:09 with a 3:07 split. Having passed the 5km point in 15:23, Abeylegesse was unable to find enough in the second half to attack Paula Radcliffe’s World record of 30:21 set in Puerto Rico in 2003. Still, she came home in a time what is the fourth best in the world so far this year, finishing 15th overall in a mixed field of 1200 runners.
“I cannot always break a World record when I want to, I know that” said Abeylegsse after the race, “but whenever I feel capable, I must try.”
Kenyan Miryam Wangari finished second in 32:47, and Yuliya Gromova of Russia was third in 33:15.
In the men’s division, Kedir Burka of Ethiopia won with a time of 29:16, three seconds ahead of Algerian Mustapha Bennacer. Another three seconds separated Amanuel Woldeslase of Eritrea from the first two.
Can Korkmazoglu for the IAAF
Results
Women:
1. Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR) 30:57
2. Miryam Wangari (KEN) 32:47
3. Yuliya Gromova (RUS) 33:15
4. Peris Willison (KEN) 34:33
5. Binnaz Uslu (TUR) 35:00
6. Dana Janeckova (SVK) 35:05
Men:
1. Kedir Burka (ETH) 29:16
2. Mustapha Bennacer (ALG) 29:19
3. Amanuel Woldeslase (ERI) 29:22
4. Moses Kibor (KEN) 29:24
5. Said Azouzi (MAR) 29:28
6. Pavel Andreev (RUS) 29:35
7. Selahattin Selcuk (TUR) 29:38
8. Abdil Ceylan (TUR) 29:58