News07 May 2006


Prokopchuka and Joseph take 10km titles in Edinburgh

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Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia retains 10km title in Edinburgh (© Mark Shearman)

Edinburgh, UKWorld Half Marathon champion Fabiano Joseph of Tanzania tightened the screw in the final mile to win the men's race in 28:38, while New York Marathon champion Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia easily defended her BUPA Great Edinburgh Run women’s 10km title in the Scottish capital today.

WOMEN

Prokopcuka after finishing in 32:25, admitted that running in the Boston marathon less than three weeks earlier where she had finished as runner-up, had taken a toll on her in the closing stages of the 10km. But the 29-year-old Latvian star was always confident she could score a another success in Edinburgh.

As she did a year ago, the Latvian took control of the 10 kilometres race at the halfway point, her renowned strength on the steep hills pulling her away from Hungarian Aniko Kalovics, Catherine Mutwa of Kenyan, and Ireland’s Jolene Byrne.

"But I felt the effects of Boston in my legs over the last two kilometres - they became very heavy and tight," said Prokopcuka.

Prokopcuka, running over a slightly more difficult course than a year ago, had a 23 seconds margin of victory over Kalovics. Then came Mutwa, who for much of the year is based in Edinburgh, who with a late spurt finished four seconds clear of Ireland's Byrne in 33:17.

"This is the beginning of my marathon build-up," said Prokopcuka, revealing after Boston she had only two days rest before starting light training. “I could have rested longer but I felt it was important to run here, as after Boston I didn't feel as tired as I expected to be. But today did hurt in the end."

Now the Latvian's racing programme will also see her turn her attention to the track where she confirmed she plans running over 10,000m at the European Championships in August.

But she admitted: "My autumn marathon is obviously much more important and I have told New York organiser I want to return and defend my title."

MEN

Fabiano Joseph, showed he had no physical problems whatsoever after pacing last month's London Marathon race for the first 20miles. The 20-year-old Tanzanian along with defending Edinburgh champion Juan Carlos de la Ossa of Spain and Kenyan Simon Arusei, drew away from the chasing pack after three kilometres into their race.

Joseph and Arusei shortly afterwards turned the contest into a two-man affair, dropping the Spaniard, with the Tanzanian happy to match the pace of his Kenyan opponent, before storming away in the final mile.

The Commonweath 10,000m bronze medallist took the win in 28:38, six seconds quicker than Arusei with de la Ossa battling bravely to grab third position, a second ahead of Russia's Vyacheslav Shabunin in 29:25.

Dave Martin – Press Association – for the IAAF


Leading Results

BUPA Great Edinburgh Run (10k)

Men

F Joseph (Tanzania) 28:38, 2, S Arusei (Kenya) 28:44, 3, J C de la Ossa (Spain) 29:25, 4, V Shabunin (Russia) 29:26, 5, D El-Himer (France) 29:28, 6, A Sitkovsky (Ukraine) 29:39, 7, G Murray (Ireland) 29:40, 8, T Abyu 29:47...

Women

J Prokopcuka (Latvia) 32:25, 2, A Kalovics (Hungary) 32:48, 3, C Mutwa (Kenya) 33:17, 4, J Byrne (Ireland) 33:21, 5, Y Gromova (Russia) 33:31, 6, J Augusto (Portugal) 33:57, 7, H Haining 34:13, 8, W Jones 34:38...

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