KOGO DEFEATS KUMA IN THRILLING SPRINT FOR THE LINE IN BIRMINGHAM
David Martin
October 21, 2012
Kenyan Micah Kogo won a thrilling sprint for the line
ahead of Abera Kuma to set a new course record at the Bupa Great
Birmingham Run on Sunday.
Kogo who dominated the race almost from the start,
breasted the tape in a time of one hour and 17 secconds to deny his
Ethiopian rival victory by two seconds with World record holder and
pre-race favourite Zersenay Tadese third in 1:01:06.
On a very misty morning, Kogo - after losing in last
month's Bupa Great North Run by a second - made amends by smashing the
course record of 1:01:29 set a year ago by the legendary Ethiopian,
Haile Gebrselassie.
Despite that defeat the 26-year-old former Olympic 10,000
metres bronze medallist's confidence was sky high after a posting a
World class time of 59:07 in the Tyneside race and it clearly showed as
he took up the pace after the first mile passed in a speedy 4:30.
With Kogo and Kuma operating at sub one hour pace there
was drama 15 minutes into the contest when Tadese - who set the current
UK All-Comers' record of 59:35 when winning the World Half Marathon
title in Birmingham three years ago - fell away.
The Eritrean was clearly suffering from tiredness after
again winning the global title in Bulgaria a fortnight ago but showed
his determination when getting back alongside the two leaders before
again dropping well behind them a mile later.
That left Kuma fifth in last year's World Championships
5,000 metres final and making his half marathon debut doggedly stuck to
the heels of his fellow east African to set up a grandstand finish
before Kogo proved the faster sprinter finish in the final 150m.
"I'm really happy with the result today," said Kogo. "It
was a fabulous run for me. At the Bupa Great North Run, I was just
pipped to the finish, so to win today in Birmingham is fantastic."
Kogo who along with Kuma looked set to smash the one hour
barrier until a very steep incline at 11 miles wrecked the attempt,
added: "This course was slightly trickier than the North Run.
"There is a hill at the end, plus the weather was colder than Newcastle but that makes it a better achievement for me.
"The crowd was amazing, everyone was cheering 'Kogo, go, go' which really pushed me on to get to the finish line."
Kogo who still holds the UK All-Comers' record for 10
kilometres set at the 2007 Bupa Great Manchester Run and is planning a
marathon debut next year, added: "The plan for me now is to head back to
Kenya for more training."
Tadese who was clearly carrying dead legs after another
high profile race so soon after his Kavarna victory and London Olympic
Games participation, admitted he was very tired.
"I'm now looking forward to a three weeks rest break
before getting back in to training," said the 30-year-old and arguably
the World's greatest ever half marathon performer.
The women's race was a less high profile affair with Sara
Moreira taking total control in the last three miles to notch a
runaway victory ahead of Ethiopia's former World Half Marathon champion
Berhane Adere.
Moreira breaking clear on the killer mile which had
slowed Kogo and Kuma in their attempts to smash the milestone one hour
barrier, finished in a time of 1:12:49.
The Portugese athlete after a very slow start to the
competition missed Gemma Steel's course record by 28sec as she finished
well ahead of Adere who clocked 1:15:02 with Kenya's Irene Mogaka third
in 1:15:40.
"It's really good to win," said Moreira a London Olympic
Games 10,000m finalist. "I'm very happy with how the race went although
I had a slow first 10km but I picked it up in the second half.
"I'm currently training for the European cross country in Budapest and the tough course in Birmingham is good preparation."
Leading Results
Men
1, M Kogo (Kenya) 1:00:17
2, A Kuma (Ethiopia) 1:00:19
3, Z Tadese (Eritrea) 1:01:06
4, Y Nakao (Japan) 1:03:16
5, A Meftah (France) 1:03:55
6, J Kelai |(Kenya) 1:04:04
Women
1, S Moreira (Portugal) 1:12:49
2, B Adere (Ethiopia) 1:15:02
3, I Mogaka (Kenya) 1:15:40
4, C Holme (Great Britain) 1:17:06
5, S Harrison (Great Britain) 1:18:19
6, J Evans (Great Britain) 1:19:28
Wheelchairs
Men
1, P Hogg (Great Britain) 53:30
2, S Lawson (Great Britain) 1:00:58
3, M Clarke (Great Britain) 1:02:50
Women
1, M Dawson-Farrell (Great Britain) 1:21:29
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