May 23, 2015 – Ottawa – For the second consecutive year in the 10 km event at the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, a Kenyan woman was the first to cross the finish line and go on to break the course record.
Thirty-two year-old Gladys Cherono’s time of 30 minutes 56 seconds was 25 seconds faster last year’s course record set by fellow Kenyan Mary Keitany. She also beat her personal best time of 30 minutes, 57 seconds set in 2012.
At the Ottawa 10 km race, elite women are given a time advance on their male counterparts for a chance to win a $2,000 gender competition bonus. This year’s 3 minute, 25 second lead was calibrated based on an assessment of participating athletes.
Second place finisher was Peres Jepchirchir, 21, also of Kenya, whose time of 31 minutes 18 seconds was enough to keep her ahead of the first male to reach the finish line. Jepchirchir also beat her personal best time of 31 minutes 34 seconds. Rounding out the top three women was Canadian Lanni Marchant, 31, with a time of 31 minutes 49 seconds.
“Tonight’s great performances validate the Gold Label standard we have earned for the first time this year from the International Association of Athletics Federation for this event,” says Manny Rodrigues, Elite Race Coordinator. The Ottawa 10 km race is the only one in Canada to hold the IAAF gold label and only one of four races in the world with this designation.
Kenyan Nicholas Bor, 28, was the first man to finish with a time of 27 minutes 55 seconds – not fast enough to beat the course record of 27:24 set in 2009 by Ethiopian Deriba Merga. He was followed by two fellow Kenyans: Simon Cheprot, 25, with a time of 27 minutes 57 seconds; and David Kogei, 30, who ran in at 28 minutes 16 seconds.
10 km Canadian Championships
The Ottawa 10 km race was the site this year for Athletic Canada’s 10 km Canadian Championships. Eric Gillis, 35, ran a 28 minute 58 second race, placing 7th overall. Lanni Marchant faced stiff competition but held on to a strong lead. She was followed by 33-year-old Vancouver based Natasha Wodak, who ran 31 minutes 59 seconds.
“The Canadian Championships were a resounding success,” says Rodrigues. “At an IAAF Gold Label event, having two Canadian women among the top five finishers and three Canadian men place in the top 10 is unprecedented.”
Image Credit: Photorun
