Former Africa Games 5000m champion Lilian Kasait believes she would have broken the course record at the TCS 10-kilometre road race in Bengaluru, India on Sunday.
Kasait clocked 30:56, 21 seconds adrift of the course record held by Irene Cheptai to win the event ahead of compatriot Immaculate Anyango (31:17) and Ethiopia's Lemlem Hailu (31:23)m who finished second and third respectively.
Speaking of her triumph, she observed: “I feel I could have broken the course record today. At the end of the race, I felt I still had a lot of energy in me.”
She added: “It was a very aggressive race. We were fast from the beginning and Anyango was pushing us all. I just tried to keep up with her. At the 7km mark, I felt I could push myself and decided to go for it.”
In the men's category, Peter Mwaniki clinched the men’s title. He came into the event as a hot favourite and got off to a conservative start.
At the 7.5km mark, he was level, pegging with his Kenyan peer Hillary Chepkwony. However, Mwaniki surged forward in the final stretch to finish comfortably at 28:15 while Hillary Chepkwony (28:33) finished behind him.
Also logging a resounding performance was 17-year-old debutant Hagos Eyob of Eritrea, who clocked an impressive 28:39 to finish third. Both Kasait and Mwaniki pocketed Sh3.3 million for winning the event.
