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Rhonex Kipruto, the men's world 10K road race world-record holder, will go for gold at the landmark 15th edition of the World Athletics Gold Label, World 10K Bengaluru on Sunday.
The Kenyan set a world mark of 26:24 in January 2020 in Valencia (Spain), a year after claiming the 10,000m track bronze at the World Athletics Championship in Doha. The 23-year-old, a former World U-20 10,000m champion, headlines an exciting field in the USD 210,000 prize fund race that includes 14 runners with personal bests under the course record of 27:38 set last year by defending champion Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli of Kenya. The race promises to be a treat for running aficionados given the talented mix at the men's start line that includes, apart from Kipruto and Kipkorir Kimeli, Gemechu Dida (winning the 10K in Lille, France in March), Birhanu Legese (the world's fourth fastest male marathoner), Stephen Kissa (2:04.48 on his debut Haspa Marathon in Hamburg in 2022), and Sabastian Sawe (who finished seventh at this year's World Cross Country Championships in Australia). The women's field is equally exciting, with defending champion Irene Cheptai (Kenya), Ethiopia's Dera Dida, the 2019 World Cross Country silver medallist), and the talented Tsehay Gemechu (who took second place at this year's Tokyo Marathon in 2:16.56), a release said. The Elite winner takes home USD 26,000, and an Event Record bonus of USD 8,000 further incentivizes the athletes. Kipruto came fourth with a time of 27:09 in the Adizero Road to Records event in Germany last month, which was won by Sawe in 26:49 to move to fifth position on the men's world 10km all-time list. Kipkorir Kimeli was third in the race in 26:54. "Considering the quality of the field there is big chance a new course record will be set this year. I hope that will be me! I'm thrilled to be coming to India. I've heard so much about this event and the field is truly exceptional," Kipruto said. "This elite athlete field is amazing. It's like a World Championship taking place here in Bengaluru. It's going to be exhilarating, both for the Elites and the amateurs. Can't wait for May 21," said Vivek Singh, Jt MD of race promoter Procam International. (ANI)
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