Muktar Edris wins the Dam tot Damloop (© AFP / Getty Images)
Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris was a convincing winner of the men’s race at the Dam tot Damloop on Sunday (22), winning the 10-mile road race between Amsterdam and Zaandam in 44:51.
His winning time puts him equal eighth on the world all-time list for the distance. The two-time world 5000m champion finished 27 seconds clear of three-time world 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei, while defending champion Mathew Kimeli was third in 45:44.
Asayech Ayichew made it an Ethiopian double, winning the women’s race in 51:15 ahead of Kenya’s Gladys Chepkurui (51:34) and Ethiopia’s Mebrat Gidey (52:14).
Edris made an early break and had a lead of a few seconds over Cheptegei by the time he reached 5km in 14:02. He then increased his pace and hit 10km in 27:49, just 11 seconds shy of his PB for the distance, while Cheptegei trailed seven seconds behind.
The pace dropped slightly over the final 6km but Edris continued to pull away from his opponenets, eventually crossing the line in 44:51 with Cheptegei taking second place in 45:18, just three seconds shy of his winning time from 2018.
The women’s race was a bit closer throughout the first 10km as Ayichew and Chepkurui passed through 5km in 15:34 and 10km in 31:37, but the Ethiopian started to pull away during the closing stages and eventually crossed the line a comfortable winner in 51:15.
Chemnung and Kinyanjui take Kenyan double in Brasov
Loice Chemnung emerged victorious from a deep and competitive field at the tRUNsylvania International 10K – a World Athletics Elite Label road race – to lead a Kenyan sweep of the top six places in 30:13.
Compatriot Daniel Kinyanjui took the men’s title in a close finish in 27:08 as Morocco’s Hicham Amghar and Kenya’s Weldon Lagat finished just one second behind.
A large pack of 12 women ran together through the first half in 15:19, but as the pace increased through the second half, the pack was gradually whittled down.
Chemnung – who set a PB of 29:57 in Paris back in April – shook off the challenge of her last remaining opponent, Janeth Chepngetich, in the closing stages to win in 30:13. Chepngetich was second in 30:19 and fellow Kenyan Judy Kemboi was third in 30:29, all three recording negative splits.
The men’s race played out in similar fashion as a pack of 12 men hit the half-way point in 13:38 before speeding up for the second half. Teenager Kinyanjui outkicked Amghar and Langat on the final straight to take victory in 27:08 with Amghar second (27:09) and Langat third (27:09).
