Yuda easy winner in
Montevideo
José Maria
Lombardo for the IAAF
9 January 2002
– Montevideo (Uruguay) – The capital of
Uruguay hosted a world class race last 7
January, the 7th
International Race of San Felipe y
Santiago, last stage of the South
American Road Races Circuit which
started last 22 December in Colombia and
counted another two races in Brazil.
More than 4000 athletes participated in the race, competed over a picturesque course bordering the coast and the beaches of Montevideo. The elite of the field included John Yuda from Tanzania and a Kenyan team composed of Evans Ruto, David Cheruiyot, James Koskei, Robert Cheruiyot and Paul Rotich. The South American athletes present were, competing for the Consuldate Prize.
Ecuador’s Silvio Guerra led the group in the first stages of the race and went through the 1500 metre mark when he was joined in the lead by Yuda, Saraiva Frazao Jr, Nestor Garcia, Robert Cheruiyot and Jose Eloy. With the first uphill of the course, after 2300 metres, Yuda took the lead together with Saraiva Frazao. The two runners made a clear break but at the 4th kilometre mark they were caught by Cheruiyot, Koskei, Ruto and David Cheruiyot. The leading athletes ran in a group until the 6th kilometre when Robert Cheruiyot and Yuda accelerated and left the group behind. Yuda made an extra break at the 8th kilometre mark and cruised alone to the finish line which he crossed 26 seconds ahead the Kenyan representative.
Colombia’s Bertha Sanchez outsprinted Brazil’s Adriana de Souza and Selma dos Reis to win the women’s race.
Leading Results
Men
1) John YUDA
TAN 28.47
2)
Robert CHERUIYOT KEN
29.13
3) James KOSKEI
KEN 29.26
4) David CHERUIYOT
KEN 29.29
5) Evans RUTTO
KEN 30.01
6) Nestor GARCÍA
URU 30.13
7) Jose SARAIVA FRAZAO JR.
BRA 30.26
8) Silvio GUERRA
ECU 30.42
9) Jose ELOY BRA
30.45
10)
Paul ROTICH KEN
30.51
Women
1) Bertha SÁNCHEZ
COL 34.44
2) Adriana DE SOUZA
BRA 34.45
3) Selma DOS REIS BRA
34.49
4) Martha TENORIO
ECU 34.59
5) Marila DOS SANTOS
BRA 35.03
