Netsanet Gudeta wins in Bogota (© VIctah Sailer/organisers)
Ethiopians Netsanet Gudeta and Betesfa Getahun produced convincing victories at 19th edition of the Bogota Half Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on Sunday (29).
Gudeta dominated the race through the high altitude streets of the Colombian capital, winning by more than four minutes in 1:11:34, but falling short of the 1:10:39 course record set by Susan Chepkemei back in 2004.
It was nonetheless a strong performance by Gudeta given Bogota's setting at 2600m above sea level, and the day's sunny, hot and windy conditions.
This was the 27-year-old's third half marathon victory in as many races over the distance this year, following up her 1:06:11 women's-only race world record at the World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia in March, and a dominating 1:07:30 run in Olomouc, Czech Republic, five weeks ago.
A turning point in the race came just before the five-kilometre mark. Brigid Kosgei of Kenya, the winner last year, took a tumble and fell to the ground. Gudeta forged on on her own from there to finish unchallenged.
Kosgei was second in 1:14:40, with Degitu Azimeraw of Ethiopia third in 1:14:51.
Gladys Tejeda of Peru clocked 1:15:53 and Roza Dereja 1:16:20 to round out the top five.
Comparatively speaking, the men's race was much closer. A group of ten ran together through the first 15 kilometres when Kenyan Fred Masubo and Gabriel Geay of Tanzania decided to up the pace, a move that quickly whittled the field down to five.
Four kilometres later, 19-year-old Getahun, who was sixth at the World Championships in March, made his decisive move. He cruised on unchallenged, clocking 1:05:10 to collect the first half marathon victory of his career.
The fiercest battle of the day was the the runner-up spot, with defending champion Feyisa Lilesa edging Kenyan Dickson Chumba. Both clocked 1:05:23.
Musobo was next in 1:05:25, with Geay fading to fifth in 1:05:38.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
1. Betesfa Getahun, ETH 1:05:10
2. Feyisa Lilesa, ETH 1:05:23
3. Dickson Chumba, KEN 1:05:23
4. Fred Musobo, KEN 1:05:25
5. Gabriel Geay, TAN 1:05:48
6. Mogos Shumay, ERI 1:06:38
7. Kimutai Kiplimo, KEN 1:07:12
8. Christian Pacheco, PER 1:07:27
9. Peter Kirui, KEN 1:08:22
10. Bayron Piedra, ECU 1:09:50
1. Netsanet Gudeta, ETH 1:11:34
2. Brigid Kosgei, KEN 1:14:40
3. Degitu Azimeraw, ETH 1:14:51
4. Gladys Tejeda, PER, 1:15:53
5. Roza Dereja, ETH 1:16:20
6. Visiline Jepkesho, KEN, 1:16:25
7. Gladys Machacuay, PER 1:18:04
8. Rosalba Chacha, ECU 1:18:42
9. Jackline Sakilu, TAN 1:19:22
10. Janet Cherobon-Bawcom, USA, 1:19:47
