Kenyan Masai wins 2010 Adidas Women’s 5k Challenge in London
Kenya's World 10,000m champion Linet Masai has won the 13th annual adidas Women's 5k Challenge at Hyde Park in London.
The 20-year-old dominated the road race from the first kilometre and left compatriot Sylvia Kibet, the World 5000m silver medallist from Berlin last year, in her wake in the second half of the race to take victory in 15 minutes and six seconds.
Kibet was second some 20 metres behind in 15:10 while Briton Stephanie Twell finished third in 15:32 ahead of Ethiopia's Worknesh Kidane who settled for fourth place in 15:35.
Masai said afterwards: "That was a very good race for me."
"I improved my personal best for 5k on the road and it was great to come back this year and win after losing so narrowly last time."
Kibet, 26, was satisfied with her performance as she had just arrived from Prague.
"I wanted to be in the first two and to stay with Linet as long as possible. She is a great athlete so I knew it was going to be hard," she said.
Masai was beaten to the Hyde Park title last year by just one second when her team-mate Vivian Cheruiyot ended four years of Ethiopian dominance at this event with a sprint finish.
Selected Results:
- Linet Masai, KEN 15:06
- Sylvia Kibet, KEN 15:10
- Stephanie Twell, GBR 15:32
- Werknesh Kidane, ETH 15:35
- Lauren Fleshman, USA 15:36
- Anna Dulce Felix, POR 15:48
- Jo Pavey, GBR 15:53
- Inga Abitova, RUS 16:05
- Justina Heslop, GBR 16:06
- Lidia Chojecka, POL 16:25
