Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot managed silver in the women’s 10,000m in the Olympic Games as Ethiopian Almaz Ayana won the race in a new world record of 29:17.25 on Friday, August 12.
The former world record of 29:31.78 held by Chinese Wang Junxia has been in existence for past last 23 years, having been set on September 8, 1993.
Cheruiyot bagged silver in a new national record of 29:32.53 while Olympic champion Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba won bronze in 29:42.56 in the games at Joao Havalenge Olympic Stadium
The fourth place was taken by another Kenyan – Alice Aprot – in a personal best time of 29:42.56 with the third Kenyan in the race Betsy Saina managing sixth in 30:07.78.
Today’s race begun on a high note with the East Africans leading the pack as Kenyans and Ethiopians dominated proceedings from the bell according to a report by the Star.
Aprot was ahead in the first lap and maintained it into the first 5,000m when Ayana took over and never saw any of the athletes’ back from then on.
Cheruiyot tried in vain to keep pace after Aprot dropped miserably as the Ethiopian increased the gap to 30m with the race at 7,500m.
Shortly thereafter there was a gap of 100 meters with the top two positions all clear.
Behind them, Dibaba and Aprot were in the battle for third place and exchanged the lead for the better part of the remaining four laps before the Ethiopian prevailed.
