| Watch over 50 IAAF Events Live and On-Demand at WCSN.com |
By Wim Van Hemert and David Monti
UTRECHT, Netherlands (30-May) -- On a cool and nearly windless evening here Dutchwoman Hilda Kibet ran the third fastest time of the year over 10,000 meters, clocking a personal best 30:55:61 and guaranteeing herself a place on the Dutch team for the Beijing Olympics.
Running with her cousin, multiple world record-holder Lornah Kiplagat, the two athletes were trying to break the Dutch federation's Olympic Games qualifying standard of 31:22.14, a much more difficult mark than the IAAF Olympic Games "A" standard of 31:45.00.
The two ran side-by-side through 3000 meters in 9:29:78. They had prepared together Kiplagat's high altitude training center in Kenya, however Kiplagat was held back by a recent viral infection and had missed a week of training. At 4000 meters Kibet took the lead and made it to 5000 meters in 15:33:46; Kiplagat was some twenty meters back. Around the sixth kilometer Kiplagat stepped off the track, leaving Kibet to run solo to the finish.
"I'm very happy with this time," said the Kenyan-born athlete who will be running the NYRR New York Mini 10-K next Saturday in New York City against American Deena Kastor. "It was not a problem to run most of the race alone. Due to her health problems Lornah could not help me as long as we hoped but it went well.''
Kiplagat has yet to qualify for the Olympic Games, but will make another attempt over 10,000m on June 12 in Ostrava.
Briton Hayley Yelling finished second to Kibet with a time of 31:49:29, just missing the British standard for Beijing.
Results:
1. Hilda Kibet, NED, 30:55:61 PB
2. Hayley Yelling, GBR, 31:49:29
3. Sharon Tawenga, ZIM, 33:39:26
4. Saskia van Vugt, NED, 35:23:11 PB
DNF: Lornah Kiplagat, NED; Nathalie de Vos, BEL
Know someone else who's interested in running and triathlon?
