Dutchwoman Hilda Kibet clocked the fastest 10-mile performance of the year with her 51:30 victory at the 26th edition of Dam to Dam Run from Amsterdam to Zaandam, The Netherlands, last Sunday 19 September. The men's race was won by 19-year-old Kenyan John Mwangangi, who outsprinted 2009 winner Moses Masai by one second in 45:26. Mwangangi's performance was the second fastest of the year.
After the gun sounded in Amsterdam, the race quickly became a family affair in the women's race, which started 5:46 minutes earlier than the men's race to create a confrontation between the sexes in the closing stages. Lornah Kiplaget, an aunt to Hilda Kibet, took the early lead along with Ethiopian Mestewat Tufa. The three went out fast with the experienced Kiplagat, who last Sunday took the Dutch 10K title in Tilburg, forcing the pace. The trio passed the 10K marker in 31:35, but by that point Tufa was already running behind the leaders, losing contact. Kibet was now pressing and Kiplagat eventually lost contact as well due to pain in her lower leg. She decided, and was luckily able, to finish after all.
Running in light rain and 17 C temperatures, Kibet forged on but was not able to fight off the chasing men. Tufa was the first of the leading women to be taken over, with Kiplagat next to fall. And finally, with thousands of spectators lining the streets in Zaandam, Kibet had to bow, losing her shot at a 5000 EUR bonus. Nonetheless, Kibet's time was the fastest of the year bettering the 51:51 by Lineth Chepkurui in Washington DC on 11 April.
In the men's race, there was a lead group of eight African runners, led by Kenyan Jonathan Maiyo who brought them through the first five kilometers in 14:12. As the pace remained swift, the leading group finally broke. Maiyo, Masai, Ayele Abshiro and Mwangangi passed the ten kilometer mark in 28:16.
The four stayed together, eventually overtaking the leading women. Reaching the streets of Zaandam, Masai and Mwangangi were seconds ahead before the young Mwangangi outsprinted the defending champion to take the victory. His winning time of 45:26 was just three seconds shy of the this season's world leading 45:23 set by Kenyan Shadrack Kipchirchir in Schortens, Germany, on 21 August.
The next Dam to Dam Run will be held at 18 September 2011
| Men: |
| 1. John Mwangangi | KEN | 45:26 |
| 2. Moses Masai | KEN | 45:27 |
| 3. Ayele Abshiro | ETH | 45:33 |
| 4. Jonathan Maiyo | KEN | 45:33 |
| 5. Nicolas Kiprono | UGA | 46:29 |
| 6. Tariku Bekele | ETH | 46:44 |
| 7. Abebe Dinkesa | ETH | 47:26 |
| 8. Allan Noliwa | KEN | 47:27 |
| 9. Abdelhadi bel Hachimi | MAR | 47:46 |
| 10. Koen Raymaekers | NED | 47:51 |
| 11. Patrick Stitzinger | NED | 48:08 |
| 12. Jamal Baligha | MAR | 48.39 |
| Women: |
| 1. Hilda Kibet | NED | 51:30 |
| 2. Lornah Kiplagat | NED | 52:03 |
| 3. Mestewat Tufa | ETH | 52:43 |
| 4. Aniko Kalovics | HUN | 53:42 |
| 5. Salina Kosgei | KEN | 53.51 |
| 6. Pauline Wangui | KEN | 54:07 |
| 7. Gatheru Wanjiru | KEN | 54:09 |
| 8. Pauline Wambui | KEN | 54:37 |
| 9. Ferhiwot Gosku | ETH | 54:46 |
| 10. Karolina Jarzinska | POL | 54:56 |
| 11. Helah Kiprop | KEN | 55:08 |
| 12. Merel de Knegt | NED | 56:02 |
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