CHEERS FOR CHERUYIOT
The elite women set off from Newcastle
IF ROAD RUNNING is where Vivian Cheruiyot’s future lies, then the adaptation was virtually instantaneous as the Kenyan 5000m Olympic champion put in a remarkably sensible tactical performance to win on her halfmarathon debut.
Celebrating her 33rd birthday on a sunny but blustery day on the north-east coast of England, Cheruiyot went toe to toe with the 2013 champion and 2012 Olympic marathon silver medallist, Priscah Jeptoo, into the final metres where the eventual winner’s short-distance speed came to the fore as she burst away to win in 67:54 – one second ahead of Jeptoo.
Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba took third in 68:04 to go with her 10,000m bronze medal from Rio, after she was broken by the Kenyan pair’s gradual increase of pace in the final quarter of the race.
“I was so nervous. When I was on the line at the start I was thinking, ‘Am I going to finish my first half-marathon?’ I was a little bit scared,” Cheruiyot said.
“You never know what is going to happen but generally it was good to run against Priscah Jeptoo and Tirunesh. I’m so happy today. I’ve done my best and 67 for my first half-marathon is nice for me, but also for the win on my birthday.”