Records tumble at City Surfrun
Cheptegei, Chesang and Wanders in song
Perfect weather conditions, a fast route and a deep field resulted in a plethora of records tumbling at the second annual FNB Durban 10K City Surfrun yesterday.
Joshua Cheptegei broke his own course record and with that, the Ugandan record and the SA All Comers record, on the day. Swiss sensation Julien Wanders broke both the Swiss national 10km record and the European 10km record by finishing second. Stella Chesang, in winning, smashed the women’s course record, and the Ugandan national 10km record.
Right from the gun, the men meant business as a group of 12 set a furious pace, including Cheptegei, Stephen Kissa (Uganda), Elroy Gelant, Stephen Mokoka, Wanders (Switzerland), John Langat (Kenya), Filmon Ande (Eritrea), Mande Bushendich (Uganda) and Ryan Mphahlele (South Africa).
Cheptegei’s target was 27:20, but he was on course for an even faster time than that. By 8km, even Wanders had to concede to the relentless onslaught of Cheptegei. With Wanders falling back, the Ugandan was left to fly solo to the finish line on the Durban Promenade.
Cheptegei flew across the finish line in 27:16 for the second fastest time globally in 2018, and the fastest on the continent this year. In doing so he took 12 seconds off the previous record and announced his return to form from injury in emphatic fashion.
“I am really happy with today. The knee is now 100% and today’s time shows me I am in better shape than I thought,” said Cheptegei after the race.
“I said at the press conference on Friday that I wanted 27:20 or better, but I did not expect to go this much better.” -