Organisers expecting super fast field in TCS World 10K

Bangalore: A super fast field of foreign athletes has been lined for the TCS World 10K Bangalore 2013 to be run here on May 19 with the course record under threat, organisers said on Wednesday.

The men`s record stands at 27.51 minutes set by Eritrea`s Zersenay Tadese in 2008, while the women`s mark stands at 31.58 in the name of Ethiopian Yimer Wude set in 2010. An added incentive of USD 7500 is up for grabs for the new course record. Leading the field at the Kanteerava Stadium`s start line on May 19 will be the two newly crowned World Cross Country Champions Japhet Korir among men and double World Cross Country Champion Emily Chebet on the women`s side. According to Jos Hermens of Global Sports Communication (GSC), the event`s elite athlete coordinators, besides Emily, the other strong contenders in the women`s race will be the defending champion Helah Kiprop of Kenya and the course record holder Yimer Wude Ayalew. However, they can expect to be given a run for their money by Kenyans Pascalia Kipkoech, the second fastest woman over 10km in 2012, and Lucy Kabuu, who many consider a strong contender for the title. Also in the field will be the young Kenyan Valentine Kipketer, who demolished the field while lowering the course record by two and a half minutes and winning the 2013 Mumbai Marathon. The strong men`s field includes 14 athletes who have run the 10km below 28.00 on either track or road and poses a strong challenge to the existing course record. Leading the pack will be current World Cross Country champion Japhet Korir who, besides having finished three times in the top five of various World Cross Championships, also won the 2013 Wurzburg Residenzlauf 10km in Germany. Japhet will face competition from fellow Kenyans Moses Masai, Daniel Salel, Silas Kipruto, Nicholas Kipkemboi and rising Ethiopian star Brihanu Legese, to name a few. Posing a threat to the Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes will be Ukranian Sergiy Lebid and Great Britain`s Scott Overall, besides Ecuador`s Byron Piedra. Meanwhile, the TCS World 10K will see total participation of around 23,000 runners, prompting the promoters to shut registrations. This was announced by Dilip Jayram, CEO of Procam International, the promoters of the event, along with Nagraj ijari, VP and Global Head Hi-Tech and Professional Services Business Segment, Tata Consultancy Services, the title sponsor. The Open 10K Run and the 10K Challenge, which also includes the Nike College Face-off and the DHL Corporate Challenge, has received around 11,000 entries, while the Majja Run a whopping 11,500. The Senior Citizens` Run will have around 1000, while the event for the Champions With Disability will see 450 participants, a huge increase from 91 in the last edition. PTI