The 16th edition of the Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru witnessed Kenyan runners Peter Mwaniki (28:15) and Lilian Kasait (30:56) emerging victorious in the international elite men’s and women’s categories, respectively.
Mwaniki’s Master Stroke
Mwaniki pulled away from his compatriot Hillary Chepkwony (28:33) at the 7.5 km mark, displaying a burst of speed that left his fellow Kenyan trailing.
Kasait’s Smooth Stride
Mirroring Mwaniki’s strategy, Kasait distanced herself from her closest rival, Emmaculate Achol (31:17), by surging ahead at the 7.1 km mark.
Course Records Remain Intact
Despite their impressive performances, Mwaniki and Kasait were unable to break the event records (men: 27:38, women: 30:35) on the new route, which received praise from most runners.
Subdued Finish Line
Unlike previous editions, where the grand finish at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium was a spectacle with cheering crowds, this year’s finish line on Cubbon Road lacked the same buzz, with only photographers and a few event officials present to witness the winners’ triumph.
Lilian’s Unexpected Detour
Kasait faced a minor setback during her run when she nearly collided with the timing vehicle near Ulsoor Lake. “The car turned, so I thought it was a turning point and followed the car. But the officials on the motorbike told me to proceed (forward). So, I followed my colleague Emmaculate,” Kasait explained.
Pacesetter’s Early Departure
Mwaniki attributed the inability to break the course record to the early departure of the pacemaker. “We expected that the pacemaker would run five kilometres. But he dropped out at two kilometres. If the pacemaker had stayed for five km, it may have been possible to break the course record,” Mwaniki said.
Indian Elite Honors
In the Indian elite categories, Kiran Matre (29:32) etched his name in the record books by breaking the event record for Indian men’s elite athletes, surpassing the previous milestone of 29:49 set by Suresh Kumar in 2015.
Meanwhile, Sanjivani (34:03) continued her impressive run, securing the top spot in the Indian women’s elite field for the third consecutive time.
Mwaniki and Kasait each received $26,000, while Matre and Sanjivani earned ₹2,75,000 each. Matre also secured a bonus of ₹1,00,000 for breaking the event record.