Kenyan Leah Malot wins Great Eastern Women 10K; Qi Hui fastest Singaporean

By Les Tan/Red Sports. Pictures by Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports.

The Padang, Sunday, November 1, 2009 – Leah Malot of Kenya won the Great Eastern Women 10K in a time of 33 minutes 56 seconds, beating out Anna Thompson of Australia by five seconds.

Three Singaporeans – Qi Hui (6th, 37:52min), Vivian Tang (7th, 38:47min) and Elaine Lim (9th, 41:25min) – finished in the top 10.

Malot, who won the race and set the course record with a 33:46min performance in 2007, was running second to Thompson at the 5km mark.

Thompson hit the 5km mark at 17:53min with last year’s champion, Kenyan Anitha Kiptum, running fourth. Fellow Kenyan Mary Chemweno was running third.

Thompson still led the pack when they hit the 7km mark at 23:50min (clock time) and the 8.5km point at 28:26min before Malot overtook her with a burst in the final stretch to win the race. Malot just missed setting a new course record by 11 seconds.

The 37-year-old Malot was gracious about her win.

"I enjoy running with Anna (Thompson) as she's a really strong competitor. I feel really good about the race today and will definitely take part in the GE Women 10K next year," said Malot.

Thompson finished in 34:01min, followed by second runner up Catherine Omoi of Kenya, who completed in 35:16.

Said Anna Thompson of her exciting race with Leah Malot: "The race was well organized and the course was well marked. Leah and I had a very good race and I look forward to running the GE Women 10K again."

Qi Hui, 29, was the fastest Singaporean in 6th place, and decided that she would run at her own pace.

“I still saw them (the leading pack) up to 5km but decided ‘What’s the point?’ since I can’t overtake them. Elite runners start out at a comfortable pace but speed up quick,” said Qi Hui, who is going to run the 42km race later this year at the Singapore Marathon.

Vivian Tang, who finished 7th in 38:47min, and exchanged a friendly hug with Qi Hui at the end of the race, was happy with how the race turned out.

“The leading pack was way ahead and I ran my own pace. Anne [Qi Hui] also got stronger and stronger. I’m happy with the run. Better than last week [at Human Race 10K]. My body felt better this week. I ran on my own although I initially I could hear Truedy [Fawcett] breathing at the back!” said Vivian, who will miss this year’s Singapore Marathon to run the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon in Cambodia on the same day.

Fawcett finished 8th in 40:07min.

5,439 runners finished the 10km race, according to the official race website, while the organisers ESG also put on a 5km fun race as well. About 14,000 runners registered for the event, an increase of 300% since the first race in 2006.

Individual - Women's Open (All Categories)
Position Race ID Name Nationality Category Gun Finish

1st, 20000, Leah Malot, Kenya, Women Masters, 00:33:56

2nd, 1038, Anna Elizabeth Thompson, Australia, Women Open, 00:34:01

3rd, 16036, Catherine Kwamboka Omoi, Kenya, Women Open, 00:35:16

4th, 20001, Anitha Kiptum, Kenya, Women Open, 00:36:04

5th, 12926, Mary Jepchumba Chemweno, Kenya, Women Open, 00:36:46

6th, 6913, Qi Hui, Singapore, Women Open, 00:37:52

7th, 14035, Tang Yoke Pin Vivian, Singapore, Women Masters, 00:38:47

8th, 14034, Trudey Jane Fawcett, British Indian Ocean Territories, Women Masters, 00:40:07

9th, 2888, Elaine Lim Su Lin, Singapore, Women Open, 00:41:25

10th, 1682, Tan Bee Kiang, Malaysia, Women Open, 00:42:14

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