Edna Kiplagat wins in Glasgow, eyes New York conquest

Kenya's Edna Kiplagat during the London Marathon in April. She won the Glasgow Half Marathon on Sunday. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

Two-time IAAF World Championships marathon gold medallist Edna Kiplagat pulled out an impressive victory at the Great Scottish Run in Glasgow to lead home a Kenyan 1-2 over the half marathon distance on Sunday.

The 34-year-old, preparing for next month’s New York Marathon, pulled away from three-time event winner Caroline Kilel just after the halfway point, and eventually finished in a course record 1:07:57, an emphatic 56 seconds ahead of her compatriot.

“I started picking up from five kilometres and that’s when I found my rhythm,” reflected Kiplagat. “Then I pushed it faster towards the closing miles. We tried our best and we were happy to come 1-2 for Kenya. My body responded well and my training is on track.”

It will be next stop New York for the reigning world champion on 3 November but she has already made a third global title in Beijing next year her main priority for 2015.

“That’s what I really want,” she said. “Three titles would be nice.”

London 2012 Olympic Games champion Tiki Gelana was dropped early in Glasgow and could come only third in 1:10:37 while local Scottish star Susan Partridge, 10th in World Championships marathon last year, was the first Briton home in fifth place in 1:12:12.

“It’s been a long season,” said Partridge, who also picked up a national title despite being unable to repeat her overall win from 2013.

“I was hoping there might be a little more left but there just wasn’t.”

South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka emerged the strongest from an evenly-matched leading pack in the men’s race to win the Great Scottish Run in 1:01:25, boosting his own build-up for the forthcoming Shanghai Marathon.

The versatile 29-year-old, who set a personal best of 1:00:47 at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen earlier this year, sat among a four-strong group that headed the field for much of the race, taking turns to stride ahead.

“There were times when I moved into the front when we were doing 4:45-minute miles and I wanted to improve that to about 4:37 because I knew my target was about 61 minutes,” he revealed. “When I felt the pace was slowing I wanted to push it.”

Eventually, Mokoko found an extra gear and made his move.

Kenya’s Stephen Chemlany, the marathon silver medallist in the same Scottish city at the Commonwealth Games earlier this summer, finished second in 1:01:32 with Mark Kiptoo just two seconds further back in third place.

There was no repeat win for Haile Gebrselassie who pulled out after 5km with the Ethiopian legend toiling due to a bout of asthma.