Ethiopia's Andamlak Belihu Sunday won the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2019 title by crossing the tape in IAAF Gold Label Road Race in 27:56, just eight seconds outside his personal best and 12 seconds off the course record.
"I expected to run a fast time as there were so many good runners in this race, but I also expected to run even faster than this," Belihu told reporters after the race.
The 20-year-old triumphed in difficult conditions as there was high humidity and temperatures touched 26 degrees celsius.
Right from the gun, Belihu was prominent at the front of the leading pack, often forcing the pace.
Eight men went through the 5km mark in 14:11 before Uganda's Mande Bushendich made an audacious early move just after the halfway point.
Bushendich, who finished second in 28:03, went through the gears so rapidly that the leading group was quickly fractured and by the 7km mark only Belihu was left to challenge him.
It initially looked as though Belihu was also going to be dropped as he briefly struggled to stay with his rival, but he took the lead again with just under two kilometres to go before he pulled away.
Bushendich, who already has one major 10km win to his name in 2019 having won the famous Pareloop race in the Netherlands, said," I was surprised no one else came with me when I made my move just after halfway."
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