Lornah Kiplagat winds through Renaissance Udine. (Getty Images)(ATR) Running for the Netherlands, Lornah Kiplagat breaks an elite road race world record while hundreds of amateur runners participate in the event IAAF President Lamine Diack calls the gateway to athletics.
Udine, Italy hosted the International Association of Athletics Federations World Road Running Race – a one-day event with three separate competitions.
Kenyans dominated the women's elite event, taking gold, sliver and bronze on the 21.097 km course. Lorna Kiplagat set a new world record wearing the colors of her adopted home, the Netherlands.
"Kenyan women were making as many headlines if not more than the men. I am proud of what women have done. There can be no doubts anymore," she said after the race.
Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese won the men's elite race, followed by two Kenyan runners.
"Today it felt like the whole of Eritrea was running with me," said the repeat world champion. Hundreds of Eritrea fans traveled from Rome to watch the Oct. 14 race.
Crowds of fans and amateur participation in road races are part of what makes the sport thrive, says IAAF president Lamine Diack.
"For many people, road running is their first point of contact with athletics, either as participants or spectators. Today, More than 300 elite runners joined the mens' and womens' races. (Getty Images)road running, from the humblest town centre fun run to the elite big city marathon events, has become the main sporting activity of many people," Diack said before the race.
More than 1,100 runners joined the 7.1 km amateur race, with prizes for the top three male and female finishers in five age classes.
Major event sponsors include IAAF partners Adidas, Epson and Seiko. Banca Popolare di Vicenza was the event national partner. Arteni home stores sponsored the amateur race for the seventh straight year.
The elite gold medal winners each took a purse of $30,000. Kiplagat won an additional $50,000 for her world record.
The next World Road Running Championships are scheduled for Rio de Janeiro in October 2008.
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