Yuda wins race but detour costs him record

JOHN YUDA admitted the detour he took in winning the BUPA Great South Run probably cost him the chance to break his own national record.

The 26-year-old from Tanzania momentarily went off course after following a television motorcycle rather than the lead car.

He kept his focus to recover and win the race but rued the lost time as he won in 46 minutes 45 seconds, 10 seconds shy of his Tanzanian record set in this race two years ago.

“Going around the roundabout twice cost me several seconds,” said Yuda.

“I just got on with running and getting back to the front.”

Yuda claimed victory ahead of South Africa’s Hendrick Ramaala and Wilfred Taragon of Kenya, who also joined him in straying off course.

Ramaala, defending his title and using the race as preparation for next month’s New York City marathon title defence, ran home in 47mins 39secs.

“One minute we were clear at the front and then after following the bike and going around the roundabout we were 30 yards behind,” said the South African.

“I tried my hardest to get back into the race and fortunately I did, although it had me stretching. But as I expected, John, who loves going off fast, did just that and piled on the pace. It was a tough race.”

Taragon battled brilliantly in an effort to snatch the runners-up slot from Ramaala, but in their sprint finish he lost out by three seconds.

Derartu Tulu produced a brilliant performance to shatter the Ethiopian record with a winning time of 51:27 in the women’s race. Sonia O’Sullivan struggled throughout the race, finishing 11th in 56:51.

Tulu, who previously won the race in 1996, was well inside the former national record of 52:55 set three years ago in Washington DC by Teyiba Erkiso.

“I’m a little disappointed I wasn’t a little faster,” said. “But I think it was a good showing as last week in Edmonton I was coughing badly and suffering with a bad cold.

Elfenesh Alemu, another Ethiopian, also smashed Erkiso’s former mark with a time of 52:18.

Alemu’s mark was 10 seconds ahead of Aniko Kalovics, whose time of 52:28 vastly improved Karolina Szabo’s Hungarian record by 38 seconds.