A 24-year-old policeman, who started his running career just two years ago, won the TCS World 10K on Sunday, declaring later that his belated start had indeed motivated him to work harder to catch up with more experienced rivals. Philemon Limo of Kenya had the race stitched up just after the halfway stage, but the women’s event was much tighter, with Ethiopian Dire Tune nosing ahead of compatriot Merima Mohammed at the tape.

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India’s best runners were left trailing in the wake of the Kenyans and Ethiopians. Asian Games and CWG medallist Kavita Raut finished 16th, over a minute behind the winner, while Sudha Singh was 20th. National Games gold medalist Suresh Kumar was the best Indian in the elite field, finishing 20th, ahead of armymen VL Dangi and Kheta Ram.

But cold results hide the dynamics of the event. Several moments stood out - Limo breaking free of the pack by the 5K mark; defending champion Titus Mbishei suffering from the hard pace and dropping back; the lead group of women runners, all Ethiopians and Kenyans, fluid and serene like a herd of gazelle through the wooded avenues of Cubbon Park, their muscles rippling silkily but faces showing no hint of strain.

The women’s winner wasn’t apparent until the final moments. A dozen runners - among them Aselefech Mergia, Hilda Kibet and Edna Kiplagat — stayed together from the start until the final stages. India’s Kavita Raut stayed with them until the halfway mark, but was then unable to keep the pace.

Upon entering the stadium, Dire Tune burst ahead, but Merima pulled alongside and sprinted clear. Until the final bend it was Merima who had the lead, but Dire again put in a burst and it was neck-and-neck in the final 10 metres. Dire just about managed to nose ahead, despite Merima trying to obstruct her, and then turned back and pointed a finger at her compatriot.

The men’s race was altogether different. The lead pack was much smaller, but by the 3K mark, the defending champion, Titus Mbishei, had fallen behind. For a while it was between Limo, Peter Nawowuna and Leonard Langat, all Kenyans. By the halfway mark, Limo had pushed ahead powerfully, putting distance on his nearest rival Langat, and brooked no challenge for the rest of the course.

“The humidity was a big problem,” Limo said. “I usually run the 10km in less than 28 minutes, but here it was hard and I couldn’t achieve a good time. I had to keep pushing hard. After 2 km, I knew the others were not moving, and by 6km, I knew I just had to maintain the pace to win.”

Limo started his running career later, after first completing his studies and taking up a job in the police. “My father’s brother represented Kenya at the Barcelona Olympics in the 3,000m steeplechase,” he said. “I was confident I could do well in running. You have to be ambitious, otherwise you cannot achieve anything. I had to train hard as I began late, and others had more experience than me.”