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Kipng’eno was a class apart and built a considerable advantage, which had grown to 29 seconds at the 3.9km checkpoint.
Austria’s Andrea Mayr and Kenya’s Patrick Kipng’eno proved the irrepressible duo, taking gold in the vertical uphill events on day one of the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Innsbruck-Stubai, Austria on Wednesday, June 7.
The vertical uphill is surely the most sadistic – with more than 1000m of elevation gain across its 7.1km course, the gradient approaching the finish at Elferhutte hitting a truly gut-wrenching 40%.
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She encouraged athletes to use their God-given talents and practice patience instead of taking shortcuts.
As reported by World Athletics, the men’s race saw Kipng’eno reign supreme as he shot to the front right from the start, running like a man with little to fear from the inclines ahead.
Kipng’eno was a class apart and built a considerable advantage, which had grown to 29 seconds at the 3.9km checkpoint, with Uganda’s Levi Kiprotich and another Kenyan, Josphat Kiprotich giving chase.
But Kipng’eno was running in splendid isolation and that was how it stayed. He built a 49-second advantage by 5.9km and by the time he approached the final incline, the grueling course saw him have time to seat, grab a drink, and admire the stunning Alpine views then continue to churn his way to the finish, high-fiving supporters.
He hit the line in 40:18, a whopping 1:33 clear of Kiprotich in second, and 1:46 clear of the bronze medallist, his compatriot Josphat Kiprotich.
But runner-up Levi Kiprotich of Uganda sent a warning shot to his East African rival. “I’m very happy to be winning a medal this year,” he said. “But next year I’m going to be number one.”
Meanwhile, Mayr clocked 48:14 to cross the finish line in the women’s race. The time she posted meant the 43-year-old claimed her seventh individual world mountain running title, and her first since 2017.
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"Of course, I wanted to be one of the first five, but I was dreaming of getting a medal. I would never try to say aloud that first place would be possible,” she said.
Mayr had played a patient game in the race, going through the first 900m trail section down in the valley in 13th place, but by halfway she had moved her way through to the front.
"On the flat, it's not for me as I'm not that fast anymore; this year I'm 44,” said Mayr, who represented Austria at the 2005 and 2007 World Athletics Championships in the steeplechase and at the 2012 Olympics in the marathon.
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“But I know that as soon as the steep part starts, my part starts, then I could overtake and overtake," she said.
Mayr had a 33-second advantage at the 3.9km checkpoint, but at 5.9km, she had company in the form of Kenya’s Philaries Jeruto Kisang.
As they neared the finish, and that crippling final incline, Mayr leaned into the hill and broke the spirit and the legs of her rival, who had to walk a significant part of the final kilometer. That was when Mayr had the biggest helping hand from her supporters.
"The last three minutes, it was so loud, they were cheering so much. You couldn't hear yourself breathing anymore. That takes away the toughness of the race a little bit," she said.
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Ezekiel Kirui will compete in the 85 km long trail while Geoffrey Ndung’u will take part in the 45km short trail.
She was overcome with joy at the finish. Kisang, who finished fifth last year, was also delighted with her silver medal, while Murphy was content with bronze, given she will be much better suited to the mountain classic, which she will compete in on Saturday.
"My goal was to podium, so I'm glad to get a medal count started for the US," she said.
Kenya took the team event ahead of Germany and the United Kingdom.
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