Kenyans Oloitiptip, Cherono emerge TCS World 10K champions

Bangalore, May 19: Kenya's Alex Oloitiptip and Gladys Cherono won the overall men's and women's titles of the Tata Consultancy World 10K Bangalore 2013, which concluded at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here today.

Suresh K Patel and Sudha Singh emerged winners among the men and women in the Indian category, finishing overall 20th and 14th respectively.

Dehradun-based Patel clocked 30.34, way outside the Indian men's course record of 29.59, and was followed home by V L Dangi in 30.53 and Mohd Yunus in 30.58.

Sudha Singh completed a start to finish effort in 35.25, while Preeja Sreedharan, making a comeback after a layoff, took second place in 36.01, followed by O P Jaisha in 36.31. Defending champion Monika Athare was fourth.

The 23-year-old Oloitiptip, not among the pre-race favourites, took pole position early in the race and held off challenges from fellow Kenyan Nicholas Kipkemboi and Ethiopian youngster Brihanu Legese to win in 28.07 minutes.

He was followed home by Kipkemboi in 28.12 and Legese in 28.16.

Current World Cross Country champion Japhet Korir could not live up to pre-race expectations, finishing a disappointing 17th in 29.59, while another fancied Kenyan Moses Masai finished 10th in 29.05 minutes.

"It was fantastic win for me. I had faith in my ability and believed that I could win the run.

The first 5 kilometers were difficult and the conditions were humid but the fact that I was strong and well prepared in mind and body helped me do well," Oloitiptip said while elaborating on his run.

The women's race saw Gladys Cherono winning in 32.03 minutes, five seconds outside the course record of 31.58 set by Yimer Wude in 2010.

Gladys was followed home by Ethiopian Guteni Shone in 32.10 and Kenyan Esther Chemtai in 32.14. Kenyan Helah Kiprop failed to defend her title, finishing seventh in 32.26, while course record holder Yimer Wude was 9th in 32.54.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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