COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor of Kenya won the World Half Marathon Championship title Saturday, while five-time winner Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea only came fourth.
Kamworor completed the 21.0975-kilometer flat route through downtown Copenhagen in 59 minutes, 7 seconds. He was followed by Samuel Tsegay of Eritrea and Guye Adola of Ethiopia, who were both 13 seconds behind.
The trio of Kamworor, Tsegay and Adola managed to shake off Tadese, and the Kenyan then pulled away from his two rivals in the final kilometers.
''The field was very competitive. That's why I was pushing, pushing, pushing,'' Kamworor said.
Kenyans swept the first five places in the women's race with Gladys Cherono crossing the finish line first in 1:07.28. Mary Wacera Ngugi was 13 seconds behind in second place, with Selly Chepyego Kaptich 26 seconds back in third.
''I am surprised as I didn't expect to win,'' Cherono said. ''But the race was great. We worked as a team.''
About 300 elite runners competed in the world championship event, with an additional 30,000 recreational runners also taking part in the race. They included Copenhagen's mayor, Frank Jensen, and Kenya-born Wilson Kipketer, the former 800-meter world record holder.
