KENYAN
Lagat's time of 29.46 minutes was the fastest since Joseph Kariuki set the course record of 28.40 back in 2002. Prior to that, John Tracey (29.11) from 1986 was held as the time to beat.
Compatriot Agustus Kavutu was second in 31.06 minutes. St Lucian Zepherinus Joseph (31.56), the defending half-marathon champion, overtook Vincentian Pamenos Ballantyne (32.08) just feet away from the finish line. Ballantyne clutched his hamstrings and walked over the line in fourth place.
American Janet Cheberon was the first woman home in 34.03 minutes, eighth overall. She was followed by Jason Gilkes (34.34) the first Barbadian male, and St Michael School student Jason Wilson (34.58) who was just ahead of last year's champion Tatyana Chaluk (34.59).
First Bajan
Sandra Jones, a physical education teacher at Springer Memorial School, was the first Barbadian woman home in 45.35 minutes, while Sean Cook (34.01) and Christopher Gilkes (46.01) were first and second, respectively in the wheelchair category.
Lagat, 30, separated himself from the 280-odd starters as they approached Garrison Hill and he never looked back. By the junction of Culloden and Beckles Roads, he had a slim lead on Kavutu, but when he reached the Ministry of Education on Constitution Road, Agustus had faded into the distance by the pasture near the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Spectators lined the route into Bridgetown, cheering the runners as Lagat passed the Treasury Building and down the Wharf Road, with Kavutu and Ballantyne in his wake.
Lost time
Lagat made his way up Broad Street in less than 25 minutes, and he believed this was where he lost valuable time.
"I saw I could run the 10K in about 28 minutes, but when I was coming [through The City] there was some confusion with the traffic and I stood up [stopped] two times," Lagat told reporters after the race.
"I didn't go along the course [before the race]. It is very nice. I like it."
However, he is satisfied with the time he ran and the conditions of the race.
Relaxed
"I started very well, very easy. I was so relaxed; I said my friends weren't coming so I decided to set my own pace. I didn't see anyone else from the start."
And set it he did, smiling and waving to the crowd with his right hand and blowing kisses as he broke the finish line.
He expects to use a similar strategy in today's Scotia Bank Half Marathon.
Twenty-three-year-old Kavutu said he wouldn't have run the race differently if he had to do it over, nor was the heat a problem as he moved along, paced by Lagat.
Cheberon won a 10K last week in Puerto Rico. She trailed Chaluk on the first leg through The City, before taking over in the vicinity of Pelican Village.
"It was really hot. The course wasn't bad. It was beautiful, up and down, so that makes it fairly good to run a fast time.
"No one was there, so I just relaxed to see if I could win," said the young woman who quit full time teaching to train and run.
She, too, will be in the half marathon this morning which gets underway in Bay Street from 5 a.m. along with the marathon.
10K Results:
RESULTS of the 2007 Run Barbados Nature Valley 10K Road Race.
Top Ten
1. Philip Lagat (Kenya) 29.46 minutes
2. Agustus Kavutu (Canada) 31.06
3. Zepherinus Joseph (St Lucia) 31.56
4. Pamenos Ballantyne (St Vincent) 32,08
5. Jason Sayers (St Lucia) 32.31
6. Sean Wade (USA) 32.42
7. Louis Darley (Guadeloupe) 33.49
8. Janet Cheberon (USA) 34.03
9. Jason Gilkes (Barbados) 34.34
10. Jason Wilson (Barbados) 34.58
Women:
1. Janet Cheberon (USA) 34.03 minutes
2. Tatyana Chaluk (USA) 34.59
3. Birham Dagne (UK) 36.44
4. Alika Morgan (Guyana) 38.38
5. Kerticham John 40.16
6. Dallase Scott (St Lucia) 40.55
7. Sarah Williams (England) 42.13
8. Sandarine Darly (Guadeloupe)
9. Kenryla Francis (Antigua) 44.24
10. Sandra Jones (Barbados) 45.35