Meseret Defar makes winning comeback in ’s-Heerenberg

Competing for the first time since September 2013, Meseret Defar returned with a comfortable victory over 15km at the Pfixx Solar Montferland Run in ’s-Heerenberg.

Two-time Olympic 5000m champion Meseret Defar marked her return from maternity leave with a comfortable victory over 15km at the 20th edition of the Pfixx Solar Montferland Run in ’s-Heerenberg on Sunday (6).

Competing for the first time since September 2013, Defar eased herself back into racing but after running with the pack for the first five kilometres in 16:56, the Ethiopian quickly cut loose and opened up a winning gap of nearly one-and-a-half minutes on Kim Dillen over the course of the last ten kilometres.

Defar passed through the 10km checkpoint in 33:46 with a clear lead but the 32-year-old saved her best running for the last section of the race. She covered the last five kilometres in 16:18 en route to a comfortable win on an undulating course in 50:04.

Dillen was a clear second on home soil in 51:29 while Lucy Macharia, who set the pace in the early stages, dropped back to finish third in 51:55.

Kenyan runners filled the first six places in the men’s race led by road-racing specialists Abraham Cheroben and Geoffrey Yegon. They shared an identical time of 42:54 with the former credited with the win.

Source: worldrunning.com/