Jelena Prokopcuka believes a mistake by her agent will work in her favour
when competing in the BUPA Great Manchester Run on May 22.
Prokopcuka, winner of last Sunday' sister-event, the BUPA Great Caledonian
Run, was unaware until arriving for the race in Edinburgh, she would be
competing over 10 kilometres rather than half that distance.
The Latvian star who enhanced her reputation when beating two-times Olympic
10000m gold medallist Derartu Tulu by 12 seconds in the Scottish capital,
had been told by her manager it was a five kilometres contest.
"It was only when I got here that I read in the information pack it was over
10K," said Prokopcuka, who claimed victory ahead of her Ethiopian rival in a
time of 32minutes 42seconds.
"But it actually suited me more, being longer than I expected," said
Prokopcuka, the top European-born finisher in last summer's Olympic 10000m
where Tulu added a bronze medal to her two previous victories.
She added: "I've been getting myself ready for my next race in this country
which is a 10K one in two weeks time and will be very tough."
Prokopcuka hit the nail on the head. At the BUPA Great Manchester race,
January's Osaka marathon winner faces Lornah Kiplagat and Isabella Ochichi,
the pair of African stars with rare wins over Paula Radcliffe at the
Briton's world record distance.
"I'm looking forward to it, it's great that I'm now getting into more races
of this quality," said Prokopcuka seventh in the Athens final.
It seemed Tulu, after taking an early lead over the flatter stretches of the
Scottish capital course, had the edge over Prokopcuka in their lively clash
in Edinburgh.
But the steep inclines in the older part of the capital, proved a definite
advantage for Prokopcuka, who sprung a surprise win over the pre-race
favourite.
"For me running uphill is one of my strengths and when I broke away, I was
still running comfortably," she said after a decisive break at the eight
kilometres marker.
Juan Carlos de la Ossa, clocking the fastest time of the year this year on
British soil, won a men's thriller by two seconds in 28min 22sec, is also
racing in Manchester.
The Spaniard with a powerful finish outsprinted top African stars Boniface
Kiprop of Uganda and Tanzania's John Yuda who were so close at the finish,
the race referee couldn't separate them.
Source Greater Manchester Run
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