Gatonye Daniel's holiday quite a workout with Yas Run win

The Kenyan is on holiday in Dubai for three weeks and it has been a memorable trip. The 16 year old won the Adnic Yas Run on Saturday to go with his victory a week earlier in the Abu Dhabi Half Marathon.

Gatonye Daniel, a 16 year old from Kenya, strode to the win in the Adnic Yas Run at Yas Marina Circuit.

Gatonye Daniel is on vacation in Dubai from Kenya for three weeks and it has been a memorable trip.

Saturday, the 16 year old won the Adnic (Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company) Yas Run to go with his victory a week earlier in the Abu Dhabi Half Marathon.

And his victory had a nice bonus, as Daniel gets two Etihad Airways tickets to New York and entry into the UAE Healthy Kidney 10km in Central Park.

"I finish my education this year and will continue to compete," Daniel said.

"I'm going to race in the Dubai Marathon next year, and I'm looking forward to racing in the UAE Healthy Kidney 10km in New York - it will be my first time to visit the city."

Daniel beat Ethiopia's Yassin Kedir Ebba by 28 seconds in the main 10km race while Emirati Al Khalifah Al Wahsi was third, almost nine minutes farther back.

Britain's Emma Phillips won the women's race, almost two minutes ahead of Connie Bouverot, the UAE-based Australian.

More than 5,500 participants and spectators were at Yas Marina Circuit for the race, which was held on the Formula One track.

The first event of the day, the children's 1km race, was won by 11-year-old Declan Ball with a time of three minutes and 54 seconds. On the girls' side, 11-year-old Lucy Preston of Brighton College won with a time of four minutes and 11 seconds.

More than 900 schoolchildren were entered in the children's 1km and 3km races.

"I did the race because my mum and big brother are also competing," said James Chisnall, nine, of Abu Dhabi, who said he was running his first competitive race, and added: "I wanted to see what it was like to be in a race with all the other people and getting my medal when I finished."

The UAE's top running and athletics clubs were well represented with competitors from the Abu Dhabi Striders, Mirdif Milers and the UAE Athletics Federation participating in the 10km main race.

Faris Al Sultan, the former World Ironman Champion and reigning European Ironman Champion, who was using the Yas Run as part of his training ahead of the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon next March, finished eighth.

The Adnic Yas Run is the first internationally certified 10km race in the region.

* Compiled by The National staff with agencies