Kenya's Hellen Ekalale cruised to victory at the Valencia 10km women's race in Spain on Sunday.

The 25-year-old clocked 29:30 seconds to cut the tape, ahead of the Ethiopian duo of Girmawit Gebru and Fotyen Tesfaye, who came second and third respectively

It was her first race since winning the fifth leg of the Athletics Kenya Cross Country Series in Ol Kalau, on December 14, last year.

On that occasion, the Japan-based runner clocked 35:53.1 to clinch the senior women's 10km race, ahead of Christine Njoki (36:25.1) and Joylin Cherotich (3:13.1) in second and third respectively.

Ekalale will be hoping the win sets the tone for a busy year in which she has purposed to make Team Kenya for the World Championships in her 'second home' -- Tokyo.

Kinyanjui narrow podium miss

At the same time, in Valencia, Kenya's Vincent Langat finished third in men's race after clocking 26:55.

In his first place was Switzerland's Andreas Almgren who clocked 26:53 as his countryman, Dominic Lobalu finished second in 26:54, in what was a close race to the finish line.

Another Kenyan, youngster Daniel Kinyanjui, clocked 27:06 in fourth place.