Global Round Up: Cross Country/Roads, Lel Beats Wanjiru, by Alfons Juck, Note by Larry Eder

Kim Smith in lead, over Berhane Adere, hitting 10k in 31:49!, photo courtesy of PhotoRun.net.
RNR New Orleans gave us the fastest womens half in North America, as Berhande Adere ran 1:07:52 to Kim Smith’s 1:07:55 (Kiwi NR). Martin Lel got the best of Sammy Wanjuiru, 1:01.07 to 1:01:33!

Berhane Adere winning NO RNR half marathon, photo by PhotoRun.net.

EME NEWS (FEB 28, 2010) UPDATE 2
ADERE, WANJIRU LOST TO LEL
NEW ORLEANS (USA, Feb 28): Former track world champion Ethiopiaâ€˜s Berhane Adere (36) won the inaugural Rock â€šnâ€˜ Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon in New Orleans in 1:07:52, the fastest womenâ€˜s half-marathon time ever run in America. Organizers are writing on their website. She won a thrilling duel with New Zealandâ€˜s Kim Smith, who finished a close second in 1:07:55, national record. Smith set a great pace of 31:49 at 10 km. On the menâ€˜s side, two-time London Marathon champion Martin Lel of Kenya outpaced his countryman and half-marathon world record holder Sammy Wanjiru, winning in 1:01:07. Marathon olympic winner Wanjiru clocked 1:01:33. Kenyan Shadrack Biwott finished third in 1:01:40. The day was sunny, dry, and windless. A total of 13,000 runners participated in the two races.

Martin Lel begins to push the pace, RNR New Orleans, photo by PhotoRun.net.
MASAI AND CHERUIYOT WINS
SAN JUAN (PUR, Feb 28): Kenyan favorites won the WorldÂ´s Best 10 km in Puerto-Rico. 5000 m world champion Vivian Cheruiyot repeated her last year win in new life-time best 31:06. World 10km medalist Moses Masai was the best man with 27:16.
OTHER RESULTS
DIEKIRCH (LUX, Feb 28): Eurocross IAAF Permit winner at 10 km was BurundiÂ´s Onesphore Nkunzimana in 27:17 over Moroccan Najim El Qady (27:22) and French Irba Lakhal (27:33). In womenÂ´s 5.35 km for Bahrain running in Belgian living Ethiopian Mimi Belete got 17:03. Second Marilyne Pellen of France (17:14) and third Almensch Belete representing Ethiopia (17:16). IrelandÂ´s Linda Byrne was fourth (17:18).
ROMA (ITA, Feb 28): Kenyan wins at 36th Roma-Ostia Half-marathon. Peter Kimeli posted in windy conditions 1:01:51 ahead of William Rotich (1:01:53) and Ethiopian Tujuba Megesa (1:02:16). Best European as fourth Cosimo Caliandro in 1:02:41. Alice Timbilil was the best woman in 1:10:34 over home Rosaria Console 1:10:54 and French marathon record holder Christelle Daunay 1:13:39.
KUMAMOTO (JPN, Feb 28): Atsushi Fujita posted 1:29:46 to win 30 km Kumanichi road race. Second Hirokatsu Kurosaki had 1:30:10 and third Tsuyoshi Ugachi 1:30:14.
ZARAGOZA (ESP, Feb 28): 5th CC of Gobierno de Aragon at 10 km was won by Eliseo Martin (28:37) ahead of Argentinian Javier Carriqueo (28:40).
DOUR (BEL, Feb 28): Pieter Desmet won the main menÂ´s race at Lotto CrossCup CC race in Dour in snow and storm. Second Tasama Dame and third Sven Nys. In women race Selien De Schryder beat Veerle Dejaeghere to second. In short race Tom Van Rooy was the winner.
PODGORICA (MNE, Feb 27): Montenegro national CC champions are Stojan Vujadinovic at 6 km and Sladana Perunovic at 3 km women.

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 50-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself."

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