KIPSANG
2:04:57 AND KILEL 2:23:25

FRANKFURT
(GER, Oct 31): Excellent results at the 29th Commerzbank Frankfurt Marathon.
Kenyan Wilson Kiprotich Kipsang won with a sensational course record of
2:04:57. The 28 year-old Kenyan clocked the tenth fastest time ever run at the
distance and became the eighth fastest marathon runner worldwide in only his
second marathon (debuted in spring in Paris with 2:07:13 as third). The
Frankfurt Marathon became only the fourth marathon behind Berlin,
Rotterdam and Dubai with a sub 2:05 course record. Tadese
Tola (Ethiopia)
was second with 2:06:31. Kenyans Elijah Chelimo (2:07:04) and Philip Sanga
(2:07:11) took third and fourth at the finish-line in the “Stadthalle”. Also to
note the 5th place of Ugandan Daniel Chepyegon in PB 2:08:24 and best European
was the Russian Grigoriy Andreyev as 20th (2:14:08). The women’s race produced
a world-class course record as well. Kenya’s Caroline Kilel surprisingly
beat the Ethiopian favourites clocking career best 2:23:25. Dire Tune was
second in 2:23:44 (also PB) while defending champion Agnes Kiprop from Kenya was third
in 2:24:07 (personal best). Fourth Isabellah Andersson improved her own Swedish
record to 2:25:10 ahead of another Ethiopian favorite Mare Dibaba 2:25:27.
Sixth place for Kenyan-born Dutch runner Hilda Kibet with personal best
2:26:23, seventh Ukrainian Yulia Ruban another lifetime best 2:27:44 beating
Russian Yelena Sokolova (2:28:01), Kenyan Hellen Kimutai (2:28:38) and
Hungarian Aniko Kalovics (2:30:56) at next places to top ten. In total 12 475
runners from 76 countries competed in the marathon (total in all races 22 165 –
a new record) in ideal weather, at the start 10-12 degrees, only slight wind,
no rain. As Ken Nakamura points out, the 2010 is first year in the history with
three sub 2:05 times. Also the top ten average of perfomers is the best ever
2:05:20 and the season is not over yet. Top ten of Frankfurt
marathon is now 2:06:53 what is the 8th best ever.

BETT
AND DRAZDAUSKAITE

ATHENS
(GRE, Oct 31): The unheralded Raymond Bett of Kenya broke the race record in the
Athens Classic Marathon. In the 2500th anniversary year of the Battle of
Marathon, Bett clocked 2.12.40, taking two seconds off the time run by his
compatriot Paul Lekuraa two years ago. Pre-race favorite Jonathan Kipkorir was
second in 2:14:05 and third Edwin Kimutai got 2:15:21 to make the Kenyan sweep
on the podium. Fourth Henryk Szost of Poland was the best European after
2:15:28, he was also the best within Military World Championships. Rasa
Drazdauskaite of Lithuania
was even more of a surprise. A world class runner, Drazdauskaite was competing
in the concurrent World Military Championships, and not listed among the elite.
But she was never headed and, with 2.31.06, took over two minutes off the
women’s record of 2.33.19, set by Svetlana Ponomarenko of Russia in 2007.
Runner up was also a Russian, Olga Glok , who had been one of the pre-race
favourites, but finished close to three minutes down, in 2.33.51. Svitlana
Stanko of Ukraine
was third, in 2.38.59. This was Drazdausakaite’s fourth marathon, but
undoubtedly her best. Her fastest time, 2.30.29, came in Frankfurt
exactly a year ago. But this Marathon to Athens
course, which has a relentless uphill section of close to 21k (half the
distance) is reckoned to be the hardest of the world’s famous marathons,
contributing, by general consensus, to adding four minutes to a marathoner’s
potential time on a flatter course. For example, Abel Anton of Spain, one of
the celebrated guests for the anniversary of the ‘Battle’ won the world title
here in 1997, in
2.13.16, whereas his best is 2.07.57 in London the following year. Stefano
Baldini of Italy,
who won the Olympic title here in 2004, in a course record (as opposed to race
record) 2.10.54, said he cycled the course the following year, “and it was
harder by bike. I said to myself, how did I run 2.10.54 on this course, and in
summer too?” Writes Pat Butcher. Greek titles for Michail Parmakis (2:20:48 as
15th) and Konstantina Kefala (2:40:36 as 5th).

FAST
TIMES AT HIGH ALTITUDE

NAIROBI (KEN, Oct 31): Again new champions at
the Standard Chartered Nairobi International marathon. As The Nation writes
little known David Tumo Barmasai and veteran Helena Kiprop claimed the Sh1.5
million prize (nearly 20 000 USD) as they were crowned the winners. Run at an
altitude on a bright sunny morning in temperature rising slightly above 20
degrees Celsius was not an easy task. Barmasai clocked in this conditions
impressive 2:10:31 ahead of Philemon Gitia 2:11:11 and Vincent Kiplagat Sittuk
2:12:09. In women race Kirop, the Prague Marathon champion, won her first local
marathon in also very good 2:31:11. Second was another more than experienced
runner Leah Malot 2:33:41 ahead of Frashiah Nyambura 2:35.09. Magdalene Chemjor
was fourth (2:38:19).

OTHER NEWS

ATHENS (GRE): Paco Borao of the Valencia
Marathon has been elected to the position of World President of AIMS, The
Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. AIMS represents 300
races in over 90 countries, from the Boston Marathon (USA) to Paris (France) to Tokyo
(Japan)
to the Australian Outback Marathon. Informs AIMS website. The election took
place on the occasion of the 18th World Congress of AIMS staged this week in Athens, Greece
to mark the 2500th year (490BC) since the legendary Greek Soldier Pheidippides
ran from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens
to announce that the Persian army had been defeated. Borao (64 years old) has
been Membership Director of AIMS, since he was elected to this position at the
10th World Congress of AIMS in Barcelona
in 1996. Borao succeeds Hiroaki Chosa of Japan
who retired at the Athens
congress after 20 years in function. The other new directors elected to the
AIMS Board include: Keisuke Sawaki of Yokohama Marathon (Japan), Guy L Morse of the Boston Marathon (USA)
and Fernando Jamarne of the Santiago Marathon (Chile). Al Boka of the Las Vegas
Marathon (USA) was re-elected as Treasurer. IAAF President Lamine Diack
presented the IAAF Silver Award of Merit to outgoing AIMS President Chosa.

SINDELFINGEN (GER): German decathlon World
Championships 9th placer from 2007 Arthur Abele has big plans after two years
of injuries. He wants to qualify for European Indoor Championships in Paris in heptathlon and
also aims for top 8 position at World Championships in Daegu later in the
summer.

HAVANA (CUB): Olympic winner and world record
holder Dayron Robles is back in training. As agencies are reporting, he has
recovered from last season injuries and has plans for 2011. “The problems in
the summer are behind me and I’m training hard, looking forward to next season,
which will be very extensive,” the 23-year-old athlete told Reuters after a
conditioning session in the sunny Cuban capital. Robles confirmed he is in full
training. Except of Daegu his another goal is the Panamerican title in October
in Mexican Guadalajara. Robles also plans to run indoors next season. His coach
Santiago Antunez said he plans to run 5-6 meets indoors and about 10 races
outdoors.

NAIROBI (KEN): The Standard Group has donated
Sh400,000 (around 5000 USD) for Sunday’s Standard Chartered Nairobi
International Marathon. The amount will be used to increase the prize money of
the 10 km
runners.

BIRMINGHAM
(GBR): Britain´s bid for 2016 European Athletics Championships, along with Croatia (Split)
and the Netherlands (Amsterdam) is expected to be represented by Birmingham. The city
recently announced plans for an £12.25 ($19.41 million) redevelopment of
Alexander Stadium designed to enable the arena to stage major international
events. Martin Mullaney, the Councillor in charge of Leisure at Birmingham City
Council, also told the City Cabinet last month that they had already started
investigating the possibility of launching a bid. Informs insidethegames. The
European Championships has never been staged in Britain. Birmingham
will host in summer also the Samsung Diamond League meeting which will be
switched from Gateshead.

BRISTOL (GBR): Kenya’s double
Olympic gold medallist Kip Keino is to visit Bristol next week to open a new
stadium named in his honour and to seal a deal for his country’s athletes to
train in the area before the London 2012 Games.

RESULTS

CASSIS (FRA, Oct 31): Kenyan
Philemon Limo won the 32nd edition of Marseille-Cassis at 20.308 km in rain with
1:01:35. Second Ethiopian Belete Assefa (1:02:30) ahead of Kenyan Robert Ndiwa
(1:02:35). Best home runner James Theuri achieved 1:04:45 as 9th. Kenyan women
win for Diane Chepkemoi after 1:10:36

AUCKLAND (NZL, Oct 31): Athens 2004 Olympian
Dale Warrander won the Auckland Marathon in 2:19:22 and claimed also his third
national title at the distance. Ten years younger Sam Wreford was second and
improved to 2:19:56. Next in plan for Warrander is the Rotterdam Marathon in
April with the aim to qualify for Daegu. Shireen Crumpton defended women title
in course record 2:45:51.

LUZERN (SUI, Oct 31): At the
4th Luzern Marathon better results by women. German Julia Wagner won in 2:47:36
and Swiss champion Patricia Morceli was the best at the half distance
(1:13:52).

LAUSANNE (SUI, Oct 31): Ethiopian Hailu
Begashaw who has 2:16 on his credit won the 18th Lausanne Marathon in 2:20:03.

GLARUS (SUI, Oct 30): Kenyan
wins at the 26th edition of the city race. Frederic Musyoki won the men´s 7.85 km in 23:09 and Jane
Muia the women category at the same distance (26:45).

BAILE FELIX (ROU, Oct 30):
Ancuta Bobocel won the women´s 8
km at Romanian CC Championships. Second place for Paula
Todoran ahead of Simona Maxim. National champion in men 10 km was as expected Marius
Ionescu beating Cristinel Irimia and Florin Enache. Official results at
federation web-site are not indicating results, just positions.

CASTELLON (ESP, Oct 30):
European junior long jump record holder and world junior medalist Eusebio Caceres
is still competing. He won the 100
m in 10.92 (+0.5) at Spanish Junior Club Championships.
Titles went to boys of Playas Castellon and girls of Puerto de Alicante.

SEATTLE
(USA,
Oct 30): The biggest anticipation from NCAA CC Conference Championships was
connected to the Pacific 10 event. Both team competitions were won here by
Stanford over Oregon.
In the men´s 8 km
Stanford trio got the full podium. Elliot Heath (23:01) ahead of Jake Riley
(23:01) and Chris Derrick (23:01). Fourth was the best Oregon runner Luke Puskedra (23:06). Jordan
Hasay won for Oregon
the women 6 km
in 19:45 ahead of Kathy Kroeger (19:50).

STILLWATER
(USA,
Oct 30): In the Big 12 Championships Oklahoma State dominated the men´s 8 km. Ethiopian Girma Mecheso
(23:57) won over German Fernandez (23:59) and Colby Lowe (23:59). Women 6 km winner was Kenyan Rose
Tanui (20:05), member of winning Texas Tech Team.