by Larry Eder
KENENISA BACK TO WINNING
DUBLIN (IRL, Apr 14): Legendary Olympic winner and world record holder Kenenisa Bekele producing an awesome performance despite gusting winds reaching 50 miles per hour comfortably defended his SPAR Great Ireland Run. The Ethiopian on a day definitely not favouring fast times confidently coped with the conditions to win ther 10km race in 28:51 well clear of Ukrainian Sergey Lebid and the winner’s fellow countryman and reigning track 10 000 m World champion Ibrahim Jeilan who clocked 29:08 and 29:18. Fourth Hamid El Mouaziz of Morocco 29:26 and fifth Australian Collis Birmingham 29:30. Lauren Howarth better known for her performances over shorter distances claimed the women’s crown in a much closer contest defeating fellow Britons, the defending champion Gemma Steel by 13sec with a time of 33:36 and Julia Bleasdale who finished in 33:53. Informs David Martin. “It’s fantastic,” said Bekele determined to make amends for his drop in form over the last couple of years, mainly with a serious calf injury. “I am so happy with my performance.” The meeting’s inaugural street mile was claimed by one of Ireland’s top 1500 m runners Paul Robinson in 4:14.
REGASSA 2:05:38 AND JELAGAT 2:23:27
ROTTERDAM (NED, Apr 14): Only weather created troubles for top athletes at Rotterdam Marathon. The race started very fast with men splits at 14:51, 29:22 and 62:25 at half. Second part as usual windy was a duel of two Ethiopians and one Kenyan at 1:28:20 30 k split. Around the 35k mark the right kick from Tilahun Regassa came, at the end he won in 2:05:38, the slowest winning time here since 2008. Second Getu Feleke 2:06:45 and third Sammy Kitwara 2:07:22. Fourth place for one of the favourites as Geoffrey Kipsang clocked 2:09:12. Top European as 8th was home Koen Raymaekers in 2:12:09 and 13th Michael Butter 2:13:25. Kenyan Jemima Jelagat was the leader at 10 k in 34:27 and half 1:12:12 together with Dutch Hilda Kibet. Jelagat ended well her great solo with third fastest ever in Rotterdam 2:23:27. Ethiopian Abebe Afework was second in 2:23:59 (she produced fast second part of the race). Third Kibet 2:26:42. Fourth top European Alessandra Aguilar of Spain 2:27:03 (just missed the national record 2:26:51) ahead of Mekuria Aberume from Ethiopia 2:29:04. From Alberto Stretti.
A. KIPROTICH 2:08:33 AND AKAI 2:23:28
DAEGU (KOR, Apr 14): Kenyan born, but now running for France Abraham Kiprotich, a former steeplechaser and member of the French Foreign Legion took the win in the Daegu IAAF Silver Label Marathon in personal best and European leader 2013 2:08:33. This was only Kiprotich’s third marathon after having served in the French Foreign Legion for 10 years which got him a French Citizenship in 2011. Second Kenyan Boniface Mvubi (2:09:43) and Debebe Tolossa from Ethiopia third in 2:10:23. In women race new course record for Kenyan Margaret Akai who had already improved her time in December 2012 from 2:32 down to 2:24 finishing 3rd in Shanghai. She broke the course record 2:24:57 to high quality 2:23:28. Second Ethiopian Mulu Seboka 2:23:43, Abraham Kiprotich’s wife Agnes Barsosio of Kenya finished 3rd in 2:24:03. Good day in the office for the Kiprotich’s family budget: a total of 100.000 USD in Prize Money. All three athletes in the womens race ran the fastest times in their life in windy conditions in Daegu and gave Daegu the best female Korean marathon result in 10 years. A total of more than 16 000 participants started the race in Daegu. From the organisers.
SUGUT, HAILE, CHEYECH
VIENNA (AUT, Apr 14): Defending champion Henry Sugut produced a result at the Vienna City Marathon that fitted to the occassion. It was the 30th edition of Austria’s biggest sporting event and the 27 year-old Kenyan added a piece of history to the event by becoming only the second athlete to win for a third time. Back in the 80ies it was Austria’s Gerhard Hartmann who triumphed even three times in a row, from 1985 to ’87. Sugut clocked 2:08:19 in fine but warm weather conditions. In a race dominated by Kenyans Solomon Kiptoo was second with 2:08:34 while Geoffrey Ndungu took third in 2:08:42. Former world champion Luke Kibet was 8th 2:15:16 and top European Valerijs Zolnerovics from Latvia as 9th in 2:15:55 PB. In the women’s race Flomena Cheyech improved by almost ten minutes in Vienna. The 30 year-old Kenyan won with 2:24:34 and produced one of the biggest winning margins in the race’s history. She was streets ahead of Ethiopians Assefa Meskerem (2:31:18) and Eyerusalem Kuma (2:32:24). Kenya’s Emily Samoei followed in fourth place with 2:32:48 and fifth Brazilian Nonata Cruz 2:35:48. But there was of course an Ethiopian winner as well: legendary Haile Gebrselassie took the OMV Champions Race with 61:14. This half marathon was staged parallel to the marathon and it was Gebrselassie’s first race this year. “I wanted to run faster but it did not work today. May be I should have started a bit slower. But I enjoyed the amazing atmosphere. I think I can still run faster than today,” said Gebrselassie. The 39 year-old was well ahead of Hosea Kipkemboi (Kenya/62:01) and Mekuant Ayenew (Ethiopia/62:21) in a race he won for a third time in a row. A record number of 41,326 runners had entered the various events of the Vienna City Marathon. 10,588 of them were marathon runners. Organizers are informing in a release.
JARZYNSKA IMPROVES TO 2:26:45
LODZ (POL, Apr 14): Poland´s Karolina Jarzynska won the 3rd Marathon in Lodz with new personal best and Poland All-Comers record 2:26:45. It is also fifth all-time best in Poland after an even pace 1:13:09 and 1:13:36 halves. Second Belarus Volha Mazuronak 2:33:33 and third Hayimanot Shewe from Ethiopia 2:35:52 in her debut. Ethiopian Belachew Ameta won the men category in 2:10:02 PB ahead of Kenya
n Stephen Kibiwott 2:10:04 and Teferi Wodajo 2:11:23. Fourth Yerad Shegumo who runs for Poland in 2:12:14 PB.
WILLIS AND MARTINEZ
BOSTON (USA, Apr 14): A chilly wind blew through Back Bay here, but did little to deter New Zealand 2008 Olympic medalist Nick Willis and US Brenda Martinez from winning their first B.A.A. Invitational Miles with powerful kick finishes. Their times were modest, 4:03.3 and 4:51.4, respectively, but their raw speed into a headwind on the short homestretch on Boylston Street showed that both possess very good early-season fitness. Both winners collected 3000 USD in prize money. Informs Race Results Weekly.
GEBREMESKEL AND K. SMITH
BOSTON (USA, Apr 14): For the third straight year, the men’s race at the B.A.A. 5-K came down to a long sprint on Boylston Street, as Ethiopia’s Olympic medalist from London Dejen Gebremeskel separated from American Aaron Braun to set a new event record of 13:37. With his win, Gebremeskel becomes the first non-American to win the race, now in its fifth year. With temperatures rather cool and a brisk wind blowing second Aaron Braun of USA 13:40 and third Kenyan Lani Rutto 13:41. Top European Alistair Cragg from Ireland 8th in 14:07. As the reigning B.A.A. Distance Medley champion, Kim Smith wanted to begin her quest to defend her title with a strong performance in women 5 km and she did just that Sunday’s B.A.A. 5-K. She did just that, winning seven seconds up on the field in 15:16. Second Lineth Chepkurui 15:23, third US Olympian Molly Huddle 15:28 and fourth Worknesh Kidane the wife of Boston Marathon favorite Gebre Gebremariam 15:32. From RRW.
COURSE RECORDS IMPROVED
BRIGHTON (GBR, Apr 14): Course records at Brighton Marathon. Kenyan Dominic Kangor came in at 2:10:46, while second Bernard Rotich finished in 2:10:51 and third Robert Mwangi in 2:11:26. All under previous event best. Fastest Briton Jon Pepper finished in 2:20:30 as 8th. Another Kenyan Eunice Kales, 28, making her debut here smashed the women’s record with 2:28:50. Former winner here Aly Dixon has come second and set a personal best of 2:31:10 and third Frashiah Waithaka from Kenya 2:33:31 PB. First world champion in steeple Ugandan Dorcus Inzikuru debuted at the distance as fourth in 2:42:38.
OTHER RESULTS
BONN (GER, Apr 14): Kenyan Jonathan Cheruiyot won the Deutsche Post Marathon Bonn 2013 in 2:14:31. Top German Florian Neuschwander was fifth in 2:20:28. Kenyan Lilian Koech won in 2:51:20. In all races 12 000 participants.
DOBRICH (BUL, Apr 13): Bulgarian Half marathon champions are Yolo Nikolov 1:09:26 and Silvia Danekova 1:20:00.
HONEFOSS (NOR, Apr 13): Hans Kristian Floystad won the Norwegian CC Championships on short course (3 km) with 8:01. Women 2 km winner was Ingeborg Kristine Lind 6:09.
REFRATH (GER, Apr 14): Former track European 10 000 m champion Jan Fitschen in 1:03:22 PB and Eleni Gebrehiwot in 1:13:15 won the German half marathon titles. Second in men race Philipp Pflieger 1:04:11 (debut).
SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRENTO (ITA, Apr 14): Kenyan winners at the 15th Maratonina dei Fiori. William Kibor 1:02:21 and Hellen Jepkurgat 1:12:04.
BRENA BAJA (ESP, Apr 13): Spanish road mile champions Ivan Fernandez 4:23 and Solange Pereira 4:53.
CABRIES (FRA, Apr 13): French marathon record holder Christelle Daunay won the 10 km road national title in 33:13 ahead of Moroccan Rkia El Moukim 34:29. In men race Abraham Niyonkuru from Burundi as winner got 29:09 over James Theuri 29:11.
WALKS
PODEBRADY (CZE, Apr 13): European Athletics Walking Permit circuit continued with 81st Podebrady Walking Meet (also to score into IAAF Race Walking Challenge) with first sub 1:20 in the men 20 km in the history of the event. Colombian last year World Cup winner (in junior category) Eidar Ãrevalo broke off in the last 3km and finished wea
ring national flag to celebrate his victory and Colombian record of 1:19:45. Second Norwegian Erik Tysse 1:19:51, just 40 seconds shy of his personal best. Despite setting a PB of 1:20:14, Slovak Matej Toth could do no better than third place, but he was far from disappointed. “There were world-class competitors this time. I’m really satisfied, I set a personal best even though I wasn’t in any particular shape,” said Toth, who will prepare in Italy over the next three weeks ahead of the European Race Walking Cup in Dudince on May 19. Fourth Italian Giorgio Rubino 1:21:07 and fifth Andreas Gustafsson from Sweden in 1:21:51 PB. After finishing fourth last year, Lucie Pelantová came even closer to winning this year. She raced side-by-side with Monica Equihua for 16km, but in the end her Mexican rival proved to be the strongest. Thirty-year-old Equihua came to PodÄ›brady fresh from setting a PB of 1:31:09 in Rio Maior, and here she followed it with the second-best result of her career – 1:31:55. Second Pelantova 1:32:08 PB. Italy’s Antonella Palmisano was third for the second year running, but was two minutes quicker than last year (1:32:36 PB). Junior home talent Anežka Drahotová, who made an excellent 20km debut in Lugano last month with 1:30:54, was a little tired after the Prague Half Marathon last Saturday (she is also an accomplished runner), but she still managed to finish fourth, within two minutes behind leaders (1:33:43). The junior 10km races were dominated by Italians. Vito Minei defended his win from last year (41:25), while Anne Clemente – who lost to Drahotová in 2012 – had her moment of glory in the women’s race (47:52). With help from IAAF.
BARUERI (BRA, Apr 13): Caio Bonfirm won the 20 km walk at Copa Nacional de Marcha in 1:25:42.
BOGOTA (COL, Apr 13): Manuel Soto won the 10 km walk at Copa Nacional de Marcha “Luis Fernando Rozo” in 42:43.
BREST (BLR, Apr 13): At Belarus Walking Cup which was also qualifier for European Cup in Dudince Ukrainian guest Ihor Sakharuk won the 35 km in 2:38:14 ahead of Ivan Trotskiy 2:41:04. Andrey Talashko won the 20 km in 1:23:41 and in the women category Ana Drabenya 1:32:12 ahead of Darya Bolkunets 1:32:46 and Anastasiya Yatsevich 1:33:22. Junior 10 km winners were Artyom Turkov 41:47 and Viktoriya Roshchupkina 47:40.
ST. RENAN (FRA, Apr 14): French 20 km walking titles for Ines Pastorino 1:37:32 and Kevin Campion 1:28:06. Tunisian guest Hedi Teraoui was better 1:26:47. European Champion Yohan Diniz won the accompanying 35 km in 2:32:47.
