ABSHERO
2:04:23

DUBAI
(UAE, Jan 27): The 13th edition of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon was
anything but unlucky, as extraordinary fast results for both men and women
broke many records for speed and depth. In the men’s race, Ethiopia’s Ayele
Abshero clocked a course record 2:04:23 to become history’s fifth-fastest
man under any conditions, and the fourth-fastest on a record-quality
course. When not counting Boston last year, it is also the fastest debut.
Behind him, compatriots Dino Sefir (2:04:50) and Markos Geneti (2:04:54) and
Kenya’s Jonathan Maiyo (2:04:56) also broke 2:05 making the Dubai race the
first ever where four men broke 2:05 on a record-quality course (four
broke 2:05 on Boston’s point-to-point and downhill course last year, also). But
that was just the tip of the pyramid. Going down the finish order, eight men
broke 2:06 (a world record), and 13 broke 2:08 (another world record), and best
times for place were set for fourth through seventh. A finish time of
2:12:19 was only good for 20th place, well outside the ten-deep prize money
list. The Kenyans who carried all before them last year in the marathon world
were firmly rebuffed. Maiyo was the only non-Ethiopian in the top ten. Pre-race
favourite Martin Lel dropped off the lead group before 30k, but soldiered on to
finish 35th in 2.34.57. Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa, looking to make his
fifth Olympic team, finished 19th in 2.12.12. A relatively sedate start,
followed by gradual acceleration in temperate conditions ensured that a large
group of over 30 men reached halfway in 62.22. That group was only whittled
down well past 30k, and with the top five finishers relaying the lead until
Abshero made his break close to 40k fast times all round were the order of the
day. There were perfect conditions for marathon running in the Gulf state, with
temperatures of 12C (55F) at the 7am start, only rising a couple of
degrees by the women’s finish shortly before 9.20am. Abshero, whose most
notable feat apart from his world junior cross victory was beating (a less than
fully fit) Kenenisa Bekele in a 15k road race three years ago, maintained
that his finishing time was his target. “I thought I could run 2.04
today,” he said at the press conference, “but it’s hard to plan for your first
marathon, really I just didn’t know what was going to happen. But I’m very
happy. I’m now the number one in Ethiopia, and I think it could be the
Olympic Games for me”. With help from Pat Butcher and RRW.

MERGIA
2:19:31

DUBAI
(UAE, Jan 27): Results in the women’s race were similarly impressive. Ethiopia’s
Aselefech Mergia won the race for the second time, clocking a course and
national record 2:19:31. Indeed, Mergia became the first Ethiopian women to run
under 2:20. Behind her, Kenya’s Lucy Kabuu–who competed in the 2004 and 2008
Olympic games as „Lucy Wangui”–clocked 2:19:34 in her debut, while Ethiopia’s
Mare Dibaba also went under the previous national record in 2:19:52. Those
three women became the first ever to run sub-2:20 in the same race. Down the
finish order, six women broke 2:22 (world record), eight broke 2:24 (another
world record) and ten broke 2:26. Both Abshero and Mergia earned first place
prizes of USD 250,000, the largest first place prizes in all of marathon
running. “I know the course, so I felt confident. I prepared well and
I’m delighted with 2.19. I’m now the best Ethiopian, and with a time like
that, I hope to be selected for the Olympic Games,” said Mergia. While the
men’s leaders ran a negative split – the second half faster than the first
– the women’s pace was fairly even. A group of nine went though the ‘half’
in 69.42. Again it was the Ethiopians who fared better in the second half of
the race, with last year’s second Lydia Cheromei of Kenya dropping back to
finish in a personal best 2:21:30. And she beat the other Kenyan woman who
is in the exclusive group of 6 pre-selected runners for Olympic Games Sharon
Cherop who was 7th in 2:22:39 (also a PB). Sweden´s Isabellah Andersson
was the best European of the day with 2:25:41 as 10th. Interestingly, the Standard
Chargered Dubai Marathon is the world’s most „top-heavy” marathon. Despite the
incredible results at the top of the finish order, only 1575 runners finished
the race (1238 men and 337 women). However, finishers were up from 1298 last
year, and a record 8344 runners finished the companion 10-K. With help
from Pat Butcher and RRW.

HAILE
RESPONDS

ADDIS
ABABA (ETH): The results are making the situation tough for all-time hero Haile
Gebrselassie who is in preparation for Tokyo Marathon in February. He responded
on his twitter: „Great results in Dubai today! This makes the challenge to
qualify for the Olympics even bigger!”

DUBAI
STATS

DUBAI
(UAE): Ken Nakamura provided already stats after Dubai which are impressive. In
the men marathon history Dubai is now has the fourth fastest course record,
behind Boston, Berlin and Frankfurt. Top 10 average for Dubai men is 2:05:10,
third fastest behind Berlin (2:04:55) and Rotterdam (2:05:07). Record 17
runners broke 2:10 (previous record in 14 in 2011 Frankfurt). Record 8 runners
broke 2:06. Record 10 runners broke 2:07. Record 14 runners broke 2:08 and
record 15 runners broke 2:09. Abshero, Sefir, Geneti and Maiyo became 13th,
14th, 15th & 16th runner running sub 2:05. Abshero´s time (and also
Mergia´s) is the fastest ever in January. In women stats Dubai has the fourth
fastest course record behind London, Chicago and Berlin. Top 10 average for
Dubai (women) is 2:21:16, fourth fastest behind London (2:19:22), Chicago
(2:19:59), & Berlin (2:20:34). Mergia, Kabuu and Mare Dibaba (she is also
the youngest with sub 2:20) became 13th, 14th and 15th runner. Kabuu became the
second fastest marathon debutante behind Radcliffe. Beata Naigambo of Namibia
clocked new national record as 14th in 2:29:20.

FRIEDRICH
WITH NEW HAIR-COLOUR, UKHOV TO OPEN THE SEASON

BERLIN
(GER): Ariane Friedrich is ready for her comeback in Hustopece on Saturday. The
German is overwhelmed by media attention to announce her return and she
revealed that she has given her hair a new colour in order to be fully
ready for the event. Her coach and manager Gunther Eisinger reported he expects
at least 190 from her, writes leichtathletik.de. „Im really excited,” she said
on her facebook. Friedrich arrived to Czech Republic late afternoon on Friday.
The other jumpers Chaunte Howard, Svetlana Shkolina and Irina Gordeyeva came in
already on Thursday from jumping meet in Cottbus. Howard with olympic winner
Andrey Silnov and world medalist Trevor Barry signed autographs for kids on
Friday morning. The flying Russian Ivan Ukhov also came in to Hustopece for his
season opener on Friday midday from Moscow. The women competition starts at 5
pm and men 6.30 pm. In total 12 men (only one with PB under 230) and 12 women
(worst PB 190). Live results and stream at www.skakani.cz
and www.moravskavyskarskatour.cz.

SEMENYA
NOT TOO MANY RACES AT HOME

PRETORIA
(RSA): South African media are informing that 2009 World Champion Caster
Semenya will not be seeing in lot of action in South Africa this year. Her
agent Jukka Härkönen said it was a mistake for Semenya to take part in so
many events last year. “She couldn’t train properly. Maria Mutola, her coach,
made it clear that the Olympics is simply too important to take any chances.
Semenya will only take part in the 800m at the South African event in Port
Elizabeth,” Härkönen said. “She might take part in the 400m and the 1 500m
once, but that will be all,” said the manager who added that she will take part
in a select few events in Europe in May. As it is known Semenya is not
planning to compete indoors.

JELIMO
FOR HER INDOOR DEBUT

NAIROBI
(KEN): The 800 m reigning olympic winner Pamela Jelimo after running 53.6 in
Nairobi this week confirmed via her management that she plans to compete during
the European indoor season. Her first ever indoor races at 800 m should happen
in Dusseldorf on February 10 and in Lievin on February 14.

KRAVCHENKO
6205 POINTS

GOMEL
(BLR, Jan 27): Olympic medalist Andrey Kravchenko won the Belarus indoor
heptathlon title with world leading 6205 points. During first day he achieved
7.24, impressive 775, 14.91 and 210. On Friday Kravchenko came back with 8.09
at the hurdles, five meters in pole vault and 2:41.22 in the 1000 m. With this
result he might have a good chance to qualify for World Indoors in
Istanbul based on this years results. Other events were part of Belarus Cup and
top marks came in women jumps. Anastasiya Mironchik-Ivanova leaped to 682 in
the long jump ahead of Veronika Shutkova 677 and Olga Sudareva 673 (PB).
Kseniya Detsuk achieved 14.48 in the triple jump, new national indoor record.
Elena Kopets got 18.80 in the shot put, Natalya Koreyvo 4:08.60 in the 1500 m,
Alina Talay 8.12 at the hurdles and Yulia Balykina 7.28 at 60 m. From male
results to note 7.69 at 60 m hurdles by Maksim Lynsha.

OTHER NEWS

SCHOORL
(NED) : The 35 edition of the Groet uit Schoorl Run (February 12) will feature
a very strong women’s field led by Lornah Kiplagat. Kiplagat, who is
already qualified for the marathon at the London Olympic Games, considers the
10K a testrun in the build up to London. Also in the field are Dutch
athletes Miranda Boonstra, Heleen Plaatzer, Ilse Pol, Merel de Knegt, Ruth van
der Meijden, Sabine van de Reijdt, Lesley van Miert, Lindsay Poesiat and
Mariska Kramer reports organizers Le Champion.

BERLIN
(GER) : German pole vaulter Carolin Hingst is cancelling the first meetings of
her indoor schedule. Hingst was scheduled to compete in Donetsk and Birmingham
but has to withdraw due to problems with her Achilles. It is possible she can
compete at the German national indoor championships at the end of February.

VALENCIA
(ESP) : Spanish athlete Marta Dominguez is not happy about the sculpture that
artist Luis Alonso has made in honour of the opening of the municipial sports
pavilion. Dominguez does not recognize herself in the sculpture which now leads
to a delay in revealing the statue. It is the second time the revealing of
the statue has to wait as in December 2010 special celebrations seemed
inappropriate after the ‘operacion puerto’.

LONDON
(GBR): To mark six months until the start of London 2012, the Olympic Village
has been handed over by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) so officials can
start the huge process of fitting-out the new apartments ready for the arrival
of more than 10,000 athletes. The Village, which has been completed on time,
will accommodate up to 16,000 athletes and officials for the Olympics, which
are due to open on July 27 writes Insidethegames.

MONTE
CARLO (MON): The IAAF has announced a five year sponsorship starting in
January 2012 which sees Nestlé become the main sponsor of the IAAF Kids’
Athletics programme. Under the terms of the agreement, Nestlé will provide
financial support for the further worldwide development of IAAF Kids’ Athletics
which is one of the biggest grassroots development programmes in the world of
sports.

PRETORIA
(RSA): South African media are informing that 2009 World Champion Caster
Semenya will not be seeing a lot of action in South Africa this year. Her
agent Jukka Härkönen said it was a mistake for Semenya to take part in so
many events last year. “She couldn’t train properly. Maria Mutola, her trainer,
made it clear that the Olympics is simply too important to take any chances.
Semenya will only take part in the 800m at the South African event in Port
Elizabeth,” Härkönen said. “She might take part in the 400m and the 1 500m
once, but that will be all,” said the manager who added that she will take part
in a select few events in Europe in May.

VIGO
(ESP): The Spanish City of Vigo declared it will be unable to host Spanish
Championships this year. It was despite the necessary fee to organize the event
set by Spanish Federation was lowered from 300 000 to 250 000 Euro. The
financial difficulties are too big to organise the event in Vigo. The championships
are scheduled for post olympic period on August 25-26.

BRAZZAVILLE
(CGO): African Athletics website informs that the Republic of Congo will host
the All Africa Games in 2015. The Government thus hopes to release CFA 30
billion francs this year to start preparing for this great event billed for
Brazzaville. The revelation was made by the Minister of Sports and Physical
Education, Léon Alfred Opimbat who said the bulk of the appropriation will be
used to construct and renovate sports infrastructure.

ATHENS
(GRE): Greek athletics is planning only two events in the indoor season
according to media reports. On February 4 and the national championships
February 21-22 in Piraeus.

SEVILLA
(ESP): At the recent Spanish Athletics Federation annual meeting the accounts
of 2011 ended with a deficit of 271 128 Euro as a result of revenue
amounting to 13 082 738 and expenditures to 13 353 867. The approved draft
budget for the 2012 season amounts to 16 963 660 Euro. It includes also the
budget of the World Junior Championships held in Barcelona. Informs RFEA
website.

RESULTS

DUBAI
(UAE, Jan 27): Eritrean Tekle Sahle won the accompanying 10 km race in 28:47.
Best woman was Bethlem Desalegn, now known as Mariam Abdullah Mubarak of the
home country in 34:14.

BUCURESTI
(ROU, Jan 27): Best result of first day of national GP meet was the triple jump
14.14 by Cristina Bujin.

BIRMINGHAM
(USA, Jan 26): Gloria Asumnu posted 7.21 at 60 m and Jamaican Eric Keddo
clocked 7.78 at 60 m hurdles.

WANGANUI
(NZL, Jan 27): At Cooks Classic which marked 50th anniversary of Peter Snell´s
world record US Will Leer won the mile in 3:58.49 ahead of local hero Nick
Willis 3:58.81 and Briton Hamish Carson 3:59.11.

PRETORIA
(RSA, Jan 21): Late addition from South Africa. Khotso Mokoena achieved at Tuks
Open Championships 780 in the long jump.