Hall and Keflezighi to face off in Boston 2010

Boston, USA – A head-to-head battle between the top U.S. marathoners Meb Keflezighi and Ryan Hall will be among the key highlights of the 2010 BAA Boston Marathoner, organisers announced.


The 114th running of the BAA Boston Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, will take place on 19 April 2010.

Fresh from his Marathon win in New York City is Keflezighi, a two-time Olympian and American record holder in the 10,000m. Keflezighi won the silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Marathon and holds multiple national titles.
“Boston has a great tradition not only to the running community but also to the rest of the world,” said Keflezighi. “It has always been my ultimate goal to win the Boston Marathon.”
This has been a banner year for Keflezighi who improved his personal best to 2:09:15 with his New York City win and also claimed national titles in cross country, seven miles, half marathon and the marathon.
“Winning in New York was a huge personal triumph and the victory belongs to my family and support team,” said Keflezighi. “I am glad I can help move the continued resurgence of U.S. distance running to the next level. I am living the American dream and feel blessed.”
Hall carries his own impressive qualifications as the second fastest American marathoner of all time with a 2:06:17 personal best. Only former World record holder Khalid Khannouchi has posted a faster U.S. mark. Hall holds American records in the 20K and half marathon. He was first at the 2007 U.S. Olympic Trials, shattering the event record by more than a minute, and went on to place 10th at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon.
“As soon as I finished the 2009 Boston Marathon, I knew I wanted to be back for the 2010 race,” said Hall. “The energy of the crowds far exceeded my expectations, the course was even more challenging than I anticipated, I hurt more than I have hurt in any other race, yet participating in the Boston Marathon was thrilling beyond my greatest expectations.”
That this year’s race, Hall was the aggressive early leader taking a seasoned field through 5K in world record pace. He stayed with the leaders throughout the race, but Deriba Merga of Ethiopia prevailed as the winner.
Both men train with Mammoth Track Club in Mammoth Lakes, California, and have been longtime residents of the state. Hall is originally from Big Bear Lake and graduated from Stanford as a three-time All American in cross country and NCAA champion in the 5,000m. Keflezighi is from San Diego and graduated from UCLA as a four time NCAA champion. In head-to-head marathon competition, Hall has out run Keflezighi 2-1. In their respective third place finishes at Boston, Hall ran a 2:09:40 in 2009 and Keflezighi ran a 2:09:56 in 2006.
Hall and Keflezighi will be attempting to become the first American winners in Boston since Greg Meyer took the title in 1983.

Bekele lines-up once more for Edinburgh XC

Three-times race winner Kenenisa Bekele will bid to regain the BUPA Great Edinburgh International Cross Country title next month.

The greatest-ever cross country performer, with six IAAF World Championships long and five short course victories to his credit, took little persuading to return to Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, UK on 9 January 2010 for the IAAF XC Permit race.

“It's a race I've always enjoyed because there is always a great field and of course I won my last World title there in 2008,” the 27-year-old Ethiopian said.

Bekele took the decision after that 2008 triumph to retire from the World Cross Country Championships.

“But cross country is still one of my favourite events and it will be a challenge to try to win in Edinburgh once again,” said the reigning Olympic and World 5000 metres and 10,000m track champion.

Bekele's appearance in the Scottish capital will see him fully tested in a field which will include countryman Gebre Gebremariam, the reigning World Cross Country champion.

Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge, the winner in 2005 is also returning for the nine-kilometres event.

Zakharova and Ivuti return to the top in Honolulu Marathon 2009

Honolulu, USA - Running out of the predawn darkness and against the toughest men's marathon field ever assembled here, Kenya's Patrick Ivuti blasted through the heart of Waikiki this morning as if he were running in the Rotterdam Marathon, instead. Tempted by the unusually cool and windless conditions, the early pace at today's 37th Honolulu Marathon was high.

"What is going on here?" asked Honolulu Marathon Association president Dr. Jim Barahal as he watched Ivuti, the defending champion, and seven other Kenyan athletes go through the 10 km mark in 30:07. If sustained, that pace would deliver the winner to the finish line in Kapiolani Park in 2 hours and 7 minutes, fully four minutes below Jimmy Muindi's 2004 course record of 2:11:12.

"We were trying to push to see if we could better the time," Ivuti would tell reporters, later.

Muindi, who has won this marathon six times and is Ivuti's brother-in-law, saw foolishness from his position running on the left side of the pack.

"That is Chicago pace!" he exclaimed after the race. "In Honolulu, never think about 2:08 here."

But Ivuti, 31, who won the Volkswagen Prague Marathon in a course record 2:07:48 last May, was undeterred. He covered the one mile climb up Diamond Head Avenue, which gains 100 feet (31m), in 4 minutes and 57 seconds, leaving only Ivuti, Nicholas Chelimo and pacemaker Gilbert Chepkwony at the front of the race. Muindi caught up on the ensuing downhill to the 15 km mark, and it was clear that today's champion would come from this group.

"Jimmy looks like he did when he had good days here," Barahal commented as the foursome pushed through halfway in 1:04:21, still well under course record pace.

Just past the halfway point, Ivuti surged, giving Chepkwony his queue to drop off the pace. Chelimo covered Ivuti's move, but Muindi fell back, and out of contention (he would eventually finish fourth). Ivuti wasn't done, and surged again just ahead of the 25 km fluid station, dropping Chelimo.

"At 25-K, I was trying to run my race," Ivuti explained, thinking that Chelimo would come with him. "We were trying to run together."

Ivuti quickly put 7 seconds on Chelimo, and by 30 kilometres (1:31:40) had a 36-second lead. Although his pace had slowed somewhat from those fast early kilometres, he was still on target to break 2:09. But his left knee was starting to bother him, and his record attempt --and the potential payment of $81,000 in prize money and bonuses-- was now in doubt.

"Around 25 kilometres, that's when I started to feel my left knee," he told reporters. "Although I did my best, I think I could do more (if the knee wasn't hurting)."

At 38 km (23.5 miles), Ivuti prepared himself to go over Diamond Head for the second time. His form had clearly deteriorated, and he began to look behind him. From 30 to 35 km he had run a sluggish 16 minutes and 8 seconds, but his pace collapsed to 17:17 for the mostly uphill 35 to 40 km segment. It was all about holding on now, and the one minute cushion he had built up over Chelimo would prove more than sufficient. Ivuti got to the finish line alone in 2:12:14, clinching his second victory here and picking up $46,000 in prize money and time bonuses.

"After coming back and winning here I am happy," he said, seemingly unperturbed about missing the record. "Why should I not be?"

Chelimo held on for second in 2:13:10, and William Chebon Chebor, who had drawn even with Muindi by 30 km, got third in 2:14:59. Muindi clocked 2:17:17, his 16th finish at Honolulu.

With strong second half, Zakharova defeats Shimahara

In the women's contest here, the race got off to a choppy start. Pacemaker Yuko Manabe only lasted 5 km, leaving the key contenders, Kenya's Margaret Okayo and Pamela Chepchumba, Japan's Kiyoko Shimahara and Kaori Yoshida, and Russia's Svetlana Zakharova, to go it alone.

Okayo, the most accomplished marathoner in the field, fell two and one-half minutes behind the leaders by 10 km, and was never a factor in the race. She dropped out after 30 km, her third consecutive marathon DNF since 2007.

With Okayo out of the picture and a small group of men surrounding them, defending champion Shimahara, Zakharova and Chepchumba got to half-way point in a not-too-fast 1:14:44 (Yoshida was 5 seconds back). Zakharova, who had won here twice before in 1997 and 2002, was happy with the pace.

"The race actually went as I planned," she said through an interpreter, explaining that she was trying to protect a sore knee. "I had a small problem coming in to this race. I had a problem with my knee but it was not major."

Chepchumba fell back, leaving only Shimahara and Zakharova in contention for the win at 30 km (1:46:04). Zakharova, 39, was stronger than Shimahara coming back over Diamond Head, and by 40 km she had over a one minute lead. She ran easily to the finish line in 2:28:34. It was her third marathon of the year, and she was looking to get back home to Cheboksary to see her three year-old daughter, Kseniya, before starting her preparations for next April's Virgin London Marathon.

"I will take one month (of rest) and be with my daughter," she said.

Like Ivuti, she earned $46,000 in prize money and time bonuses.

Shimahara, who stopped the clock in 2:29:53, was also looking forward to some time off. Honolulu was her fourth marathon of the year, and her second in one month (she was second at Yokohama last month).

"I just had a marathon one month ago so I knew it was a challenge," she said through her manager, Brendan Reilly.

Chepchumba came home third in her Honolulu debut in 2:32:41. Yoshida, who was second last year, was fourth in 2:35:46

Today's race had 23,469 entrants, up slightly from 2008 (62% percent of the field was from Japan). Another 3350 people entered the companion 10-K walk.


Results
Men
 1. Patrick Ivuti, KEN, 2:12:14
 2. Nicholas Chelimo, KEN, 2:13:10
 3. William Chebon Chebor, KEN, 2:14:59
 4. Jimmy Muindi, KEN, 2:17:17
 5. Gilbert Chepkwony, KEN, 2:18:48
(no others sub-2:25:41)
Women 
 1. Svetlana Zakharova, RUS, 2:28:34
 2. Kiyoko Shimahara, JPN, 2:29:53
 3. Pamela Chepchumba, KEN, 2:32:41
 4. Kaori Yoshida, JPN, 2:35:46
 5. Eri Hayakawa, JPN, 2:44:33
 6. Satoko Uetani, JPN, 2:45:19
 7. Akemi Ozaki, JPN, 2:48:24
 8. Mina Ogawa, JPN, 2:50:20

Course record and personal best for Kebede in Fukuoka

Tsegaye Kebede, the defending Fukuoka Marathon champion, won the 63rd edition of the race in 2:05:18. It was a personal best for the Ethiopian by two seconds as well as a Japanese all-comers record.
The Fukuoka Marathon is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race.
Kebede became the first runner to defend his Fukuoka title since Gezehagne Abera in 2002. He improved on his personal best of 2:05:20, recorded in the 2009 London Marathon. However, he did not move up on the all-time list. Kebede also improved the course as well as Japanese all-comers record of 2:06:10, which he recorded with his victory here last year.

“I am very happy to run faster than expected. I don’t know how to describe my happiness in words,” Tsegaye said in a post-race television interview. “I was convinced of my win after 30Km when I started to run away from my competitions. I also knew that I had a chance for a personal best when I passed 40Km point much faster (1:59:01) than last year when I think I passed 40Km in 1:59:45.”

Behind him, two other Ethiopian runners improved their personal bests by a huge margin. Tekeste Kebede, with a previous PB of 2:09:49 recorded in Boston earlier this year, was second with 2:07:52. Tsegaye Kebede’s training partner, Dereje Tesfaye, improved his personal best from 2:11:42, recorded in Dubai this year, to 2:08:26 when he finished fourth. Tekeste Kebede ran more than a dozen marathons before he cracked the 2:10 barrier for the first time in Boston.

“Previously, I was training in a group with a coach but I am now self-coached,” Tekeste Kebede, 28, said. “I think it gave me an opportunity to think about the right training for me and that I think is the reason why I was able to improve the personal best by a huge margin.”

In between the Ethiopian pair, Ukraine’s Dmytro Baranovsky was third with 2:08:19. Not only was it his first sub-2:10 marathon since 2006, it was also his second fastest. Rounding out the top five was Evans Cheruiyot of Kenya who clocked 2:09:46.

Mekubo Mogusu, whose marathon debut was attracting a lot of attention, lost contact with the leaders at 26Km. By 30Km, he was essentially reduced to a walk. He stopped several times and stretched his leg muscles and made a valiant attempt to continue. However, he was finally forced to drop out at 31.4Km.

How the race unfolded -

With Yu Mitsuya, a designated pace setter, taking the lead immediately after the start, the race began with a three minutes per Km pace, a 2:06:35 pace, slightly slower than the 2:06:10 course record. After 5Km (15:02), pace setters Samson Ramadhani and John Kales took over the lead with the favorite Tsegaye Kedebe just behind them. Then just before 7Km, as Ramadhani and Kales picked up the pace, the lead pack was split into two. The front group consisted of two pace makers plus six runners, which include all major contenders like Tsegaye Kebede and Mogusu, who passed 10Km marker in 29:53 (14:51 second 5Km). The second group led by Mitsuya stayed on three minutes per Km pace and reached 10Km in 30:02. The wind was strong in the morning causing some concern but fortunately began to die down just in time for the 12:10 start. “The wind was a bit of a problem, but it was not a major problem,” Tsegaye Kebede said. 

After 11Km, debutante Mogusu, who was attracting a lot of television attention, seemed to have fallen behind, only to catch up to the lead pack again. The race stayed fast, passing 15Km in 44:42 (14:49). Toshihiko Seko, a four-time Fukuoka champion, who was providing television commentary, pointed out that Mogusu’s form is now more efficient compared to the days when he was running college ekiden races.

The lead group passed the 20Km check point in 59:44 (15:02), while the second group lead by Mitsuya was 30 seconds behind. Cheruiyot who arrived Friday was trailing the first group. The half marathon split was 1:03:05, right on course record pace. The second group passed the half marathon in 1:03:35, at which point Mitsuya was released from pace making duty. Eight runners in the lead pack were still together at 25Km (1:14:57), clocking 15:13 for the 5Km split between Kms 20 and 25.

The first major contender to fall off the lead pack was Mogusu, just before 26Km. A half kilometre later John Kales, one of the pace setter dropped out. Tsegaye Kebede started to run slightly ahead of Ramadhani, the pace maker. Soon Tsegaye started to push the pace and Baranovsky, the 2005 champion, and the pace maker Ramadhani fell behind.

Tsegaye Kebede lead three other runners (Tsefaye, Cheruiyot and Tekeste Kebede) at 30Km with 1:29:47, while Mogusu was struggling as he was apparently having trouble with his left hamstrings. “If you don’t try to finish the race, you won’t really find out what the marathon really is. If his leg does not hurt, he needs to finish it,” Seko said. Mogusu dropped out at 31.4Km, however.

Meanwhile Tsegaye Kebede was breaking away from Cheruiyot and Tekeste Kebede. The big surprise was that Tefaye was the only runner able to stay with Tsegaye. However, by 33Km Tesfaye also lost contact and Tsegaye Kebede was running alone. He passed 35Km in 1:44:24 (14:37),the fastest ever split at 35Km in Fukuoka. Meanwhile, at 38.6Km Tekeste Kebede caught Tesfaye who struggled to stay with him, but by 40Km, Tesfaye fell behind by 13 seconds.

Tsegaye Kebede passed 40Km in 1:59:01, 44 seconds faster than his split time at 40Km from last year. He was also 1:54 seconds ahead of the second placed Tekeste Kebede. Tsegaye Kebede also covered the 35 to 40Km in 14:37, the fastest ever for this segment, before reaching the finish.

Ken Nakamura for the IAAF

Weather: cloudy; temperature: 10C; humidity: 42%; wind: 4m/s NNW
Leading Results:
 1. Tsegaye Kebede (ETH)  2:05:18 
 2. Tekeste Kebede (ETH)  2:07:52
 3. Dmytro Baranovskyy (UKR)  2:08:19
 4. Dereje Tesfaye (ETH)  2:08:36
 5. Evans Cheruiyot (KEN)  2:09:46
 6. Luis Feiteira (POR)  2:13:07
 7. Oleg Kulkov (RUS)  2:13:49
 8. Harun Njoroge (KEN)  2:14:17
 9. Tadashi Shitamori (JPN)  2:14:42
10. Vitaliy Shafar (UKR)  2:15:07

Splits
5Km - 15:02  - Yu Mitsuya
10Km - 29:53 (14:51) - Samson Ramadhani
15Km - 44:42 (14:49) - John Kales
20Km  - 59:44 (15:02) - Samson Ramadhani
Half - 1:03:05 - John Kales
25Km - 1:14:57  (15:13) - Samson Ramadhani
30Km - 1:29:47 (14:50) - Tsegaye Kebede
35Km - 1:44:24 (14:37) - Tsegaye Kebede
40Km - 1:59:01 (14:37) - Tsegaye Kebede
Finish - 2:05:18 (6:17) - Tsegaye Kebede 

Temam and Tadesse take Beirut Marathon titles

Beirut, Lebanon - Mohammed Temam revelled in his competitive return to the Middle East when the 20-year-old won the BLOM Beirut Marathon on Sunday, emerging victorious on a day when more than 30,000 took to the streets in the seventh edition of the Lebanese capital’s festival of endurance, including 5 and 10k competitions.

Temam clocked 2:16:12 for victory to beat Eston Ngira by over two minutes. The Kenyan runner-up finished in 2:18:26 with Abraham Yilma of Ethiopia, suffering from vomiting attacks overnight, taking third place in 2:18:34.

This was Temam’s third marathon at the tender age of 20 and all three outings have been this year, beginning with his fifth place debut in 2:16 at the Abebe Bikila Marathon in Addis Ababa. Another fifth place came in Amman in Jordan but today’s Beirut champion described his 2:26:36 in temperatures in the mid-30s Centigrade as “very tough” accompanied by a sorrowful dropping of the head.

Today he can hold his head up high again. Beginning at 7 am with overcast skies and the temperature gauge showing 13 degrees Centigrade, these were made to measure conditions for marathoners on a largely flat course. The former world record holder in the marathon, Paul Tergat of Kenya, watched from the VIP gantry as 550 competitors set off along Jamal Abdel Naser street.

Temam played a waiting game, allowing a quartet to go clear with barely five minutes on the clock. Three Kenyans, Eston Ngira, Stephen Maina and Stanley Mayo took out the pace with Abraham Yilma slotting in behind them.

This group of four went through 10k in 32:45 and 20k was reached in 1:04:52. Mohammed Temam had been making inroads on their lead and shortly after 20k he was matching them stride for stride. He continued to look comfortable in the pack as Beirut’s rainy season provided early morning showers. Temam was putting in a series of surges, looking around for his compatriot Yilma and with 33k covered he made his decisive move.

Going through 35k in a solo 1:53:50, Temam was over 50 metres clear of Yilma who was coming under increasing pressure from the lone Kenyan challenger, Eston Ngira. By this stage the course record of 2:12:47, set by the Ethiopian Alemayehu Shumye last year, was well out of reach but Temam was on course for a personal best.

“I knew he was good, he is a strong runner and young,” was the praise for the men’s champion from the third placer Abraham Yilma, disconsolate that he had been unable to match his compatriot’s attack shortly after 33k. But Yilma, second and third here in successive years from 2006, is building a solid CV of Beirut performances.

Mohammed Temam gave a quiet smile of satisfaction and admitted, “I felt strong all along, I was confident.” Having made his marathon debut in the Abebe Bikila Marathon, a race held in honour of Ethiopia’s double Olympic champion at the distance, the young Temam has also added another historical note to his short career. This year’s Beirut trophy is named in homage to Pheidippides, the Athenian messenger who is said to have run from the plains of Marathon in 490 BC with news of victory over the Persians.

Mihret Tadesse completed the Ethiopian double as she made it two wins out of two in her marathon career. She took the women’s title in 2:42:41, improving her best by 31 seconds from her winning debut in Barcelona last year. Jackline Nyangeri of Kenya finished runner-up in 2:43:24 with the fastest woman going into the race, Sisay Measo of Ethiopia, taking third in 2:44:00.



Leading Results -

Men:
1. Mohammed Temam (Ethiopia) - 2:16:12
2. Eston Ngira (Kenya) – 2:18:26
3. Abraham Yilma (Ethiopia) – 2:18:34
4. Stephen Maina (Kenya) – 2:22:30
5. Stanley Mayo (Kenya) – 2:26:25
6. Al Batal Sleiman (Lebanon) – 2:26:43

Women:
1. Mihret Tadesse (Ethiopia) – 2:42:41
2. Jackline Nyangeri (Kenya) – 2:43:24
3. Sisay Miasou (Ethiopia) – 2:44:00

Kibet shatters Singapore record

Singapore - Luke Kibet hobbled away from the finish of the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon this morning. But the former World champion had staved off a troublesome achilles’ tendon long enough to shatter his own course record, and win in 2:11:25, an achievement made even more extraordinary by the 31C heat and 77% humidity.

When he won last year, in 2:13:01, he beat young Kenyan colleague Johnstone Chepkwony by over two minutes. This morning, Kibet needed a sprint finish to keep Chepkwony at bay.

A repeat one-two seemed unlikely before the race, given the vastly improved field, tempted to endure the atmospheric conditions by the lure of US$35,000 first prize, with $19,000 for second, and $10,000 for third.

Accordingly, a dozen or more men set out with intent, and were a minute up on record pace after 10k. Vincent Krop, better known as a half-marathoner had agreed to take the pace, with the intention of finishing the race, if he felt OK.

He certainly fulfilled all expectations when he finished third. But so did Kibet. He had forecast that if the improved field worked together, and Krop did his job, even in the warm conditions, a sub-2:12 was possible.

By 30k, everything was falling into place. Kibet favouring his left achilles’ tendon had kept in the lee of the pack, while Krop, Leonard Mucheru, and Chepkwony had forced the pace.

Mucheru was first to drop, at 36k, followed by Krop, just before 40k. Kibet then tested Chepkwony with a surge, to which the 25-year-old responded. But it obviously told Kibet all he needed to know, because when they entered the finishing straight together, the 2007 World champion eased away to victory, with Chepkwony finishing second, in a personal best 2:11:33. Krop was also under the previous record, in 2:11:51. And a former winner, John Kelai finished fourth in 2:13:16.

“I was protecting my achilles’, so I stayed behind at first,” said Kibet. “I was waiting for the kick. This year was less humid, so we were able to run faster, but it is still difficult conditions. I think I will have to go back to Germany for treatment, to Dr Mueller (Wohlfahrt), but I’d like to race again next April.”

As for the conditions, which are perennially difficult in Singapore, second-place Chepkwony was in no doubt. “Two-eleven here is like 2:06, 2:07 in a cooler place.”With strong second half, Mayorova-Ivanova takes women's race
Lyubov Morgunova of Russia thought she had done more than enough to win the women’s event. But the Muscovite veteran of over 40 marathons had reckoned without her young compatriot, Albina Mayorova-Ivanova.

Morgunova, 38, had taken up the running after a slowish first 10k, and her attritional pace had put paid to a posse of pursuers, until only Magdaline Chemjor of Kenya was left in contention. A couple of steady accelerations put paid to Chemjor’s hopes, and she faded to seventh. And the last 10k looked like a formality for Morgunova. Until Mayorova-Ivanova hove onto the horizon, and started closing the gap with startling speed.

From 10th at halfway, in 1:17:28, over a half minute behind the leaders, she caught Morgunova by 35k, and ran a ‘negative split’ – a faster second half – of 1:15:21, to win easily in 2:32:49, second only to Salina Kosgei’s 2:31:55 in 2006.

“This is very important for my career, to win coming back after my first baby,” said Mayorova-Ivanova. “I felt very comfortable at halfway, and I could still see the leaders, that they weren’t going away. This is a good time for the conditions.”

Morgunova hung in to finish second in 2:34:49, and Mary Akor Beasley of the USA was a surprise third, in 2:36:44. But she collapsed over the finish line, and had to be stretchered off to recover.



Leading Results - 

MEN -
 1. Luke KIBET, KEN               2.11.25
 2. Johnstone CHEPKWONY, KEN      2.11.33
 3. Vincent KROP, KEN             2.11.51
 4. John KELAI, KEN               2.13.14
 5. Leonard MUCHERU, KEN          2.15.18
 6. Duncan KOECH, KEN             2.15.54
 7. Robert John STEPHEN, TAN      2.16.40
 8. Vincent KIPSOS, KEN           2.19.26
 9. Stanley RONO, KEN             2.19.52
10. Sammy TUM, KEN                2.20.52

WOMEN
 1. Albina MAYOROVA-IVANOVA, RUS   2.32.49
 2. Lyubov MORGUNOVA, RUS          2.34.49
 3. Mary AKOR-BEASLEY, USA         2.36.44
 4. Jacquiline NYETIPI, KEN        2.37.56
 5. Leah MALOT, KEN                2.38.02
 6. Emily KIMURIA, KEN             2.40.02
 7. Magdalene CHEMJOR, KEN         2.41.29
 8. Aberesh TESFAYE, ETH           2.41.40
 9. Irene MOGAKA, KEN              2.42.22
10. Alem ASHEBIER, ETH             2.42.26

Wanjiru and Mikitenko to defend their London titles

London, UK - Reigning champions Sammy Wanjiru and Irina Mikitenko will return to defend their London Marathon titles next April against two of the strongest fields ever assembled in the 29-year-old history of the race.
The Virgin London Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.
Wanjiru smashed the course record last April when he added the London crown to his Beijing Olympic gold, while Mikitenko will be chasing a rare triple after she retained her title in superb style in 2009. The German is aiming to become only the second woman ever to win three London marathons in a row following fellow-German Katrin Dorre’s trio of victories from 1992 to 1994.
Yet both champions face stern tests if they are to repeat their triumphs on Sunday 25 April next year.
MEN’s race
Despite his brilliant win in a personal best of 2:05:10 seconds this year, Wanjiru will be only the third quickest in the 2010 men’s field.
The line-up includes no fewer than six men who have run faster than 2:05:30, including reigning World champion Abel Kirui and three-times London winner Martin Lel, both of Kenya, plus World and Olympic bronze medallist Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, who was second in London last year, and former double World champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco, who was third.
Quickest of the lot, however, is Kenyan record holder Duncan Kibet, the second fastest marathon runner of all time thanks to his 2:04:27 victory in Rotterdam this year. Like Kirui, Kibet will be making his London Marathon debut.
“I am delighted to be returning to London again,” said Wanjiru, the 23-year-old Kenyan who was crowned World Marathon Majors champion in November. “I will be doing my best to defend my title after I worked so hard to win it last year. London always has the world’s best athletes but with opponents such as Duncan, Abel and Martin it will be even tougher this time.”
There are many other likely challengers among the 16-strong elite field, including sub-2:07 World silver medallist Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya, plus two-times New York Marathon champion Marilson Dos Santos of Brazil.
Two Eritreans – Yonas Kifle, and the triple World Half Marathon champion Zersenay Tadese – will also be in the hunt for medals, while the Asian challenge comes from a trio of Japanese runners – the Matsumiya twins, Yuko and Takayuki, and Yusei Nakao.
Britain’s hopes of a decent showing rest with Dan Robinson, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, and Andrew Lemoncello, a former steeplchaser making his debut over 26 miles 385 yards.
WOMEN’s race
Competition in the women’s race will be equally fierce. While Mikitenko heads the field with her German record of 2:19:19, the World Marathon Majors champion faces stiff opposition from Romania’s Olympic title holder Constantina Dita, all three medallists from the Berlin World Championships, and Britain’s Mara Yamauchi who produced a brilliant performance in 2009 to finish second just a minute behind the German in a personal best of 2:23:12.
“My goal is to win a third London Marathon and equal Katrin’s record,” said the 37-year-old Mikitenko. “I love running in London and I am determined to be fit and ready for the challenge, although I know it will be difficult against such strong opponents.”
In all, six athletes in the 19-strong field have broken 2:22 while 12 have run faster than 2:25. Athens Olympic medallist Deena Kastor is the second fastest in the field, and the American will be keen to repeat her 2006 London victory when she set a US record of 2:19:36.
New York silver medallist Lyudmila Petrova has the third quickest time. She is one of five strong Russians, including fellow veteran Svetlana Zakharova, three-times a silver medallist in London, Liliya Shobukhova, the 2009 Chicago champion and third here last year, and Inga Abitova, winner of the recent Yokohama marathon.
There’s also a phalanx of fast Ethiopians, including the Berlin champion, Atsede Habtamu, the 2009 Dubai champion, Bezunesh Bekele, the World Championships bronze medallist, Mergia Aselefech, and former Paris champion Magarsa Assale Tafa.
World champion Bai Xue of China leads the Asian threat, along with World silver medallist Yoshimi Ozaki and her Japanese teammate Yukiko Akaba. Two New Zealanders, Kim Smith and Fiona Docherty, and South African Tanith Maxwell make up the field.
Virgin London Marathon race director David Bedford said: “We are delighted to welcome our two champions back to head such high quality races. These elite fields are as good as any we’ve had in the previous 29 London Marathons, and I am sure they will produce two superb contests for the London crowds.”
Natasha Grainger (organisers) for the IAAF
The full elite fields and their best times
Men
Samuel Wanjiru KEN 2:05:10
Duncan Kibet KEN 2:04:27
Abel Kirui KEN 2:05:04
Martin Lel KEN 2:05:15
Tsegaye Kebede ETH 2:05:20
Jaouad Gharib MAR 2:05:27
Emmanuel Mutai KEN 2:06:15
Yonas Kifle ERI 2:07:34
Marilson Dos Santos BRA 2:08:37
Abdi Abdirahman USA 2.08.56
Yuko Matsumiya JPN 2:09:18
Takayuki Matsumiya JPN 2:10:04
Dan Robinson GBR 2:12:14
Yusei Nakao JPN 2:14:23
Zersenay Tadese ERI DNF (London 09)
Andrew Lemoncello GBR debut

Women
Irina Mikitenko GER 2:19:19
Deena Kastor USA 2:19:36
Lyudmila Petrova RUS 2:21:29
Constantina Dita ROU 2:21:30
Svetlana Zakharova RUS 2:21:31
Magarsa Assale Tafa ETH 2:21:31
Bezunesh Bekele ETH 2:23:09
Mara Yamauchi GBR 2:23:12
Bai Xue CHN 2:23:27
Yoshimi Ozaki JPN 2:23:30
Liliya Shobukhova RUS 2:24:24
Atsede Habtamu ETH 2:24:47
Mergia Aselefech ETH 2:25:02
Yukiko Akaba JPN 2:25:40
Inga Abitova RUS 2:25:55
Tanith Maxwell RSA 2:36:38
Fiona Docherty NZL 2:40:18
Kim Smith NZL DNF (New York 08)
Maria Konovalova RUS debut

Kibet Ready to turn up the heat – Singapore Marathon preview

Singapore - Luke Kibet rescued a relatively dismal 2008 by winning the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon in a course record 2:13:01 a year ago. This year hasn’t been much better for him so far, and he recognises that it’s going to be a lot harder to repeat his rescue act against an improved field in Sunday’s race around the city-state. But the 2007 World champion has one major advantage over his rivals - he runs well in heat and humidity.

The Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race.

After victory in the Lagos half-marathon at the beginning of the year, Kibet failed to finish the London Marathon in April, suffering from a left achilles’ tendon injury, which endured for several weeks, and took him at one stage to the celebrated Dr Hans Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt in Munich, for treatment. “I was in Germany, at my manager’s for almost four months this year,” he said on arrival in Singapore on Friday. “And I went to Munich a couple of times, for just a day. I think it’s OK now.

“It’s a much tougher field here this year. There are four really good men here this time.” Almost inevitably, they are Kenyan compatriots. He named John Kelai, winner in 2003, Vincent Kipsos, Evans Ruto and Leonard Mucheru, all of whom like him have run well under 2:10.

But there is the little matter of the ever-constant heat and humidity in Singapore, which has kept the course record somewhat higher than those personal bests. Kibet’s victory at the world champs in Osaka two years ago came in 33C heat and high humidity, and he has twice won in Taipei, which enjoys, if that’s the right word, similar conditions. Singapore will be cooler, but not by much.

“It depends a lot on the weather,” says Kibet, “but we didn’t have very good pacing last year, and I won by over two minutes. This year we have Vincent (Krop) pacing, and with the others, if we stay together, I think we can run under 2:13, maybe even 2:11, 2:12”.

That would certainly be a bonus for organisers who, inside the seven years since this race was revived, with Standard Chartered as sponsors, have turned the event into the biggest and best in south-east Asia. There will be 50,000 runners in the three events, including 10k and ‘half,’ with over 15,000 in the marathon. And a first prize of $35,000, for both men and women has ensured a vastly improved elite entry.

Fastest woman in the field with 2:25:12, Muscovite Lyubov Morgonova has run over 40 marathons. “But none,” she said, “in conditions like this. The closest was in Hawaii, but even that was not as humid as Singapore”.

Her two colleagues, Yuliya Gromova, from St Petersburg, and Mayorova Ivanova, from Cheboksary concurred, and agreed that conditions might put five minutes on their best times. But even that might be optimistic, given that returning 2007 winner Alem Ashebier of Ethiopia clocked 2:37:09.

Ethiopian double at Obudu International

Obudu, Nigeria - Ethiopia’s Habtamu Fikadu and Mamitu Deska stole the limelight at the 5th Obudu International Mountain Race in Obudu, Cross River State in south east Nigeria on Saturday (28).

WOMEN’s race
The runners were flagged of by the Obioma Liyel Imoke, the wife of the Governor of Cross River State Senator Liyel Imoke, and after barely a kilometre into the race a large lead group had already formed which comprised only Ethiopians and Kenyans who steadily pulled away from the rest of the field.
The Ethiopians upfront were Mestawat Tufa, Meselech Melkamu, Mamitu Deska, Rehima Kedir, and Belamesh Gebre, and their Kenyan rivals were Margaret Wangare, Pauline Wangui, Genevive Njoku, Pamela Chepkorch Bundtich and Rose Jerotich Kosgei
Over the first half of the race a series of surges by Melkamu and Tufa had the effect of thinning down the group as Maiyo, Wangui, Bundotich, Njoku, Kosgei and Wangare, Kedir gradually fell off the pace.
However, Melkamu’s spirited attacks took their toll on her too during the steepest section of the course during the seventh and eight kilometres. Clutching her stomach she suddenly stopped leaving Deska and Tufa to forge ahead, though she did get back into her stride and keep in contact.
As the gradient levelled out in the ninth kilometre, Deska made her move breaking away from Tufa and went onto carry the day in a winning time of 49:12. She was followed by Tufa (49:13), and a now distant Melkamu (49:54). Wangare was the first Kenyan across the finish line in 49:55.
“Although the race was just 11 kilometres it demands the effort of a half marathon runner. I am happy to win in this my first visit to Nigeria,” confirmed a delighted Deska.
Melkamu, the Africa 10,000m record holder, commented, “this is a tough hilly race. I first felt the pain in my stomach at six kilometres. But rather than fading away it became more intense so I stopped running for while before resuming again. This race requires special preparation.”
Jolanda Verstraten (the Netherlands) was the best placed non-African in the race. She vowed to return, “I liked this experience although it was a tough race. Next year I will be back aiming to finish in the top ten.”

MEN’s race

Senator Liyel Imoke, the Cross River State Governor flagged off the men’s contest 15 minutes after the women’s race got underway. In a similar fashion to that earlier competition, the men’s showdown was dominated by East Africans.
Defending champion Abebe Dinkesa and compatriot Habtamu Fikadu led a spirited effort to fend off the larger Kenyan contingent lead by Hillary Kipchumba and MacDonald Ondara, and the experienced Ugandans Geoffrey Kusuro, who is the reigning World Mountain Running champion, John Mellasiya and Martin Torotich.
The steep incline at the eighth kilometre was once again the defining moment of the race allowing Fikadu to take the first advantage which he built on and increased in the final sprint for the finish line. However even though Fikadu prevailed in winning the race in 42:03, he was closely followed home by Kusuro (42:11) Ondara (42:14) Kipchumba (42:18) and Dinkesa (52:35).
“I am glad to win this race once again,” says Fikadu. “I won this race in 2007, but last year did not have a good season and finished third. After finishing fifth at the World Cross Country Championships in Amman, Jordan in March, I was sure that I could win this race today.”
Defending champion Dinkesa was gracious in defeat, “after the World Championships in Berlin Germany I had an injury. So I have trained for only three weeks before coming to Obudu. Next year I will be back to win the title.”
This year the event incorporated the inaugural men’s African Mountain Running Championships and a women’s championship will be introduced next year.