Kenyan Erupe wins Seoul marathon, sets course record

 

Running in cool and foggy conditions, Kenyan Wilson Loyanae shattered the mens’ course record at the 83rd Seoul International Marathon today, clocking 2:05:37.

The 26-year-old Loyanae knocked 1:12 from this IAAF Gold Label Road Race’s previous course mark set by countryman Sylvester Teimet in 2010.

Tadese Feyse of Ethiopia dominated the women’s race, winning by more than two minutes in 2:23:26.

Men’s race –

A pack of 20 took off from the start line at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul lead by Loyanae, whose personal best of 2:09:23 was set at the Gyeongju Marathon last year. He would kep his dominance until the finish line.

By the 5th kilometre mark the pack split into two groups of 12 and eight runners. The leading group went through 5 km mark in 14:56 leaving the second pack some 50 metres behind. Among the leaders were Kenyans James Kipsang Kwambai, 29, (PB 2:04:27), 22-year old Eliud Kiptanui with PB 2:05:39 set in 2010, Philip Kimutai Sanga (PB 2:06:07), Felix Kipkemboy Keny, 25 (PB 2:07:36, 2010), Charles Munyeki Kiama, 25, (PB 2:07:06, 2009) and Edwin Kangogo Kimaiyo, 26 (PB 2:09:50, 2011). Eritrean Yonas Kifle, a sub-2:08 runner, was also in the chase.

The leading dozen passed the 10 km mark in 29:45 accelerating by 7 seconds, compared with the previous 5 km. The group of eight following them thinned to six losing two Korean runners and falling more than a hundred metres behind.

The 15 km mark was passed by the same 12-runner pack in 44:46, 12 seconds slower than the previous 5 km. The chase group also slowed, lagging 47 seconds behind the pack. The 20 km mark was passed by the same dozen men in 59:46 moving with almost the same speed, while the six-man chase pack now lagged almost 400 metres behind.

At 25 km (1:14:46) the pack was reduced to 11, losing one Kenyan runner but keeping the same speed.

By the 30th kilometre the leaders accelerated a bit, by 3 seconds, compared with the previous 5 km, having passed it in 1:29:43, and losing two more Kenyans - Kangogo and Michael Kagumu Chege, who clocked 2:14:19 in Chuncheon last year. The leaders passed 35 km in 1:45:14, the nine still running as a group with a chance to win.

Over the next 5 km stretch the runners started dividing the prize purse. Loyanae made a bold surge to the front and passed 40 km mark in 1:59:25, 1:20 faster than the previous 5 km. The rest of the pack also accelerated but was now stretched along the closing segment of the course. Loyenae’s nearest rivals, Kipsang Kwambai  and Kiptanui, fell behind by 50 and 250 metres respectively at 40 km. Loyenae continued accelerating and finished unchallenged.

Kipsang Kwambai clocked 2:06:03 for second, with Kiptanui third in 2:06:44, both under the previous course record. Kifle, who finished eighth, was the only non-Kenyan in the top-10.

Women’s race –

From the gun 23-year-old Feyse took charge of a large pack of 15 and never lost the lead.

By the 5th kilometre (16:50) the pack thinned to four including Feyse: her compatriot Askale Tafa Magarsa, 27 (PB 2:21:31, 2008), and Kenyans Hellen Wanjiku Mugo (PB 2:36:28, 2011) and Flomena Chepchichir (2:24:21, 2011).  Frankfurt Marathon. A group of 10 followed 49 seconds behind. Among these was 29-year-old Serena Burla from the U.S. who arrived with a 2:35:08 career best.

The pack of four passed 10 km in 34:00, slowing down by 20 seconds compared with the previous 5 km; 15 km was reached in 51:16, while the chae pack was reduced to six.

By the 20 Km (1:08:17) mark Wanjiku Mugo was dropped as the three remaining in the hunt forged on through 25 km in 1:25:22. By 30 km (1:42:18) Chepchirchir was dropped as well leaving just the two Ethiopians.

Five kilometres later Feyse had a nine-second lead on Magarsa before pulling away in the waning stages en route to a personal best by nearly two minutes. Magarsa was next across the line in 2:25:29 with Burla moving up to finish third in 2:28:27, nearly seven minutes better than her previous best.

Leading Results:

MEN -

1. Wilson Loyanae, KEN 2:05:37

2. James Kipsang Kwambai, KEN 2:06:03

3. Eliud Kiptanui, EN 2:06:44

4. Philip Kimutai Sanga, KEN 2:06:51

5. Felix Kipkemboy Keny, KEN  2:07:31

6. Charles Munyeki Kiama, KEN 2:07:41

7. Jairus Ondora Chanchaima, KEN 2:07:43

8. Yonas Kifle, ERI 2:08:51

9. William Chebon Chebor, KEN 2:10:27

10. Edwin Kangogo Kimaiyo, KEN 2:10:29

WOMEN -

1. Tadese Feyse, ETH 2:23:26

2. Askale Tafa Magarsa, ETH 2:25:29

3. Serena Burla, USA 2:28:27

4. Kim Sung Eun, KOR 2:29:53

5. Hellen Wanjiku Mugo, KEN 2:30:01

6. Ines Melchor, PER 2:30:04

7. Tatiana Filonyuk, UKR 2:30:11

8. Chung Yun Hee, KOR 2:30:34

McIlroy holds off Tiger, goes to No. 1

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP)—Rory McIlroy was six holes away from winning the Honda Classic and going to No. 1 in the world, an outcome that looked inevitable as he stood on the 13th green Sunday at PGA National.
That’s when he heard the roar.
Even from the farthest corner of the course, McIlroy knew it was for Tiger Woods. And McIlroy could tell by the sheer volume that it was an eagle.
“I could hear the huge roar,” McIlroy said. “And it definitely wasn’t a birdie roar.”
For Woods, it was a moment that finally put some color into that red shirt, a birdie-eagle finish for a 62, the lowest final round of his career to get within one shot of the lead and force the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland to play the final hour with little room for error.
But this is no ordinary kid.
McIlroy answered with clutch shots of his own, a performance that showed why he’s the new No. 1 in golf.

He poured in the 8-foot birdie putt on the 13th for a two-shot lead. He gouged out a wedge from grass so deep he could barely see the ball to save par on the 14th, and he twice saved par from the bunker on the scary par 3s for a 1-under 69 and a two-shot win.
“It was tough today, especially seeing Tiger make a charge,” McIlroy said. “I knew par golf would probably be good enough. To shoot 1 under in these conditions, when you go into the round with the lead, is very nice. And I was just able to get the job done.”

McIlroy became the 16th player to be No. 1 since the world ranking began in 1986, and the fourth player in the last 16 months since Woods abdicated the top spot after a five-year reign. McIlroy replaced Luke Donald and became the second-youngest player to be No. 1 behind Woods, who was 21 when he first got to the top after the 1997 U.S. Open.
“It was always a dream of mine to become the world No. 1 and the best player in the world or whatever you want to call it,” McIlroy said. “But I didn’t know what I would be able to get here this quickly. … Hopefully, I can hold onto it for a little longer.”

He celebrated by flying to New York to spend time with his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, before returning to south Florida next week for a World Golf Championship.

Donald responded quickly to the victory, tweeting “Congrats (at)McIlroyRory enjoy the view!”

Woods made two eagles in the final round and wound up two shots behind, his best finish on the PGA Tour since he was runner-up in the 2009 Tour Championship. Tom Gillis birdied the last hole for a 69 to join Woods as a runner-up.

McIlroy, who finished on 12-under 268, won for the fifth time in his career. Three of those are on the PGA Tour, including his record-setting victory in the U.S. Open last summer at Congressional.

He has finished out of the top five only once since the PGA Championship last August, winning three times, including the Shanghai Masters in an unofficial event against a world-class field.

“There’s very few players as good at him at his age out there winning tournaments,” three-time major champion Padraig Harrington said. “There are guys with potential, but he’s already delivered. And he has a good balance in his life. He doesn’t look like a guy who is going to burn out. He looks like he’s going to be here for a while.”

McIlroy shared a big hug with his father, Gerry, as he walked off the 18th green. His parents have come over from Holywood to stay with him in south Florida through the Masters, where McIlroy figures to be a top favorite
After a Sunday like this, no one will be quick to rule out Woods.

He was nine shots behind going into the final round, and even a 31 on the front nine in blustery conditions left him five shots behind McIlroy. But the finish—especially that 5-iron into the 18th green—was vintage Woods, and it at least gave him a chance.

“To me, it was the old Tiger back, the guy that I remember,” said Ernie Els, who played alongside him. “He never missed a shot or made a bad swing.”

Lee Westwood, playing two groups ahead of Woods, closed with a 63 to finish alone in fourth.

“It was a lot of fun out there,” Graeme McDowell said. “It was just roars going up all over the golf course. “For Rory to go out today with a two-shot lead and have Tiger shoot 62 on him and Westwood shoot 63, it just shows how hard it is to win golf tournaments on any tour in the world, but especially this tour.

“This golf season just got a lot more spicy.”

McIlroy wasn’t at this best on the front nine, though he did what the best players tend to do by turning a suspect round into a decent score. Despite having only two reasonable birdie chances on the front nine—he made one of them—McIlroy saved himself with a pair of par putts from 12 feet and another one from 8 feet.

No one looked capable of catching him.

Woods was still five shots behind until a finish that served as a reminder why this guy can’t be counted out—not at PGA National, certainly not with the Masters around the corner.

“I figured I had to go birdie-birdie to have a chance,” Woods said.

He did one better.

First, Woods dropped a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, followed by a big tee shot on an aggressive line that left him a 5-iron into the par-5 18th, with the pin tucked over a bunker to the right side of the green near the water. Woods said it reminded him of his famous shot on the 18th at Glen Abbey in the 2000 Canadian Open, a 6-iron out of a bunker and over the water to a tight pin.

This one cleared the sand and settled 8 feet away, and Woods swept his fist when it dropped for eagle.
He finished at 270, his lowest 72-hole score since he had a 265 at the 2009 BMW Championship, his last PGA Tour win.
The roar of his eagle didn’t rattle McIlroy.
“I heard the roar on 18 when Tiger made eagle and I was just about to line up my putt for birdie on 13,” McIlroy said. “I was able to hole that putt, which was very important. I knew if I could just play the last five holes at even par, it was going to be good enough.

“Great to get the job done, and very happy to come out on top.”
With so much emphasis on his swing, the final hour was all about his will. No shot was more impressive than the par save on No. 14, when he was 65 feet away in such a mangled lie that he easily could have hit it too hard and gone over the green, or left it well short.
“You just have to really go down for it and hope it comes out the way you think,” McIlroy said. “Luckily for me, it did, and it left me a pretty simple 4-footer up the hill.”
McIlroy had seven one-putt greens (another was a birdie from the fringe) in the final round, and one-putted four of the last six holes.
“Even if I don’t play my best golf, I can still challenge, which gives me a lot of confidence,” McIlroy said. “When I’m firing on all cylinders, I feel like I’m hard to beat.”

Kenyans, Ethiopians share the spoils at Vadodara Half Marathon

Vadodara Athletes from Ethiopia and Kenya yet again proved their mettle in long-distance running by bagging all the top 10 positions in both men’s and women’s categories of the Vadodara International Half Marathon on Sunday.
While Ethiopia’s Shiferaw Belery and Mekkebu Birkeayele finished first and second respectively in men’s category, Kenya’s Silas Muturi was the third to cross the finish line. Belery and Birkeayele completed the 21-km run in 1:01:02 hours with the former beating his fellow countrymen by fraction of a second while Muturi took 1:01:06 hours.
In women’s category, Ethiopia’s Yeprgaul Melese bagged the first position (1:01:02) followed by compatriot Naomi Jepnejetich, who was fractionally behind her, and Kenya’s Jamila, who clocked 1:01:06.
The top three runners in both the categories took home Rs 2.5 lakh, Rs 1.25 lakh and Rs 75,000 respectively.
Interestingly, all the 20 positions in the main events were grabbed by Ethiopians and Kenyans. In the men’s category, first, second, sixth, ninth and 10th positions went to Ethiopians while the rest were bagged by Kenyans.
As many as 34 Ethiopians and 17 Kenyan athletes participated in the event.
Earlier in the morning, Chief Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the race at the Vaccine Ground. More than 40,000 people participated in the event

2012 Kaohsiung International Marathon dazzling achievement

Franis  Kibii,Isaac Kimayio and Richard Mutisya

2012 Kaohsiung International Marathon yesterday morning World Games main stadium grand opening run, 0500, the sky is still dark, chilly, but the crowd to participate in the Kaohsiung International Marathon has arrived in the World Games Main Stadium. with the activities of early departure of the MRT classes in full, the dark mass of the crowd will World Games Main Stadium MRT station packed. 6, the opening ceremony debut, First the Shuter Vocational High School competitive cheerleading performances, then led by Shuter teacher of all the contestants to do warm-up operation, drive away the chill, some exercise. 　 　2012 Kaohsiung International Marathon route planning and strive to improve, Kaohsiung National Stadium (World Games Main Stadium) as a starting point, from the World Games Avenue passes through the Kaohsiung Arena, the heart of love, the beautiful island of the MRT stations, 85 building, in love Lantern Festival venue, Lotus Lake, famous attractions, and extends to Tsukuan District mullet cultural centers and oyster Laos with oceanic features regional, domestic and foreign players in a beautiful dawn in Kaohsiung, waterfront, flowers, shade, spacious and comfortable on the road enjoy the Mercedes-Benz, the enthusiasm of feeling along the Residents of the city and the marathon carnival atmosphere throughout the whole city. "Black Corps" 　　Results of the competition, full marathon men by the "Black Army" won the top eight turn Franis Kiptoo Kibii, Isaac Kiplagat Kimaiyo, Richard Mutisya, Fredrick Mwingirwa Mathiu, David Kipkoech, Alex Melly, Kipchumba Elisha, Willy Tanui a total of 790,005 thousand dollar prize taken away, more than half of the total prize money ($ 1.5 million). 9 Taiwan players Jiangjie Wen, 10, Japan's Taira long really. 　 　One of the full marathon women's Taiwanese players Li Xiaoyu, two room wide Xia of the Chinese players, three Kenyan athletes, Susan Jemutai 4-10 players are: Jane Pei Yu, Joan Jeruto (Kenya) Wang Wen cents Zhouling Jun, Ke Shuping Gong Yuan Hong, Huang Yan age. Kenyan female athletes to a total of 80 005 thousand dollar prize, plus the bonus of Kenya male athletes, a total of 88 million yuan more than last year's 78 million in prize money.

Harun Njoroge win at Beppu-Oita Marathon

Kenyan Harun Njoroge won the 61st Beppu-Oita Marathon on Sunday (5) in 2:09:38, the first sub-2:10 performance of his career.

“I am very happy to crack 2:10,” said Njoroge, who runs for Komori Corporation located in Ibaragi prefecture north of Tokyo. It was second straight Marathon victory for Njoroge who won the Hokkaido Marathon last August. Furthermore, in his fifth marathon, Njoroge improved his personal best by more than two minutes.  Although his run wasn’t a Beppu-Oita race record, Njoroge’s time was a record for the course which was modified two years ago.

Ser-Od Bat-Ochir of Mongolia closed fast to finish second in 2:11:05,
a 30-second improvement on his personal best recorded in the 2011 London Marathon. A prolific marathon runner, this was Bat-Ochir’s fifth
Marathon in the last 10 months after London, World Championships in Daegu, Beijing and Hofu.

Marathon debutant Yakob Jarso of Ethiopia finished third with 2:11:13. He ran aggressively after 27 kilometres taking the lead several times in his attempt to break away. However at the end, Jarso failed not only to shake off Njoroge, but was unable to keep up with when the Kenyan made a surge of his own.

As Beppu-Oita is popular with Marathon debutants, several runners beside Jarso made this race the venue for their debuts. The first Japanese in the race was Kohei Matsumura who came from behind strongly in the final 5Km to finish fourth with 2:11:52 in his debut.

“It was really tough after 30Km and I could not pick up the pace. I am disappointed that I was not able to finish in top three,” Matsumura said. Yuki Moriwaki finished fifth with 2:11:52, a personal best. In all, the first five finishers either set personal best or made a successful marathon debut.

Desta Gebrehiwet who finished sixth with 2:12:22, was the first runner who failed to set a personal best today. Seventh place finisher Hiroki Kadota and tenth place finisher Takehiro Arakawa also ran their debuts. Jeffrey Hunt, a former steeplechaser, did come from behind as expected, but was only ninth with 2:13:19, his slowest time and lowest placing in his three appearances in Beppu.

The weather was excellent with very low wind and thus fast time was expected. The pace makers led by Takuya Fukatsu did excellent pace making job in the first two-thirds of the race.
The leading pack of approximately 25 runners passed 5Km in 15:15, slightly faster than the scheduled pace of 15:20 for each 5Km organisers had requested. Australian Hunt, as usual, was running in the chase pack.  Among the elites Adam Draczynski of Poland began to drift back after 9Km. The pace makers continued their excellent job as the 10Km split was 30:33 (15:18 for the last 5Km), and 22 runners passed 15Km in 45:47 (15:14 for the last 5Km). Several runners, including 2003 champion Ramadhani, started to drift back before 20K (1:01:15) although the pace slowed a bit between 15K and 20Km.  Sixteen runners covered the half marathon in 1:04:36.

At 25Km (1:16:40), pacesetter Takuya Fukatsu dropped out leaving two Kenyans with pace making duty.  The race of attrition continued and Wakui and Takeuchi, two domestic invited runners, lost contact. After 27Km Jarso moved to the front and started to push the pace. One kilometre segment, from 27 to 28Km, was covered in 2:59, and a few runners dropped off the pace but the lead pack did not totally break up. Past 30Km (1:31:52) Jarso surged hard once again and only Arakawa tried to stay with him. However, soon Njoroge bridged the gap and actually took the lead from Jarso; by 33Km eight runners are back in the pack.
Before 34Km, Moriwaki made his move and pack has reduced to six runners.  “None of the surges last very long,” said Shigeru Soh, the first Japanese to crack 2:10 (in Beppu back in 1978), from the TV commentating booth.  Soon Arakawa and Gebrehewit started to drift back. Falil and Bat-Ochir also fell back, leaving Jarso, Njoroge and Moriwaki in front by 36Km.  Njoroge pushed the pace in the uphill before 37K and Moriwaki was left behind.  In the downhill that followed Jarso was also left behind. With every step from then on Njoroge began moving away. Meanwhile Matsumura was gaining on the staggering runners. With two kilometres to go, Matsumura moved up to fourth,. In the final kilometre Bat-Ochir passed Jarso to move into second.

Men -
1. Harun Njoroge (KEN)       2:09:38  PB
2. Bat-Ochir (MGL)           2:11:05  PB
3. Yakob Jarso (ETH)         2:11:13  Debut
4. Kohei Matsumura           2:11:17  Debut
5. Yuki Moriwaki             2:11:52  PB
6. Desta Gebrehiwet (ETH)   2:12:22
7. Hiroki Kadota             2:12:27  Debut
8. Keisuke Wakui             2:12:55
9. Jeff Hunt (AUS)           2:13:19
10. Takehiro Arakawa         2:13:39  Debut

Dereje and Misiker set new course records in Hong Kong

Dejere Abera Outsprint Eliud in Hong Kong

Losing a Marathon by one second last year taught Dejere Abera of Ethiopia a lesson that he put to good use this morning (5), when he won the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon – an IAAF Bronze Label Road Race - by less than a second. Indeed so tight and exciting was the men’s finish that Eliud Cheptei in second place shared Dejere’s winning time of 2:11:27, while two more Kenyans, Cosmas Kyeva and Julius Maisei were just one second each further back.

Dejere improved the long standing course record by one minute and 42 seconds, but his colleague, Misiker Demissie took pride of place in that department when her runaway victory in the women’s race, in 2:30:12, took all of three and a half minutes from last year’s course record.

Given the tough course here, and the inevitable humidity, around 90% at one stage, albeit with reasonable temperatures of 16-19C (61-66F), the times were never going to be of the order of last week’s Dubai record breaking spree. But, like Dubai this was another Ethiopian double header to relish, and remind the Kenyans that they’re not going to get all their own way in Olympic year.

The Hong Kong organisers eschew pacing, but with over a dozen men together at halfway, and eight still in contention past 35 kilometres, combined with some of the most clement conditions in race history, a men’s record was always on the cards. And not before time some would say, Ethiopian Belay Wolashe’s 2:13:09 had lasted since the second edition of the event, in 1998.

When the leading quartet broke away with 40K in sight, it was always Dereje who was forcing it from the front, mindful he said later of that one second defeat in Ottawa last year to Laban Moiben of Kenya. Dereje managed to get a 10 metres lead two or three times in the last kilometre, but though he was pulled back each time, and then balked by an errant cyclist on the last turn into the finish in Victoria Park, he never looked like losing at that point.

“It wasn’t a problem,” said an ebullient Dereje, though it wasn’t clear whether he was talking of the cyclist or the three close pursuers. “I knew by then I could win. This is my first time in Hong Kong, but I love it.” And so he should, his win netted him $50,000 with a five figure time bonuses.

Though Cheptei shadowed him through the finish line, the Kenyan admitted he never felt he could win. “He was too strong, I was trying to go with him, but that was to make sure I stayed ahead of the third guy.” Like several of his compatriots last year, Cheptei paid his own way here, but the $1500 investment paid off handsomely, when he picked up $20,000 and a share of the time bonus.

There was more confusion over Misiker’s change of name than her running tactics. It seems that the Ethiopian had an unhappy time running for Bahrain under the name of Teyba Naser and has reverted to a full Ethiopian name of Misiker Mekonnin Demissie, and has been living with husband Zereu Kelele in Albuquerque, New Mexico for some time.

There was no debate about her victory though. She led from the start, and though she had colleague Shitaye Gemechu and Kenyan Winfred Nyansikera right behind until past halfway, when she accelerated at 30 kilometres, she ran right away from them.

“It’s a very hard course, and it was a little humid, but I thought I could win from 30k,” she said, “I’d like to run Boston now (April), because last year I had to drop out. I’d like to run in the Olympics eventually, but Ethiopia has many strong women. It will have to be the next one in Brazil.”

Both her pursuers had other problems, Shitaye finished with a one shoe full of blood from a toe injury, and Nyansikera had to stop for a vomiting fit. But Shitaye just managed to stay ahead to take second, 2:31:44, to Nyansikera’s 2:31:47.

MEN -
1. Dereje ABERA, ETH         2.11.27 (course record)
2. Eliud CHEPTEI, KEN        2.11.27
3. Cosmas KYEVA, KEN      2.11.28
4. Julius MAISEI, KEN          2.11.28
5. George NGETICH, KEN   2.12.19
6. Lilan KIPROP, KEN          2.12.42
7. Haile HAJA, ETH               2.12.43
8. Nigussie CHALA, ETH      2.13.17
9. Patrick KOECH, KEN      2.13.19
10. Nelson ROTICH, KE      2.13.33

WOMEN -
1. Misiker DEMISSIE, ETH              2.30.12 (course record)
2. Shitaye GEMECHU, ETH             2.31.44
3. Winfred NYANSIKERA, KEN    2.31.47
4. KIM Kum-Ok, DPR KOREA      2.32.48
5. Datu Zehara KEDIR, ETH            2.34.14
6. Viola BOR , KEN                        2.37.11
7. Goitetom HAFTU, ETH               2.39.43
8. Malika BENLAFKIR, MAR        2.41.22
9. Mariia TSKAIA, KRG                 2.49.41
10. THI Bin Pham, VTN                  2.56.11

Rocks hold off Woods,Mcllroy to win Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Robert Rock Winner Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship


ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates- Robert Rock held his nerve Sunday to hold off U.S. Open champion Rory Mcllory and Tiger Woods at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship for the biggest win of the Englishman's career.

The two players started the day in a tie for the lead and it was the little know Rock,the world number 117 who held his nerve on the final day to collect a second European tour victory with a closing 70 for 275, 13 under par.

The 34-year-old Rock collects a check for 347,024 euros ($460,000) after taking his second European Tour title and will climb into the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking from 117th.

He hit five birdies and three bogeys today, including losing a shot at the final hole after pushing his drive into a hazard and taking a penalty drop.

Rock and Woods

Wood's sustained excellence over the first three days at the demanding Abu Dhabi Golf Club indicated the 14-time major champion was back to his best but his game unraveled on Sunday as he faded to 72 for 277 under par.

World number three Rory Mcllroy (69) finish second on 276 while Woods had to settle for a share of third spot 

with former US Open champion Graeme Mcdowell (68), who had a hole -in-one at the 12th, and Dane Thomas Bjorn (68).

"i really can't believe i did that today,"said the 34-year-old Englishman after another hot day in the desert, "It is such an amazing feeling.

"I was just happy to be playing alongside Tiger, that was a special honour in itself. Early on I played really well and I surprised myself.

"I hit some good shots and I began to tell myself, 'Why not (go and win it)?'. I've worked very hard at my game over the last few years but I didn't think this would ever happen," added Rock after eclipsing a world-class field.

Woods, seeking a 96th tournament victory, wore his trademark final-day red shirt and was the clear favourite to win at the start of the round.

However, the pinpoint accuracy he showed with his irons and woods earlier in the event suddenly gave way to a succession of errors as he reached only one green in regulation in the opening eight holes.

The 36-year-old American gritted his teeth, producing a scrambling effort on and around the greens just to stay in contention for his first victory in a full-field event for more than two years.

"I had a chance to win the tournament and I didn't do it," said Woods. "I was just a touch off today.

"Some of my shots went a bit further than I thought they would. A couple of my three-woods went about 320 yards and a couple of my eight-irons went about 180.

"Those are numbers I don't normally hit so I am going to have to go away, reassess and figure that out. I putted beautifully but I just didn't give myself enough looks at birdies," added Woods.

"Robert played great today. He was solid and consistent and didn't do anything wrong."

The Englishman, backed by the occasional cry of 'Rocky, Rocky' from the galleries, came close to throwing the title away with a nerve-jangling effort at the par-five 18th.

Italian Open champion Rock smashed a wayward drive into the desert scrub and contemplated a risky recovery even though his ball was in sand and close to a cactus bush.

Taking heed of some wise words from his caddie, Rock eventually decided discretion was the better part of valour and went back 50 yards to the fairway under penalty.

He also fluffed his fourth, a chip in front of the green, but two putts from 30 feet for a bogey six were enough to clinch the title.

Rock said partner Woods had been the perfect playing companion.

"Tiger's a great guy," he added. "He was brilliant to play with and was fantastic to me the whole way round."

It was a case of so near yet so far for McIlroy, with the US Open champion regretting his moment of madness in Friday's second round when he incurred a two-shot penalty for using his hand to brush away sand on the fringe of the ninth green.

Ayele Abshero stuns with 2:04:23 debut, Mergia clocks 2:19:31 in Dubai

Ayele Absgero Smashed Record  with 2:04:23 win.

Ayele Abshero and his Ethiopian colleagues turned the marathon tide substantially today (Jan 27) in a sizzling Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon which rewrote the record books.

Abshero, just turned 21, ran the fastest winning debut in history, taking the title in an event record time of 2:04:23 – the fourth fastest in history – while the top three finishers in the women’s event, won by defending champion Asselefech Mergia Medessa, all smashed the 2:20:00 barrier.

Abshero, the 2009 Junior Cross Country World Champion, also established himself as a leading contender for Ethiopia’s Olympic trio – if not victory at London 2012 – as he headed an Ethiopian 1-2-3, with Dino Sefir second in 2:04:50, and Markos Geneti third in 2:04:54, both personal bests.

The quality of the performances was such that based on the final finishing times, yesterday’s $1 million race featured the greatest marathon field in history. Never before in marathon history have more than three men broken 2:05 on a legal course yet here in Dubai four men broke that mark. Best marks-for-place were set for positions from third through to 17th, making it arguably the greatest marathon ever in terms of depth.

The Kenyans who carried all before them last year in the marathon world were firmly rebuffed. Jonathon Maiyo placed fourth, in 2:04:56, but he was the only non-Ethiopian in the top ten, most of whom set personal bests. Pre-race favourite Martin Lel dropped off the lead group before 30k, but soldiered on to finish 35th in 2:34:57.

It was an Ethiopian red letter day all round with Medessa defending her Dubai title, running an Ethiopian and course record, with a personal best of 2:19:31, finishing just ahead of Kenyan debutante Lucy Kabuu, a further three seconds adrift. Again Ethiopians dominated, with Mare Dibaba third in a personal best 2:19:52.

Abshero, whose most notable feat apart from his world junior cross victory was beating Kenenisa Bekele in a 15km road race three years ago, maintained that his finishing time was his target.

“I thought I could run 2:04 today,” he said after receiving his trophy and the winner’s cheque of $250,000 from His Excellency Abdulrahman Al Owais, the UAE Minister of Health and Culture, Youth and Community Development, and Jonathan Morris, Standard Chartered CEO in the UAE.

“But it’s hard to plan for your first marathon as I really 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.”

Abshero’s time is only headed by Kenyans Patrick Makau – with his world record 2:03:38 – and Wilson Kipsang (2:03:42) and his illustrious colleague Haile Gebrselassie (2:03:59). But shattering Geb’s Dubai course record by 30 seconds has cemented his place in the emirate’s sporting history.

Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and staged under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon saw around 17,000 runners compete in the marathon, the 10km and the 3km Fun Run but few received as loud a cheer as Medessa and Kabuu who provided a thrilling end to the women’s marathon.

“I know the course so I felt confident,” said Medessa, who edged out Kabuu by just three seconds. “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”.

It was the first time in international marathon history where three women have all ran under 2:20:00 underlining the event’s IAAF Gold Label status and its standing as one of the greatest marathon stages in the world. As with the men’s event, the women’s race saw incredible depth and best marks-for-place were set for positions third through to ninth. The top ten men all set personal bests, while the top seven women did likewise.

In the women’s 10km event there was a second consecutive victory for UAE Olympic hopeful Betty Desalyn who warmed up for the Asian Indoor Games with a time of 34:14, while Eritrean Tekle Sahle took the men’s title in 28:47.

“I’m very happy to win for the second time,” said 20 year-old Desalyn, who is targeting Olympic qualification in London in both the 1,500 and 5,000m. “I’ve been training hard in Ethiopia and will go to China for the Asian Indoors before looking ahead to London.”

Moses Mosop and Liliya Shobukova takes Chicago titles

Moses Mosop  2:05:38

Kenya's Moses Mosop broke the men's course record by four seconds in 2:05:38 and Russia's Liliya Shobukhova set a personal best by nearly two minutes in the fastest time by a woman this year, 2:18:20, to triumph in the 34th Bank of America Chicago Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, on Sunday (9).

Running in war and sunny conditions - 64 degrees F at the start, near 70F at the finish for the leaders - "The Big Engine," as the other Kenyan runners have nicknamed Mosop, finished a dominating year and Shobukhova laid claim to the designation as a favourite for the women's Marathon title in next summer's London Olympics.

Both dominated their respective genders, decimating the competition to the point where the only question in the later stages of the race was how fast their finish times would be.

The men's pacemakers ran a relatively uneven pace for the first 15 kilometres of the race, playing catch up after each slow mile, noted American Ryan Hall, who despite running his third best time of the nine marathons he's run, was only able to finish fifth in 2:08:04. "Our splits were pretty much all over the place," said Hall. "(The pace makers) would see the (slow) split and they'd hit it. You can't expect it to be totally perfect like a metronome."

Mosop's coach, Renato Canova, said that the erratic early pace and two significant surges during the race by runner-up Wesley Korir (2:06:15) may have contributed to Mosop's slow final 5-K. "He was running slower than Shobukhova," said Canova. Mosop said he slowed because he missed getting fluids at the aid stations several times during the race, during the first 5-K and later at 40-K. Canova and Mosop both agreed that Mosop's training build up prior to the race was sub par, judging that Moses was 80-85% of his potential going into the race. "He paid," said Canova of his athlete's weak last 5-K, "because he's not prepared."

After running a 30,000m World Record on the track in Eugene in June, Mosop didn't run at all in July because of an injury to his Achilles tendon, and in August was only able to run slowly "like an amateur," said Canova, because an unusual amount of rain made the muddy, red clay roads in Kenya too slippery. It was only by the sixth of September that Mosop was able to return to training full speed, his coach said. "We need two months (of solid training) before a marathon to prepare (adequately)," said Canova.

"There are no secrets (to training). You need to use 80% of training to support the 20% of specific training (needed to perform to your potential)," he added. Essentially, Mosop had only had the "general" training or 80% of that formula and no specific training going into the race, Canova said. Though Mosop had concerns because he still had tenderness in the tendon going into the race, he only had a few twinges during the race and was not slowed by the healed injury. He was able to withstand the surges Korir threw at him, the last coming around the 30-K mark when Korir broke the pack of five leaders apart.

"I had to break up the group," said Korir. "I don't have that good of a kick. Before the race I talked to my coach (Ron Mann) and he said maybe 18 or 19 miles to put a move in. I knew Moses was going to come back. My goal was to break it up and work for a position on the podium."

Mosop did indeed come back and ran the fastest 5-K split of the race during between 30 and 35 kilometres(14:29) to open a 26 second lead over Korir and 42 seconds over third place finisher, Kenyan Bernard Kipyego (2:06:29).

"If this is 80%," said NBC television commentator Toni Reavis while watching Mosop crush the field, "I'm frightened."

Mosop will collect $190,000 - $100,000 for the win, $50,000 for a course record, and $40,000 for a sub-2:06. After running the second fastest time ever for a Marathon in his debut in Boston (2:03:06) and the 30,000m World Record on the track, Mosop has had one of the fastest and most successful years ever. His two Marathon times combined are the fastest ever run in a single year. When asked what he thought he could have run if he had been fully prepared for Chicago, both he and his coach said that 2:02 was within Mosop's capabilities.

Kenyans swept the top three spots at Chicago for the sixth time.

Shobukhova in total command – women’s race

There was no such flux in the woman's race as Shobukhova methodically pursued her pre-race goal of a sub 2:20 marathon, deviating from her past habit of running conservatively through the half, then attempting to run a negative split over the final 13.1 miles.

"My coach (who is also her husband, Igor Shobukhov) said to run sub-2:20 you have to change your tactics. We decided to go out fast right away," Shobukhova said. Aiming for a first half of 1:09:30, she ran 1:09:25, and still was able to finish faster with the second half only taking 1:08:55.

Women's runner-up Ejegayehu Dibaba of Ethiopia (2:22:09), who was running her first road race ever, was only able to hang with Shobukova through almost 25-K, but her time was still the third fastest ever for a women's debut Marathon.

A calf injury a week before the race concerned Dibaba, but didn't impact her race. Shobukhova, who trained at altitude for the first time prior to Chicago (she had done it twice before the Virgin London Marathon, but never in the Fall), the build up was perfect, aimed at running 2:19. Instead she surprised even herself by breaking her own personal record by nearly two minutes, the Russian women's record for the Marathon, and the second fastest time ever by a woman in Chicago. The time makes her pretty much a lock for a spot on the Russian Olympic team, her primary goal going into the race. For the win Shobokhuva won $140,000 -$100,000 for the win and $40,000 for a sub-2:20. Her time is the fourth fastest of all time, with only Paula Radcliffe's three races times from 2:15:25 to 2:17:42 in front of her. Shobukhova is the third woman to run under 2:20 this year and the 12th ever to do it.

A record total of 37,400 runners started the event and the second highest number of finishers were expected, said executive race director Cary Pinkowski at an afternoon press conference before all the runners had completed the course. One runner died during the event, collapsing within 500 yards of the finish, according to race medical director Dr. George Chiampas.

Patrick Makau 2:03:38 Marathon World record in Berlin

                                            2:03:38  World Record by Patrick Makau in Berlin Marathon 2011




The 38th BMW Berlin Marathon lived up to all expectations, with the seventh World record in 13 years, this time for defending champion Patrick Makau of Kenya, who first broke Haile Gebreselassie, then took the Ethiopian legend’s World record from him, with 2:03:38*.

Such was the damage done behind him when Makau streaked away after 27 kilometres, that one of the pacemakers, also a Kenyan, Stephen Chemlany hung in and finished second, in 2:07:55; with another Kenyan, Edwin Kimaiyo third in 2:09:50 at this IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Gebrselassie, who stopped in discomfort when Makau surged away, recommenced and briefly reclaimed second place, but eventually dropped out at the 35 kilometre point.

There was another Kenyan success in the women’s race. Florence Kiplagat, the 2009 World Cross Country champion, who had dropped out of her only previous Marathon, in Boston in April, was never headed.

World record holder, Paul Radcliffe, returning from childbirth and a barren two years competitively, stayed with Kiplagat for 12 kilometres, before gradually dropping away. Kiplagat won by almost as big a margin as Makau, with her 2:19:44. Radliffe was passed by the steady starting local hero, Irina Mikitenko at 33 kilometers, and the German went on the take second, in 2:22:18, with Radcliffe a creditable third in 2:23:46.

Makau makes the break in 27th kilometre - Men's race

The men’s race was forecast to be a duel between the elder statesman Gebrselassie, aged 38, and the young pretender, 26 year old Makau; so it turned out, briefly, but not before an intriguing prelude to halfway and beyond, when the pair were led by half a dozen (Kenyan) pacemakers, and accompanied by Kimaiyo, John Kyui and Emmanuel Samal, also all Kenyan.

Setting out with the intention to pass halfway in 62 minutes, the group prepared the path for Makau’s eventual double triumph by going through the ‘half’ in 61:44. Gebrselassie was always at the head of the group in the lee of the pacers throughout this early stage. He only began to concede the ‘lead’ between 24 and 25 kilometres, and that proved to be a sign of things to come.

At 26 kilometres, Makau decided he’d had enough of the procession. His initial acceleration dropped his trio of colleagues- Kyui, Kimaiyo and Samal – and then he got to work on Gebrselassie. Makau spurted past the pacemakers, and began weaving across to the road, in an obvious attempt to unsettle the Ethiopian master.

Preview men's Berlin Marathon 2011

Haile Gebrselassie and  Patrick Makau at the pre race press conference in Berlin


First, on Thursday, came women’s World record holder, Paula Radcliffe, ready to revive a flagging career in Sunday’s 38th BMW Berlin Marathon. Later that day, the German Pope arrived, and drove part of the Marathon course, en route to say mass in the Olympic Stadium. Then today, Friday, came the heavenly twins of men’s marathoning – World record holder and living legend Haile Gebrselassie, and last year’s winner at this IAAF Gold Label Road Race, Patrick Makau, out to strengthen his tenuous grasp on the current world number one ranking.

At 38 years of age, Gebrselassie is by far the more experienced. As he reminded today’s press conference, he first ran in Berlin (in an ekiden, a Marathon relay) in 1992, the same year that he won a World junior championships double, 5000/10,000m on the track. Subsequently, after two Olympic golds, a series of World titles and records, he turned to the Marathon, and after a hesitant start, third in London 2002, he went on to eight victories in nine completed marathons, including four wins and two World records here in Berlin, the second one, in 2008, being the ground breaking 2:03:59.

With a list of achievements like that, surely only advancing years could undo him? But Makau could well help the process along. One of the younger generation of East African runners, who have gone directly to the Marathon (since prize money on the track is at such a premium, with so many good rivals), the 26-year-old Makau has built a brief but superlative Marathon career, two wins in four completed races with, like Haile, an average of under two hours and six minutes.

As a reference point, this correspondent first attended the Berlin Marathon in 1998, when Belayneh Dinsamo’s World record was reduced, by Ronaldo da Costa of Brazil from 2:06:50 to 2:06:05.

It’s fitting that this anticipated duel on Sunday should be between representatives of Ethiopa and Kenya, the East African highland nations who have come to define distance running in recent decades. Both men summed up the rivalry succinctly, the elder statesman, Gebrselassie saying, “We need each other,” while pretender Makau said, “One wins one day, the other wins the next.”

But who is going to win the day after, that’s to say, on Sunday?

Both men are coming off questionable performances, Gebrselassie having dropped out of last autumn’s New York Marathon, while Makau suffered a bad fall in the London race in April, although he did rally to finish third in 2:05:45!

It was telling that Gebrselassie kept saying that his time on Sunday was more important than the victory. “This is part of my plan for the London Olympics. I have to qualify for London, so I’ve come here, not necessarily for the win, but for the time.”

But if that was dedicated to giving Makau a false sense of security, the Kenyan riposted, “I’m not under pressure, because I’m running with the champion. I’ve done just a few marathons, Haile has done many marathons with fast times. It’s an opportunity for me to learn and get more experience.

“Last year, conditions were not favourable. This Sunday looks as if the weather will be good, so I’m hoping to do better.”

He won last year in heavy rain, which bunched his sodden socks inside his shoes within ten minutes of the start; but he still prevailed in the final kilometre over colleague Geoffrey Mutai, in 2:05:08. If he is as good as his word, then it will take Gebrselassie at his best to beat him on Sunday.

Having attended numerous of Gebrselassie’s highly entertaining press conferences, of which this was one more, your correspondent was unkind enough to remind him that he has frequently said that the day an athlete announces his/her retirement, even if it is for a future date, the date of the announcement is actually the day that they retire in their mind. After the disappointment of New York last November, Gebrselassie did exactly that, announced his retirement. So?

True to form, he claimed an exemption. “It was not in my plan.  I was upset, I didn’t plan to retire. New York was complicated.”

He was back on more solid ground when someone asked why, when he already had two Olympic golds at 10,000m, he wanted to win a Marathon gold.

“The Marathon medal is the most important,” he replied, “especially for Ethiopians, historically, ever since Abebe Bikila won in 1960. If you go home to Ethiopia after a race, and say you won, people will say, was it a Marathon? You say, no, it was a 10k, and they say, oh….”

Well, it’s Marathon on Sunday, and there are a half dozen pacemakers, prepared to go to 30 kilometres or more in pursuit of a 2:05 or faster.

There is an outside chance that one of the other leading entrants, Felix Limo of Kenya, Driss El Himer of France or South African Hendrick Ramaala could win. But their sub-2:07s date back five years and more.  Realistically, the race is between Gebrselassie and Makau.

And may the better man win.  iaaf

Men's 4x100m Relay - Final - 37.04 World record for Jamaica!

Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake and Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrate victory and a new world record in the men's 4x100 metres relay final

Daegu, Korea – It took until the final event, it took until Usain Bolt’s final run, but finally a World record was set in the Daegu 2011 World Championships as Jamaica extended its dominance of the men’s 4x100 metres relay.

But the nightmare continues for USA, which ran a world-leading time in the heats but then failed to complete the final as Darvis Patton collided with Britain’s anchor, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, as he came in to make the final change to Walter Dix.

Patton sprawled to the track, tried unavailingly to get up, and watched despairingly as the rest of the field set off on the final leg. Great Britain & Northern Ireland failed to finish the race. Trinidad and Tobago, who beat Jamaica in the heat, was also inconvenienced, finishing sixth.

Ironically, Patton and Dix came into the squad for the final, replacing Maurice Mitchell and Travis Padgett who ran the last two legs in the heat. But the US big two never got to connect.

The result was that the capacity crowd saw Bolt belt down the home straight in splendid isolation, nothing to beat but the World record 37.10 Jamaica had set in winning the 2008 Olympic final. He flashed across the line, the time flashed up – 37.04 World Record. Pandemonium reigned.

Ironically, Bolt got two individual World records in Berlin two years ago but Jamaica missed the World record in the relay. Here, his individual performance was marred by his disqualification in the 100 metres and he won the 200 in a ‘mere’ 19.40, just the fourth-fastest performance ever.

Now, Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Yohan Blake and Bolt had closed the championships in the best possible way – a World record.

Jamaica was never going to lose, as the race was run. The changes were crisp and the first three runners had already built a lead for Bolt – not that he needed any help. The only last-leg heroics required were to break the record – and he delivered.

The misfortune for USA and Great Britain handed the silver medal to France, Teddy Tinmar, Christophe Lemaitre, Yannick Lesourd and Jimmy Vicault getting the baton around in 38.20.

The bronze medal went to St Kitts and Nevis, a finalist for the first time, and including the ageless Kim Collins, the individual 100 metres bronze medallist, in its squad. Jason Rogers, Collins, Antoine Adams and Brijesh Lawrence clocked 38.49, 0.02 slower than the national record in the heats, but who cares when a medal is there at the end of it.

Jamaica has now won the 2008 Olympic and 2009 and 2011 World titles since the USA last came home first in the Osaka 2007 World Championships, and has set the past two World records in doing so. Despite injury putting Asafa Powell out of the championships, the Caribbean powerhouse shows no sign of running out of steam, or sprinters.

The USA, by contrast, has failed to get out of the heats in three out of the past four global championships – the 2005 and 2009 World Championships and the 2008 Olympic Games – and now failed to finish in Daegu.

It is truly a nightmare that shows no sign of ending.

Kenya's Abel Kirui wins world title in men's marathon

Abel Kirui celebrates winning his second World Marathon title 

DAEGU, South Korea, Sept. 4 -- Kenyan runner Abel Kirui retained his world title in the men's marathon here on Sunday after finishing the 42.195-kilometer race in two hours, seven minutes and 38 seconds.

The 29-year-olds now owned the two fastest time in the Worlds history as he set a championships record of 2:06:54 in his debut in Berlin two years ago.

"It is very special moment for me to win the second world title. It is a good sign before the Olympic Games," Kirui told a press conference.

His fellow Kenyan Vincent Kipruto, a newcomer to the world championships, crossed the line second 2:28 minutes behind, which is the biggest margin in the Worlds history.

Ethiopia's debutant Feyisa Lilesa, losing the silver medal battle in the final 1km, broke another medal sweep from the Kenyans by taking the bronze medal in 2:10:32.

The first final in Daegu on last Saturday had saw the Kenyan women making the first ever marathon medal sweep in the championships history.

Kirui pulled away early from a leading pack of three Kenyans and one Ethiopian after half way mark and ran all the way alone to finish home with his seasonal best time.

"Comparing to Berlin, it was very similar race but it was getting very hot in the end," he said. "I am happy we managed to win the long distance races in Korea. Kenyans were runing well and that gives me a lot of motivation for the next races."

Kipruto, the world's third fastest man this year, who clocked 2:05:33 when finishing runner up at the Rotterdam Marathon in April, said he was happy to secure a 1-2 finish for Kenya.

"I was ready for the final kick, I tried to increase the pace progressively and I left Lilesa behind me," said the 23-year-olds. "Our country should be proud of our success."

"I think I can run even better than this and I hope to do something good in the Olympics 2012," he added.

Lilesa, 21, noted that the weather condition was very difficult for him.

"It was very difficult for me even from the start because of the weather conditions," said Lilesa, adding that the only difference between Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes was that "where we train there is much colder than where the Kenyans train".

"I tried to get a good position from the beginning," he said when referring to the silver medal battle. "Once the Kenyan took the lead, I was fighting for the second place. I was able to keep it for a long time but in the end I lost it. Just until kilometer 41, I thought I was second, but just after that I could not maintain the position, and so I am bronze."

With the two medals, Kenya has temporarily moved to the second place in the tally with 16 medals in total while their previous best in a world championships was 13 medals in Osaka 2007.

German man, Italian woman win 2011 Taipei 101 Run-up



Runner Thomas Dold, of Germany, gives a double thumbs up.



TAIPEI -- German Thomas Dold regained his title in the annual running race to the top of the Taipei 101 skyscraper Sunday in a time of 11 minutes and 19 seconds.

Dold, who won the race in 2008 and 2009, beat the defending champion Marco DeGasperi of Italy, who finished this year's climb up the Taipei landmark's 2,046 stairs in 11:31.

Chen Fu-tsai was the top finisher among Taiwanese competitors in a time of 12: 47, placing him sixth overall.

In the women's division, Italy's Valentina Belotti took the title in 13 minutes and 51 seconds, one second ahead of Antonella Confor, also of Italy and Eunice Nyawira Muchiri from Kenya was Third in a time of 14:30.

Lee Hsiao-yu of Taiwan, last year's runner-up, finished in ninth place this year with a time of 16:52.

African Paralympic gold medalist Henry Wanyoike, who is visually impaired, participated in the race for the first time and completed the run in a time of 16:19.

The oldest participant in the race, 94-year-old Peng Hung-nian, also made it to the finish line, reaching the summit in 53:38.

It was the seventh consecutive year the Taipei resident joined the race and he vowed to continue to participate until the age of 101.

A total of 6,000 people, the highest turnout ever, took part in the race, which culminated a series of events that raised NT$2.45 million (US$85,505) for visually impaired people in Taiwan, the organizers said.

The donation will go to the Taipei-based Parents' Association for the Visually Impaired, the Hsinchu-based Recording Books Service Center for the Blind, and visually impaired athlete Lin Shin-wei of Taiwan, who is preparing for the Paralympic Games, they said.

Race results

Men
1. Thomas Dold (GER) - 11'19"
2. Marco De Gasperi (ITA) - 11'31"
3. Fabio Ruga (ITA) - 11'59"
4. Jonathan Wyatt (NZL) - 12'18"
5. Clement Dumony (FRA) - 12'31"


Women
1. Valentina Belotti (ITA) - 13'51"
2. Antonella Confortola (ITA) - 13'52"
3. Eunice Nyawira (KEN) - 14'30"
4. Melissa Moon (NZL) - 14'54"
5. Cristina Bonacina (ITA) - 15'11"

Olympic champion Wanjiru dead at 24

Olympic Champion 2008

Olympic Marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya has died, apparently from a fall from a balcony at his home. The news was reported to Race Results Weekly in a telephone call by Shadrack Biwott, the former University of Oregon Duck who had spoken to his brother, marathoner Duncan Kibet, in Kenya.

"He jumped out of a balcony and they tried to revive him, but he didn't make it," said Biwott.

Federico Rosa, Wanjiru's manager, confirmed his client's death via a text message. No other details about his death are available at this time.

Wanjiru won the Olympic marathon title in Beijing in 2008 with an Olympic record performance of 2:06:32. His other marathon victories included Chicago in 2009 and 2010, Fukuoka in 2007, and London in 2009. Wanjiru was the World Marathon Majors points champion for the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 seasons, and had a career best time of 2:05:10. He was also the former world record holder for the half-marathon with a 58:33 personal best.

After winning last October's Bank of America Chicago Marathon in a thrilling sprint finish over Ethiopian Tesgaye Kebede, Wanjiru faced several difficulties.

Last December, he was arrested at his home in Nyahururu and charged with threatening his wife, striking a security guard, and possessing an illegal AK-47 rifle. Wanjiru was released on bail, and his wife later withdrew her charges against him, but he still faced the weapons charge, however.

In January, Wanjiru was also involved in a car accident on the Nairobi-Nyahururu road, rolling his four wheel drive vehicle several times trying to avoid an oncoming truck. He avoided serious injury in the incident, but later withdrew from April's Virgin London Marathon with a knee problem.

American marathoner Ryan Hall reacted to the news of Wanjiru's death on Twitter, posting, "Incredibly sad news about Sammy. I am shocked and saddened."

Its really sad indeed  for athletics.

Kiprotich and Tola the surprise winners, Gebrselassie cruises 1:00:18 in the Half Marathon in VIENNA CITY MARATHON, AUSTRIA

Haile Gebrselassie clocks 1:00:18 over the Half Marathon in Vienna 
Vienna, Austria - John Kiprotich of Kenya and Ethiopian Fate Tola were the unexpected winners of the 28th Vienna City Marathon on Sunday (17) while Haile Gebrselassie clocked 1:00:18 in the Half Marathon.

Running in fine conditions, the 22-year-old Kiprotich improved his personal best by more than seven minutes and clocked 2:08:29. Patrick Ivuti took second with 2:08:41 and Evans Kiplagat was third in 2:09:22. Isaac Macharia (Kenya) also broke 2:10 with 2:09:43 to finish fourth in a race in which Kenyans took the first eight places.

It was different story in the women's race where Tola, 23, took the victory for Ethiopia after she drew away from Portugal's Ana Dulce Felix in the closing stages of a thrilling race. Tola clocked a personal best of 2:26:21 while Felix was nine seconds back in 2:26:30. Kenyan Peninah Arusei, who had long been in the lead, was third with 2:27:17. For the first time in the history of the race five women ran under 2:30. Genet Getaneh (Ethiopia/2:28:08) was fourth and Elza Kireyeva (Russia/2:29:41) finished fifth.

In the Half Marathon, Gebrselassie, the World record holder in the Marathon, was chasing the elite marathon runners, who had started two minutes earlier. he had already caught and passed the leading group between kilometres 11 and 12 and ran the rest of the distance alone at the fromt.

“My time is okay," said Gebrselassie, whose performance was an Austria all-comers record. "It is not so easy to break one hour if you are running alone and without pacemakers.”

More than 300,000 spectators lined the streets, many who had come to witness the great Ethiopian running through their Austrian capital. Fitting to the occasion organisers had put down a red carpet on the final 100 metres of the race, which finished at the Wiener Hofburg.

                                            John Kiprotich triumphs in Vienna Marathon          


Men's race -

In the first part of the men’s race the favourites somehow did not quite adapt to the pace. That caused the rabbits to be a couple of seconds ahead of the lead group again and again. Even at the half way mark, which was reached in 1:03:53, they were three seconds ahead of those who should have been with them. Nonetheless the course record, which Kenyan Abel Kirui established three years ago with 2:07:38, was still within reach.

But somehow the experienced Kenyans like Ivuti, Nicholas Chelimo and Paul Kirui concentrated on a tactical race and were not interested in increasing the pace. By the 30Km mark (1:31:31) the course record was more or less out of reach. Additionally the two remaining pacemakers, Nicholas Kiprono and Joseph Ngolepus, had dropped out. By 35Km the lead group of eight was reduced to four: Ivuti, Kiplagat, Joseph Maregu and Kiprotich. Maregu and Kiplagat could not keep up much longer and it was then that Kiprotich applied the pressure on Ivuti. With four kilometres to go the 22 year-old started to open a decisive gap.

“This was only my second marathon. If I had had more experience maybe I would have taken the initiative earlier,” said Kiprotich, who has a half marathon PB of 59:23. He easily surpassed his previous best of 2:15:51 from Frankfurt in 2009.

Women's race -

The women’s race developed completely differently with debutante Arusei running fast right after the start. She was soon all on her own and reached the midway point in 1:12:11. At 25Km (1:25:18) Arusei was still on pace for a 2:24 finish and she was 1:14 ahead of Felix, Tola and Getaneh, the fastest in the field pre-race with a PB of 2:26:37. But before 30Km Arusei clearly began to slow and her advantage started melting quickly in the sun.

While Getaneh began to falter as well Felix, who had her own pacemaker in front of her, Tola overtook Arusei at around 37Km. There was a tough fight for victory between Tola and Felix. At the beginning of the final kilometre the young Ethiopian, who had come to Vienna with a personal best of 2:28:22, could break away. “After half way I knew that I would have a chance,” said Tola.
 
Combining all the events the 28th edition of the Vienna City Marathon had 32,542 entries. This is the second highest figure in the history of the event. 8,044 runners had entered the marathon.