With a new personal best of 2:10:18 hours the Kenyan Jonathan Kipkorir Kosgei won the Venice Marathon on Sunday. In a thrilling finish the winner was just three seconds ahead of Italian Alberico di Cecco. The battle for the third place was also a Kenyan-Italian duel and was won by a Kenyan as well. Paul Lokira was third in 2:11:00 ahead of Migidio Bourifa (2:11:09).
Joined by several pacemakers, the leading group of four people and the later fifth place finisher William Todoo Rotich (Kenya/2:11:31) reached halfway in 64:49 minutes and the 30K mark in 1:32:20 hours. Later the race developed into an exciting duel between Kosgei and di Cecco.
In the women’s race Lenah Cheruiyot (Kenya) won in 2:33:44 hours ahead of countrywoman Tegla Loroupe. The former marathon world record holder, who recently had injury problems, finished in 2:35:50. Third was Italian Ivana Iozzia in 2:36:13. All three had reached half way in 1:16:16. Iozzia felt back after 30K, and when there were 7K to go Loroupe was not able to follow as well.
Jo Pavey celebrated a home victory at the Great South Run in Portsmouth. In southern England she ran the 10 miles in 52:46 minutes and had a big winning margin to Olivia Jevtic (Serbia-Montenegro), who finished in 53:53 minutes. Kenyan Catherine Mutwa was third in 54:16 ahead of Haley Yelling (Great Britain/55:01). Three weeks ago Jo Pavey finished fourth in her marathon debut at the Great North Run in Newcastle with a time of 70:42 minutes.
In the men’s race Jon Brown missed the first British victory for ten years by two seconds. Brown, who is preparing for the Fukuoka Marathon in the beginning of December, clocked 47:19 minutes. The Kenyan Simon Arusei won in 47:17 minutes, only one second ahead of a strong finishing Spaniard, Chema Martinez.
Kenya’s Talam Clocks Course Record at Dresden Marathon
Joseph Talam (Kenya) won the Morgenpost Dresden Marathon with a course record of 2:15:26 on Sunday. He was ahead of Mathew Serem (2:16:19) and Russia’s Oleg Kulkov (2:17:16). Another Kenyan, John Rotich, finished fourth with 2:20:25. These four had passed the half way point in 66:45 minutes.
Russia’s Olga Glock was the women’s winner. After passing half way in 1:15:53 she clocked 2:35:26. Glock was unchallenged in Dresden. Remalda Kergyte (Lithuania/2:54:28) and Olga Goncharenko (Ukraine/2:54:55) finished second and third.
Besides the marathon there were two more races in Dresden. The 10K men’s race featured an international field. Again the Kenyans dominated the event. Titus Kimani clocked 28:51 minutes for a course record. He was just one second ahead of Julius Muriuki. Another Kenyan, Charles Korir, finished third in 28:54. The half marathon was won by André Pollmächer (Germany) in 66:51. Altogether about 7,500 runners took part in the events.
