Duncan Kibet runs the third-fastest marathon ever in Rotterdam. © www.photorun.net
Duncan Kibet triumphed at the Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday. In an amazing display of courage and tenacity, Kibet edged out fellow Kenyan James Kwambai, setting not only a Kenyan record for the marathon, but also running the third-fastest time for the marathon ever: 2:04:27 hours! Kibet’s stunning time was also a new course record at Rotterdam and came within a mere 28 seconds of Haile Gebrselassie’s world record of 2:03:59 that was set in Berlin last September. Indeed, this was a huge day for marathon history!
Third place in Rotterdam went to the Kenyan Abel Kirui in 2:05:04. Patrick Makau Musyoki, running his marathon debut, came in fourth place with a very respectable 2:06:14. All these amazing times comprise the fastest in the history of the Rotterdam Marathon. And only once before in marathon history have two runners broken the 2:04 barrier: This was in Berlin in 2003, when Paul Tergat took the world record down to 2:04:55, winning by just one second over Sammy Korir. It was Tergat’s Kenyan record that Duncan Kibet broke in Rotterdam this weekend.
A huge factor that led to the fast times was the excellent pacemaking through 30 kilometers (1:28:51) by Wilson Chebet. Chebet took it as far as 32K before dropping back. Good pacemaking was also a factor for Gebrselassie when he ran his fast times in 2007 and 2008.
Into the last 10K, the lead pack was comprised of Kibet, Kwambai, Kirui and Makau Musyoki. Musyoki was the first to drop out of contention, followed by Kirui. Kwambai was dictating the pace at this stage and appeared to be the likely winner. Last Fall, the Kenyan gave Haile Gebrselassie a tough contest in the Berlin Marathon before finishing second in 2:05:36 and in Rotterdam he led for some of the closing stages by a couple of meters. But whenever he surged ahead, Kibet countered and managed to sprint past Kwambai in the last few meters.
Only a year ago, the 30-year-old Kibet made his marathon debut in Vienna, finishing second behind Abel Kirui in 2:08:33. In November he improved his best time to set a course record in winning the Milan Marathon in 2:07:53.
In the women’s race, Nailya Yulamanova of Russia won in 2:26:30. For much of the race, Lydia Cheromei had a clear lead over Nailya Yulamanova. But when it came to the latter stages, Cheromei slowed dramatically, allowing the Russian to catch her. Yulamanova won in 2:26:30 which was a personal best for her. Cheromei finished second in 2:28:09 and Adriana Pirtea of Romania was third in 2:36:36.
Five Runners Dip under 2:07 in Paris
30,000 runners cross the start line at the Paris Marathon. © Paris Marathon
The first of the major spring marathons finished in sensational style in Paris on Sunday morning. Vincent Kipruto of Kenya won in 2:05:47—making him the eighth-fastest marathoner in history. The Ethiopian, Atsede Bayisa, won the women’s race in 2:24:42 which was the fourth-fastest time in the world this year. More than 30,000 runners participated in near-perfect conditions.
Kipruto, just 21-years-old, arrived in Paris with a personal best of 2:08:16 which he set last year when finishing third at the Reims Marathon. That means he has improved by almost 3 minutes and has entered a whole new level of performance. The pace was fast from the start with a leading group of eight going through halfway in 62:46 minutes.
One by one, runners dropped off the leading group but the decisive moment only came at 39K. This was when Vincent Kipruto took off from rival Bado Worku of Ethiopia. Kipruto’s time (2:05:47) was a considerable improvement on the six-year-old course record which had previously belonged to Mike Rotich (2:06:33). He received 50,000 Euros for his victory.
Bado Worku, running his debut, finished second in 2:06:15. The Kenyan, David Kiyeng, was third, improving his best by almost one-and-a-half minutes to 2:06:26. Next followed Yemane Adhane (Ethiopia/2:06:30), Rachid Kisri (Morocco/2:06:48), and David Mandago (Kenya/2:06:53). A total of five runners dipped under the 2:07 barrier—an incredible feat.
The women’s race was equally exciting. In the closing stages, it came down to a three-way Ethiopian contest. The eventual winner, Atseda Bayisa, shared the lead with Aselefech Mergia and Ashu Kasim. Kasim felt back first. Then Bayisa was able to break free of Mergia at the end. Bayisa improved her personal best to 2:24:42, having gone into the race with a fastest time of 2:29:08. Her first-place prize was an impressive 25,000 Euros. The seven-year-old course record belonging to the Belgian, Marleen Renders (2:23:05), remains unbroken.
Aselefech Mergia finished second in 2:25:02 with third place going to Christelle Dauney of France in 2:25:43. Dauney moved up over the last few kilometers, passing Kasim while setting a national record. Julia Muraga of Kenya was quite a way behind in fifth place in 2:29:10.
Fast Times for Kipyego and Mockenhaupt in the 29th Vattenfall Berlin Half-Marathon
Bernard Kipyego celebrates a huge debut in Berlin. © Wolfgang Weising / Vattenfall Berliner Halbmarathon
Bernard Kipyego and Sabrina Mockenhaupt triumphed to take the men’s and women’s titles at the 29th Vattenfall Berlin Half-Marathon. The Kenyan won the title with a world-class time of 59:34 minutes, achieving one of the fastest debuts ever at the half-marathon. The women’s champion from the Cologne Marathon Club brought her personal best down to 68:45—the fastest half-marathon run by a German woman this year. Altogether 22,000 runners from 85 countries entered the half-marathon which is in its 29th year. Conditions were ideal with the temperature around 55 degrees Fahrenheit at the start, no rain, and a light breeze. The amount of spectators present was staggering: 170,000!
In the men’s race, the Kenyans dictated events right from the start. A large lead pack went through 10K in 28:18. Gradually, runners dropped off the group as the kilometers passed. The decisive moves came with 3K to go. At that point, three Kenyans broke free of the pack: Bernard Kipyego, Sammy Kosgei, and Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich. They cranked up the pace with each passing kilometer. Despite running a jaw-dropping 2:45-per-kilometer, none of the leading trio weakened. It all came down to a sprint in the home straight as the 22-year-old Bernard Kipyego (on his debut at the distance) ran 59:34 to beat out Sammy Kosgei (59:36) and Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich (59:38) in the fifth-fastest time in the world this year. For the second time in the race’s history, four men went under the hour, making it the second-fastest half-marathon in the world this year. Kenyan runners confirmed their impressive showing in Berlin by taking the top ten places. It was also the eighth consecutive occasion that a Kenyan had been crowned men’s champion.
Bernard Kipyego was ranked among the pre-race favorites before the race, even though he had never run a half-marathon before. Two years ago, he achieved an impressive third place at the World Cross-Country Championships. That same year, he ran the world-class time of 26:59.61 minutes for 10K on the track.
“Before the race I thought my chances of winning were 50-50, but my confidence grew as the race went on,” said Kipyego after the race. He hopes his success in Berlin will be rewarded with a place in the Kenyan squad for the World Half-Marathon Championships in Birmingham in October.
In the women’s race, Sabrina Mockenhaupt, 28 years old, broke away shortly before 15K and improved her personal best from well over six months ago by 6 seconds to 68:45. She fended off the Kenyan duo of Hellen Kimutai (69:27) and Lydia Njeri (70:08). Mockenhaupt’s performance makes her the sixth-fastest woman in the history of the Vattenfall Berlin Half-Marathon. It also put her tenth place in the world rankings for the year.
After the race, she had this to say: “I was worried when the two Kenyans stayed with me for such a long time. I’m not used to that. Of course, it meant a lot to me to win in Berlin.” Her next goal is to qualify for the 10K at the World Championships in Berlin.
