Mizuki Noguchi, the 2004 Olympic marathon champion, won her last test race before she has to defend her title in Beijing in August. The Japanese won the half marathon in Sendai, Japan in a fast 68:25. In the men’s race, the Kenyan Harun Njoroge won in 61:55, five seconds ahead of Japan’s Yusei Nakao. Third was Kazuo Ietani (Japan) in 62:05.
Together with Julia Mombi (Kenya), Noguchi took the initiative early and left the rest of the field behind. They reached 10K in 32:04, and were still together at 20K (64:57). But then Noguchi, who qualified for Beijing at the Tokyo Marathon with a course record of 2:21:37, made a decisive surge. Mombi was second in 68:31, and third was Yuko Machida (Japan) in 71:44.
“This race was good for my self confidence. Now I have to prepare myself for Beijing to be as strong as possible both physically and mentally,” said Noguchi. In Beijing, she will meet, among others, world record holder Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain), world champion Catherina Ndereba (Kenya), a strong Ethiopian contingent, including World Marathon Majors champion Gete Wami, London winner Irina Mikitenko (Germany) and a powerful squad from the Chinese host country.
Bekele Wins, Defar Defeated at African Championships
Ethiopia’s running stars put on their first display of brilliance on the track earlier this month at the African Championships in Addis Ababa. Superstar Kenenisa Bekele did not participate in the 10,000, but won gold in the 5,000m. The big surprise came in the women’s race: Meseret Defar, so dominant over the last year, was defeated in the 5,000m by her compatriot Meselech Melkamu. In all, the Ethiopian hosts won all four titles in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and took 10 of the 12 medals awarded over the two distances.
A bit more than a month after winning the world cross country championship, Bekele preferred to run the shorter distance in the mountain air of Addis Ababa. In a tactical race, the world record holder clearly defeated his rival from Kenya, Isaac Songok, in 13:49.67. Third was Ali Abdush (Ethiopia) in 13:50.64. Bekele will most certainly participate in the 10,000m in Beijing, but hasn’t said yet if he’ll also contest the 5,000m. In the 10,000m at Addis Ababa, three Ethiopians finished ahead of three Kenyans. Gebregziabh Gebremariam won in 28:17.11, a superb time given the altitude of 8,000 feet. Second was Ebrahim Jeilan (28:30.66), and third was Eshetu Wondimu (28:56.36).
The Kenyans found consolation in the 3,000m steeplechase. Richard Nateelong won in 8:31.68 ahead of his compatriots Michael Kipyego (8:32.94) and Willy Komen (8:41.98).
Once more a great championship was dominated by the Dibaba sisters. Tirunesh Dibaba won the 10,000m in 32:49.08 ahead of her sister Ejegayehu (32:50.36). Third was Ayalew Wude, who completed the threefold Ethiopian triumph in 32:55.17. In March, Tirunesh Dibaba won the world cross country title in the senior women’s race, while her sister Genzebe won the junior’s race.
A big surprise over the long distances was 23-years-old Melkamu. In the closing sprint, she was slightly faster than the favored Defar. Melkamu, who was fourth over 5,000m behind three compatriots at the world championship in 2005, finished in 15:49.81, her greatest victory to date. Defar, weakened from illness, finished in 15:50.19, and was initially unable to join Melkamu on a victory lap. Credited with the same time as Defar, Grace Momanyi (Kenya) was third.
