Kenya’s shooting star of the year remains in the hunt for the jackpot in the IAAF Golden League—in the third of six meetings in the series, Pamela Jelimo won yet again over 800m in Rome. If she wins next week in Paris as well as at the post-Olympic meetings in Zurich and Brussels, she will claim a share of the Golden League jackpot worth $1 million US. After Rome there are no longer five, but two athletes still in contention: apart from Jelimo there is the Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlasic. If both remain unbeaten, they will each come away with half a million dollars.
The newcomer Jelimo, who improved her world junior record as well as the African record with 1:54.99 in Berlin on June 1, ran 1:55.69 in Rome, yet again a world-class time. The former 400m runner remains unbeaten over 800m. Jelimo won impressively over the world champion Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya/1:58.74) who beat Yuliya Krevsun (Ukraine) by .01 seconds. The world 1500m champion Maryam Jamal (Bahrain) was fourth in 1:59.34. There were also good results in Rome over 5000m. The women’s world record holder Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia) won in 14:36.58 over her compatriot Meselech Melkamu (14:38.78), while the leading Kenyan, Priscah Jepleting Cherono, was a distant third in 14:45.12.The result made the Ethiopians clear favorites for Olympic gold in Beijing. An Ethiopian also won the men’s race: Sileshi Sihine, who will run the 10,000m in China, won in 13:04.94 over Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya/13:05.26).Third was Tariku Bekele (13:06.00), brother of the world record holder Kenenisa.
Strong Russian Women’s Trio for Olympic Marathon
Russia will have a strong women’s trio on the start line for the Olympic Marathon. The three who will run in Beijing are Galina Bogomolova, Irina Timofeyeva and Svetlana Zakharova. The 30-year-old Bogomolova improved to 2:22:53 this year in winning the Rome Marathon. The 38-year-old Timofeyeva also ran her best time in winning Hamburg in 2:24:14 this spring. Zakharova has a best time of 2:21:31, but set that time six years ago. The 37-year-old came back after having a baby to finish second in Frankfurt in 2007 and was then second in London in April in 2:24:39.
Huge Cash Boost Could Draw Top Runners to Frankfurt
After a great recent development regarding results of the elite runners as well as numbers of participants, organizers of the Dresdner Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon now take the next step to develop their race into one of the world’s leading road running events. When Germany’s oldest city marathon is staged for the 27th time on Oct. 26, record prize money is on offer. With this cash boost, the “IAAF Silver Label Road Race” should become even more attractive to the world’s best marathon runners.
“Now it is really getting exciting. We will do everything we can to further improve the quality of the Frankfurt Marathon,” said race director Jo Schindler when announcing the new prize money structure at a press conference in Frankfurt. With the support of the title sponsor Dresdner Kleinwort, the winner of the race can now earn up to 95,000 Euros. This will be the prize money for the first man under 2:07 and the first women under 2:22:30.
“Because of the attractive prize money we expect runners who are able to achieve times of sub-2:07 to consider running the Dresdner Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon this year. Managers have already recognized this. So I hope our race will get another boost concerning the international significance,” said Christoph Kopp, who is in charge of putting together the elite field for the race. One of his major targets obviously is to sign Wilfred Kigen, who won last year with a course record of 2:07:58. He could win the Frankfurt Marathon for a record fourth time in a row. “We are negotiating at present. And I am optimistic that Wilfred Kigen will return once again,” said Kopp. Defending champion Melanie Kraus (Germany) might also return. While her winning time was 2:28:56 last year, the course record stands at 2:25:12.
Present entry figures are up by around 10 percent compared to a year ago. In 2007 a record number of 11,507 marathon runners entered the race. Adding all other running events the total field had 18,302 athletes. If demand remains strong the Frankfurt Marathon could reach the 20,000 barrier for the first time. Close to 300,000 spectators are expected to line the course again.
