Sammy Wanjiru tore through his debut marathon in Fukuoka. © www.photorun.net

Sammy Wanjiru ran a world-class debut for the marathon in Fukuoka. The Kenyan won the historic Japanese race in a course record of 2:06:39, which was also the third fastest marathon debut of all time. Only his compatriot Evans Rutto (2:05:50) and Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie (2:06:35) have run faster in their first attempt. (Technically, Gebrselassie had already run a marathon as a teenager.) Wanjiru improved the course record of the Japanese Atsushi Fujita, which had stood for seven years, by 12 seconds.

Wanjiru, only recently turned 21, whose 58:33 had already broken Gebrselasie’s half marathon world record earlier this year, achieved the third fastest time of the year in Fukuoka. The Kenyan’s plans for 2008 are already set – he would like to run his next marathon in April, possibly in London, and achieve a time of 2:05. Wanjiru thinks this would be enough to qualify for the Olympic Marathon in Beijing, which would set up a clash with Gebrselassie.

Wanjiru originally wanted to make his marathon debut in New York, but had to scratch because of knee problems. Four weeks later he was in top form. Wanjiru, who spends most of his time in Japan, ran the first half in 63:30 as part of a big leading group. After 30K the young Kenyan put in a series of surges that dropped his rivals one by one, with Deriba Merga being the last to lose contact. He fell off with 2 kilometers to go and finished second in 2:06:50.

Third and leading Japanese was Atsushi Sato in a personal best of 2:07:13, which will almost certainly guarantee him a place at the Olympics. The races in Tokyo and Lake Biwa in February and March are further qualifying races for the Japanese.

Haile Gebrselassie Comes Back Breaking Records

Little more than two months after breaking the world marathon record, Haile Gebrselassie returned to the roads in style. The 34-year-old superstar took the 15K race in Heerenberg, Netherlands in 42:36, breaking the course record of none other than Kenenisa Bekele, who became Gebrselasie’s successor as the Olympic 10,000m champion and world record holder, by 6 seconds.

In heavy rain and winds, Gebrselassie broke away from his fiercest rival, Ali Mabrouk el Zaidi, little more than one kilometer from the finish. The runner from Libya finished second in a national record of 42:42. Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang took third with 43:30. There was an Ethiopian winner in the women’s race as well: Deribe Alemu clocked 48:50. Amelework Fikadu (Ethiopia/50:16) and Peninah Arusei (Kenya/50:26) took the next two places.