German
English
<p">Japhet Kosgei put three years of
indifferent performances behind him, and did exactly as he promised the day
before, winning the 19th Belgrade Banca Intesa Marathon on Saturday, in 2:10:54, a new course record. The 38 year old Kenyan from Eldoret predicted
both victory and the record, and he took over a minute off the previous best
mark, 2:12:10. His compatriot, Festus Kioko Kikumu was also under the old record,
with 2:11:30 in second place, and Ruben Mutumwo made it a Kenyan clean sweep,
finishing third in 2:13:31.
<p">Kosgei had played the previous day’s press
conference like a stand-up comedian, telling the audience that his loss of form
after three sub-2:08 performances and victories in Rotterdam ’99, Toko ’00 and
Lake Biwa ’03 was due to getting married, then adding after laughter, “and
starting a business”.
<p">
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He elaborated after his victory. “People
said I was too old, including my previous manager. But I was concentrating too
much on my printing business, now I’m concentrating on running again, business
can wait ‘til I retire. My body feels the same as six, seven years ago, when I
was running 2:07. Now I want to keep on running, and break the world record for a 40
year old”.
<p">
<p">That is 2:08:46, by Andres Espinosa of Mexico,
set in Berlin ’03. And the way Koegei frisked away from his compatriots in Belgrade suggest
that he may well achieve it. In clement cloudy weather, and temperatures rising
from 10-15C throughout the race, Kosgei stayed with a group of eight until 35k,
before easing away to victory.
<p">
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“We always say that the start of the race
is 35k. I wanted to know who would follow me, and no one followed, everything
worked perfectly”. In fact, Kikumu tried to follow, but as he said afterwards,
“I was not surprised that it was Kosgei who went away. After I talked to him
yesterday, I knew he would win, and I knew I would be second”. Mutumwo said, “I
wanted to follow, but if you go at someone else’s pace, you might not finish,
so I ran at my own pace. I’m still learning, maybe next time, the result will
be different”.
<p">
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It was the experience of almost 20
marathons which won the women’s race for Halina Karnatsevitch. At halfway, the
Belorussian was 1min 20sec down on relative newcomer, Chemokil Chilapong of Kenya. But
Chilapong, having her first race outside Kenya was
too optimistic, and was caught at 30k. Karnatsevitch won in 2:34:35, with Chilapong second in 2:36:10. Ethiopian,
Adenech Beyene was third in 2:41:12.
<p">
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Former track and field superstar, Carl
Lewis fired the starting signal, and presented the awards afterwards, including
the Fred Lebow Trophy for both winners. Lewis, 44 said, “the longest I’ve ever
run is 10k, well I don’t say run, I jogged. If I ever wake up one morning, and
really want to test myself physically, it would be at the marathon, but it
would be jogging. These guys are the heroes, the real runners”.
<p"></p">
MEN
<o:p></o:p>
PLACE/BIB
NAME
COUNTRY/TIME
<o:p></o:p>
1
2 Japhet
KOSGEI
KEN 2:10:54
<o:p></o:p>
2
9 Festus
KIKUMU
KEN 2:11:30
<o:p></o:p>
3
11 Reuben
MUTUMWO
KEN 2:12:31
<o:p></o:p>
4
6 John MALUNI
KEN 2:13:17
<o:p></o:p>
5
20 Samuel
NGANGA
KEN 2:13:27
<o:p></o:p>
6
10 Eric
YATOR
KEN 2:13:33
<o:p></o:p>
WOMEN
<o:p></o:p>
1/251 Halina KARNATSEVITCH
BLS
<st1:time minute="34" hour="2">2:34:35</st1:time>
<o:p></o:p>
2/252 Chemokil CHILAPONG
KEN
<st1:time minute="36" hour="2">2:36:10</st1:time>
<o:p></o:p>
3/254 Adenech BEYENE
ETH
<st1:time minute="41" hour="2">2:41:12</st1:time>
<o:p></o:p>
4/279
<st1:place>Dee</st1:place>
NAZZARO
<st1:country-region>
<st1:place>USA</st1:place></st1:country-region>
<st1:time minute="41" hour="2">2:41:35</st1:time>
<o:p></o:p>
5/274 Marjana LUKIC
SCG
<st1:time minute="42" hour="2">2:42:46</st1:time>
<o:p></o:p>
6/256 Lisa VIKLUND
SWE
<st1:time minute="48" hour="2">2:48:44</st1:time>
DAVE MARTIN
<o:p></o:p>