Makau storms 2:04:48 in Rotterdam!

Monday 12/04/2010

Makau storms 2:04:48 in Rotterdam
















With a sizzling 2:04:48 victory, Patrick Makau became the fourth fastest marathoner ever after his 2:04:48 victory at the Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday.

Windy and rather cold (8-10 degrees C) conditions were a hindrance to the hope of bettering the Rotterdam course record, set last year after a thrilling finish between the Kenyans Duncan Kibet and James Kwambai who with 2:04:27 clocked the fastest marathon time of 2009.

But Makau weathered the conditions more than adequately with his effort, at the moment the fastest of the year. His compatriot Geoffrey Mutai also broke the 2:05 barrier, finishing second in 2:04:55.

While the men’s contest had a close finish, the women's edtion was a lonely affair for Ethiopian Aberu Kebede who clocked 2:25:29. American Magdalena Lewy-Boulet was second in 2:26:22, a personal best.

Dutch road races are good for Patrick Makau. The 25-year-old Kenyan ran his ninth Half Marathon on 14 March at The Hague winning in 59:51.

“The victory in The Hague was the decision to start in the Rotterdam marathon.'' Makau said. “I had injury problems since last year. The half marathon in The Hague gave me the feeling that everything was okay'' And Makau showed that he was O.K., kicking away from Mutai over the final kilometre.

After 32 kilometres in the Kralingse Bos (Kralingen Wood) the young Ethiopian Feyisa Lelisa, just 20, broke away from a group of ten. Pressing the pace, the group broke. Makau, Mutai and a third Kenyan, Vincent Kipruto, followed, with the quartet running together behind Lelisa.

The four passed the 35Km marker in 1:43:52, when the Lelisa, and then Kipruto, fell back. In the final seven kilometres it became a duel between Makau and Mutai with Makau mostly leading before making his final break.

In the women’s contest Kebede led from the outset for her dominating victory.

Wim van Hemert for the IAAF

Leading Results -
Men
1. Patrick Makau KEN 2:04:48 PB
(splits: 14:48-29; 16-43:57; 58:40; 1:02:08; 1:13:51; 1:28:58; 1:43:52; 1:58:38)
2. Geoffrey Mutai KEN 2:04:55 PB
3. Vincent Kipruto KEN 2:05:13 PB
4. Feyisa Lelisa ETH 2:05:23 PB
5. Bernard Kipyego KEN 2:07:01 PB debut
6. Francis Kiprop KEN 2:08:53
7. Daniel Rono KEN 2:09:49
8. Elias Chelimo Kemboi KEN 2:10:29
9. Koen Raymaekers NED 2:11:09 PB Dutch champion
10. Yared Dagnaw Sharew ERI 2:11:28
11. Jonathan Maiyo KEN 2:12:45 P debut
12. Michael Shelley AUS 2:13:05 PB debut
13. James Carney USA 2:15:50 PB
14. Evans Kiplagat KEN 2:16:25
15. Ronals Schroer NED 2:16:28 PB second in Dutch championship
16. Rens Dekkers NED 2:17:10 PB third in Dutch championship
17. Jeppe Farsoeht DEN 2:18:47 PB
18. Jason Warick CAN 2:21:09
19. Rachid Benjira SWE 2:21:20
20. James Kwambai KEN 2:24:07 (second last year in 2:04:27)

Women -
1. Aberu Kebede ETH 2:25:25 PB
(splits: 17:03; 33:57; 51:10; 1:08:02; 1:11:59; 1:24:58; 1:42:00; 1:59:17; 2:17:15)
2. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet USA 2:26:22 PB
3. Xialin Zhu CHN 2:29:42
4. Yevgenia Danilova RUS 2:31:44 PB
5. Beatriz Ros Blanco ESP 2:32:28
6. Alina Istadura ROM 2:33:36 PB
7. Zoila Gomez USA 2:33:54
8. Meseret Mengistu ETH 2:34:07 PB Debut
9. Olga Glok RUS 2:38:10
10. Merel de Knegt NED 2:38:41 PB Dutch champion
11. Xenia Luxem BEL 2:39:01 PB Debut
12. Anna von Schenk SWE 2:39:20
13. Inge de Jong NED 2:40:55 PB Debut, second in Dutch championship
14. Miriam van Reijen NED 2:41:24 PB third in Dutch championship
15. Colette Fagan GBR 2:46:32

Three national records set at Junior Champs

Central Gauteng steeplechase athlete Thato Makhafola and Western Province triple jumper Valentina da Rocha set national junior records with 26 athletes posting qualifying performances for the World Junior Championships at the two-day Yellow Pages SA Youth and Junior Track and Field Championships, which ended in Germiston on Sunday.

With the 2 000 metres steeplechase making its debut on the programme at the national junior showpiece event, Makhafola produced a best effort of 7:21.00 while Da Rocha leapt 12.77 metres - bettering Mariana Banting's SA junior record of 12.54.

On Saturday, Central Gauteng's Cheyne Rhame set a national junior best of 5.50 metres in the pole vault, while George-based hammer thrower Annemie Smith set a national junior record with a throw of 55.25m.

A total of 26 athletes (18 men and 8 women) posted qualifying performances for the IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships in Moncton, Canada in July.

2:22:03 World lead for Baysa, Tola improves to 2:06:37 - Paris Marathon report















Atsede Baysa and Tadesse Tola produced an impressive Ethiopian double victory at the 34th Marathon de Paris in the French capital on Sunday.

Baysa broke the women’s race record with her 2:22:03 performance, the fastest in the world this year while Tola smashed his personal best by more than nine minutes to take the men’s title in 2:06:37.

The Marathon International de Paris is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Marathon breakout for Tola - men’s race

As expected, a group of Kenyan and Ethiopian runners began the race with a quick pace. A tight group of 28 men, led by pacemakers James Theuri (FRA) and Dieudonné Disi (RWA) reached the fifth kilometre in 15:07 and the 10th in 30:11, slowed by a headwind on Faubourg Saint Antoine. At this point, Tola was tucked behind the other pacemaker David Njagi (KEN).

However, cruising through Bois de Vincennes the pace slightly increased, and as a result the group started to stretch. Indeed, they covered the following 5km in 4:57 reaching the 15Km in 45:08 with Ethiopians Tola, Zambala Yegeze (second in Houston four months ago with 2:08:27), and Hailu Mekonnenn (2:12:36 in his Marathon debut in March). One of favourites, Stephen Kibiwot (2nd in Prague in May 2009 with 2:07:54), fell and had to make a tremendous effort with Chelanga to renew contact with the leaders.

A few minutes later, two other falls occurred, as Mekonnen and Kenyan Daniel Kosgei (2:08:48, 2009) tumbled while grabbing fluids at the refreshment stand located at the half-way. Midway was reached in 1:03:00, with Kenyan Alfred Kering (2:09:19 and 2:09:52 in 2009) now at the front.

As they crossed for the Place de la Bastille for the second time, the pace temporarily slowed and was now over three minutes per kilometre, with the 25Km marker reached in 1:14. Kiptoo then injected an acceleration along the banks of the Seine, which only a dozen men survived. The remaining pacemaker, Kenyan Philip Manyim (winner in Berlin five years ago with 2:07:41), stopped after reaching 30 kilometres in 1:22:50.

Ethiopian Negari Terfa, who was third in the Berlin Marathon last year with 2:07:44 and one of the main contenders for victory, lost contact with the group with nine kilometres to go. Kenyans Wilson Kipsang (a Marathon debutante but the eighth all-time performer at the Half-Marathon with 58:52) and 2009 Rome winner Benjamin Kiptoo were leading the compact front pack at 35 kilometres (1:45:21) with the eight men observing each other and perceptibly slowing down, entering into a tactical finish for victory.

Kibiwot probably paid for his earlier effort as he was the first to fall back. With five kilometres to go, Kering and Tola produced a decisive acceleration while Kiptoo almost fell on the corner and went out of contention.

Kipsang couldn’t follow the two men in front and was running third with Daniel Kiprugut (10th last year in Paris with 2:08:38) a distant 4th. Tola progressively opened a gap over Kipsang, while the wind was blowing against them, underlying the fatigue at 2:00:05 at 40km. The Ethiopian secured his victory thanks to a storming finish, crossing the line in 2:06:37, smashing his personal best.

Tola, who only had one reference over the distance with 2:15:48 in Chicago seven months ago, was not unknown as he ran 27:04:89 at age 19 in 2007 and won the New York Half-Marathon twice in 2008 and 2009.

Baysa’s lofty ambitions reap dividends - women’s race

Ethiopian Atsede Baysa, winner of this race last year with a personal best of 2:24:42 and the winner of the Paris Half-Marathon last month, had set her ambitions high. She not only intended to defend her crown, but was aiming for the old course record of 2:23:05 set by Marleen Renders seven years ago.

Baysa immediately took the race in front with fellow Ethiopian teammates as her plan was to pass the half way point in 1:11. By the 5th kilometre, French star Christelle Daunay, who had finished third in Paris in 2007 and 2009 as well as in New York in last November, was 14 seconds behind, escorted by a group of men including her husband. In front, the Ethiopian was accompanied by her teammates Tirfe Tsegaye, Marathon debutante Gurmu Workitu Ayanu (a former track specialist with 14:50.15 at 5000m at age 20 in 2007) and Azalech Woldeselassie. Progressively, Baysa pulled away with two men. Her intermediate time were 49:57 at 15Km, 1:10:04 at half-way, 1:23:16 at 25Km, and 1:40:19 at 30Km, which indicated that she was on pace for a new record.

Baysa further increased her lead at 35Km (1:57:16) with Daunay now some two minutes behind. Daunay caught and passed Woldeselassie, while Baysa, never looking back and assured of a clear victory, was fully focused on the clock, passing the 40th kilometre in 2:14:16. With two kilometres to go, Daunay continued on her own way and passed the second Ethiopian Tsegaye.

Baysa confirmed she was the queen of the Parisian streets in retaining her title and clocking the fastest time in the world this year, with 2:22:03, a minute inside Renders’ famous race record.

French record for Daunay

Daunay, 35, fulfilled her promise to break the national record, and did it with panache, as her 2:24:22 represented a huge improvement from last years’ 2:25:43.

“I was less confident than last year due to the poor weather in France this fall which resulted in foot injuries,” Daunay explained. “But my last workouts were very strong. However, the marathon is usually uncertain and one has to be in shape on D-day. I’m happy to be second because I’ve always finished in 3rd place. I opened on strong basis, although I didn’t try to follow the Ethiopians because we knew they wanted to start on 2:20 pace. I gain experience at each marathon, especially in New-York when I realised I was part of the bests of the world and I could position myself in front of the races.”

Some 40,000 runners lined-up on a cool (9°) and sunny Sunday morning.

Pierre Jean Vazel for the IAAF

Leading Results -

MEN -
1. Tadesse Tola (ETH) 2:06:23 PB
2. Alfred Kering (KEN) 2:07:09 PB
3. William Kipsang (KEN) 2:07:10 (debut)
4. Benjamin Kiptoo (KEN) 2:07:13 PB
5. Daniel Kiprugut (KEN) 2:08:01 PB
6. Muluguta Wami (ETH) 2:08:32 PB
7. Zambala Yegeze (ETH) 2:08:48
8. Hailu Mekonnen (ETH) 2:09:01 PB
9. Francis Kibiwott (KEN) 2:09:26
10. Vincent Kiplagat (KEN) 2:09:38

WOMEN -
1. Atsede Baysa (ETH) 2:22:03, WL, CR, PB
2. Christelle Daunay (FRA) 2:24:22, NR
3. Tirfe Beyene Tsegaye (ETH) 2:24:51 PB
4. Azalech Woldeselasse (ETH) 2:25:35 PB
5. Gurmu Workitu Ayanu (ETH) 2:29:25 PB

Blackburn 0 - 0 Man Utd

It was a frustrating afternoon for Berbatov and his United team-mates

Manchester United missed the chance to move top of the Premier League after a frustrating afternoon saw them held to a goalless draw at Blackburn.

Joseph Ebuya ends Kenyan draught !

Monday 29/03/2010

2 weeks later, can you believe I still haven't shaken my head cold with nose and throat infections? Sitting with a sore throat and can't swallow even after drinking lemon juice with water as a remedy and took some throat lozenge tablets. Sigh, won't even talk about the mucus!

Joseph Ebuya ends Kenyan draught - Men's Senior race report

Joseph Ebuya crosses the finish line to complete Kenya's sweep of all titles in Bydgoszcz 2010 (Getty Images)

relnewsAs the 136 starters from 39 countries set out for the race we already knew it was Kenya’s day with six out of six golds so far, while Ethiopia could point to three team silvers and a solitary individual bronze.

Within 33 minutes, six Kenyan golds became eight and Joseph Ebuya brought the individual title back to his country for the first time since Paul Tergat won in Belfast 1999.

Once again Kenyan colours were in command of the leading pack from the outset, though Ethiopians Abera Kuma and Trials winner Azmeraw Bekele were in among them. The Kenyan trials winner, and therefore possible favourite, Paul Tanui was prominent before Joseph Ebuya and Richard Mateelong emerged at the head of a leading group of 20 or so. This did not include Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam who could be seen heading a chasing pack on the third lap. It was clear there was going to be a new champion.

After laps of 5:34, 5:32 and 5:33, the race got going in the fourth circuit of 1926m as the Eritreans Samuel Tsegay and Teklemariam Medhin pushed the pace. It was 20-year-old Medhin – ninth in Amman last year – who forced the hardest. At the end of the fourth lap (5:26), Medhin led from Ebuya with a 10m gap to Moses Kipsiro (UGA) then Chakir Boujattaoui (MAR) and Hasan Mahboob (BRN) with the pack slipping away.

Bad day for defending champion

Gebremariam was improving but he was 11th and so with two-thirds of the race gone there was no Ethiopian in the top 10.

The fifth lap was even quicker (5:25) as the leading pair moved away. At the bell Ebuya led from Medhin (both 27:30) with Leonard Komon and Amman runner up Kipsiro the only ones within range.

Gebremariam was still in 11th but fighting hard. Then Ebuya did to Medhin what he had to Kenenisa Bekele in Edinburgh two months earlier, gradually pulling clear to leave the final result in no doubt.

It was all over by the time Komen hurdled the final obstacle, at which point he also lapped the wonderfully-named Seychelloise Gaylord Silly.

Medhin was also untroubled in second spot, but the bronze was won with the final stride of Kipsiro, who left it very late to out-sprint Komon at the end of the 100m finishing straight. With four in the top eight, Kenya again won comfortably.

Eritrea ahead of Ethiopia in team standings

Eritrea outpointed Ethiopia for the bronzes, but deposed champion Gebremariam ran with honour to climb into the top 10. That team bronze was his 16th World cross country medal but that was no consolation and it was a shock to see this usually exuberant athlete walking away from the finish in tears.

Further down the field Saudi Arabia-born Simon Bairu provided Canada with an excellent 13th place, one ahead of Ethiopian-born Alemayehu Bezabeh who led Spain to sixth place.

The best European-born athlete was Spaniard Carles Castillejo, just as he was in Amman.

So Ebuya, whose family could not afford to send him to school and who instead helped his parents with chores on their tiny piece of land, is now $33,333 richer with individual and share of team awards. As emulating Tergat, he has also matched the feat of his idol Richard Limo who was the World short course champion for Kenya in 1999.

“I want to thank the people of Poland and especially Bydgoszcz for cheering me up as I was racing,” said the 22-year-old whose family was originally from the Turkana District of Kenya which is not known for its athletes. “I had to fight a war to get into the Kenya team,” he explained, but gave credit to the Kenyan training camp.

“The whole of the Kenyan team was training foot of mount Kenya which is as chilly as Bydgoszcz.”

However it should be noted that the weather was sunny and a reasonable 10° during his race. Ebuya added, through Kenyan PR Officer Peter Angwenyi, that he was grateful his entire team had arrived three days before the championships. This was certainly not the case for other countries competing in Bydgoszcz.

When did Ebuya think he had won the race ? “I was not certain I would win because I had not raced before with the one who was following [Mehdin], but when I opened up a 10m gap, I started praying as I was racing, and I thank God that he has given me this win that I have dedicated to the Kenyans.”

Indeed we had seen him crossing himself at an earlier point during the race. The winner, who races in a trademark shell necklace he bought in Nairobi, is now targeting the African Championships in Nairobi where he hopes to defeat Kenenisa Bekele and/or gain a place for Africa to run 5000m at the IAAF Continental Cup in Split.

It has been a good eight days for the Spanish coach / agent duo of Jeronimo Bravo and Julia García.

Last Sunday in Lisbon, Zersenay Tadese brought them world records at 20km and Half Marathon. Now they have the World cross country silver medal through another Eritrean, Mehdin who trains with Tadese. He had been threatening to break through with a series of good wins this year in Spain and it was only in the last lap that he succumbed to the more experienced Ebuya.

“I was thinking ‘a silver medal is enough for now’” he admitted, a thought which was echoed by his coach. “This is already a success,” Bravo told me as we watched the last lap unfold from the sidelines, “we know Ebuya is better.”

Now everyone knows the quality of the Kenyan.

Mark Butler for the IAAF

Chebet's strong finish prevails - Women's Senior race report

Bydgoszcz, Poland - For most people, déjà vu is a feeling, an impression that something that is happening to you has happened before.

For Linet Masai, when it comes to the World Cross Country Championships anyway, déjà vu is reality. Amman 2009 and Bydgoszcz 2010 are about as alike as chalk and cheese, different weather, different course, different culture.

Sprint finish leaves Masai with second consecutive silver

But for Linet Masai, they are alike in one very unwelcome way. For the second year in a row she dominated a World Cross Country race, dropping her potential rivals one by one, looking for all the world like the winner. She did all the work as three-time champion Tirunesh Dibaba was left 10 seconds adrift at the start of the last lap of the 8km race.

Masai again was the aggressor as the last remaining Ethiopian threat, Meselech Melkamu, was put away over the two jumps in the middle of the final lap.

Yet, for the second year in a row, Masai was beaten to the gold medal by a Kenyan team-mate. In Amman, it fell to Florence Kiplagat to grab the honour of becoming the first Kenyan senior women’s gold medallist (long-course) since Hellen Chepngeno in 1994. Here, it was Emily Chebet who deprived Masai of the glory.

In similar fashion, too: Masai still led as the pair turned off the loop into the short finishing straight. Chebet looked menacing, however, an impression confirmed as she gained the upper hand in a driving sprint to the line.

Ironically, Masai won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres at the World Championships in Berlin last summer with a sprint from third to first in the final straight. Unfortunately, it seems, she cannot find the same speed at the finish of a cross-country. So her one gold medal remains from the 2007 junior race in Mombasa and her record in the senior races becomes third, second and second again.

Melkamu hangs on to bronze

And speaking of seeing it all before, what about Melkamu? She now has five bronze medals from the World cross-country - both short and long races in 2006, and in the long race in 2007, 2009 and now again in 2010.

Masai and her team-mates controlled the pace from the start. Within a lap, there was a leading group comprising all the Kenyan team, five of the Ethiopians and an assortment of others including 2004 champion Benita Willis of Australia, Shalane Flanagan of the USA, Hilda Kibet of the Netherlands and the surprising Lebogang Phalula of South Africa.

As Masai continued to push, the group gradually was whittled down. As they came through the two log jumps in the third lap, Dibaba was seeming to struggle. Suddenly the insignificant gap of five metres, blew out to 10, then 20. By the start of the final lap she was 10 seconds off the lead and clearly in need of something special to even get in the medals, much less win.

Now it was down to Masai, Chebet and Melkamu. Again the jumps were the key to ending the Ethiopian threat - how long since obstacles played a significant role in a World cross country course? - as Masai went clear.

Soon Chebet went around Melkamu and after her team-mate. The gap of 10 metres closed rapidly and the pair settled down to fight out the gold.

Chebet was Kenyan national 10,000m champion in 2007 and ninth in the World Championships in Osaka that year. Impressive credentials, but it did not seem they were sufficient to take out a championship ahead of Masai and Dibaba. Not for the first time, however, a World cross country race confounded expectations.

Team bronze for USA

On that note, however, there appears to be nothing junior champion Mercy Cherono could not do on this day. Watching the first lap on a monitor while awaiting her press conference, she was asked who would win the race. “Emily,” she replied confidently and, as it turned out, correctly. For good measure, she also predicted that Dibaba would not medal!

After two perfect scores in the junior races, Kenya slipped to a 1-2-5 (Lineth Chepkirui)-6 (Margaret Muriuki) total of 14 points to win the teams races for the second year in a row after seven of Ethiopian domination. With Dibaba fourth, Feyse Tadese seventh and Mamitu Daska eighth, Ethiopia had 22 points for the silver medal.

Led by Flanagan’s 12th, the USA had four in 25 (Molly Huddle 19th, Magdalena Lewy-Boulet 20th and Amy Hastings 25th) to take the bronze medal, its first since 2003. Morocco, Portugal and Great Britain rounded out the top six.

The 2003 champion, Werknesh Kidane, finished ninth for Ethiopia, while Willis, the last non-East African winner in 2004, finished 17th.

Len Johnson for the IAAF

Augustyn sub 3:50 for 50km in Dudince

Dudince, Slovakia – Polish Olympian and the 22nd placer at the World Championships in Berlin last year Rafal Augustyn with strong finish became the fourth Polish walker to win the 50 km Race Walk in Dudince (EA Permit), an event that counts towards the 2010 IAAF Race Walking Challenge standings.

In the 29th edition of the event Augustyn posted current the second fastest in the world this year, life-time best of 3:49:54 to take the Polish title whichwas incorporated into this meeting. His team-mate Artur Brzozowski was second in personal best 3:50:07. They both went past Irish record holder Robert Heffernan in last 300m.

Heffernan who had a 1:20 margin over Augustyn when entering last 2 km lap of the race debuted at the distance with an excellent national record of 3:50:08 for third.

The top nine finishers all went under four hours.

A third Polish walker Lukasz Nowak was fourth in 3:50:31 (another PB), fifth was German Christopher Linke (3:53:24 PB), sixth was Portuguse record holder Antonio Pereira (3:55:41), seventh and eighth were the Koreans Kim Dong-Young (3:56:40 PB) and Shin Il Yong (3:57:46, debut) and in ninth came French walker Cedric Houssaye (3:59:20).

The pre-race favourite, the Berlin World silver medallist Trond Nymark of Norway left the race after 30km because of stomach problems.

“I did not expect such a good time, not to speak about the win with Nymark of Heffernan in the race. I knew in last four kilometres that I had a chance. 400 metres before the finish I started to dream of hearing our national anthem,” said the winner.

54 walkers started and 31 finished the race.

In the 20km race Slovak’s best walker Matej Toth won in 1:22:25. "I had the race under control and when I saw I could also go under 1:23 I speeded up little bit in the last lap," said Toth. Second was Ukrainian Ruslan Dmytrenko who clocked 1:22:47 ahead of his team-mate Nazar Kovalenko (1:23:46).

In the women’s 20km, Czech Zuzana Schindlerova won with 1:34:20 ahead of the best Slovak Zuzana Malikova (who currently lives in Ireland) who got her 7th national title with 1:34:53.

In the men’s 10km junior race Ukrainian Ihor Lyashchenko posted 41:20 to beat German Hagen Pohle (42:22); the top 5 went sub 43 minutes.

Alfons Juck for the IAAF

Wednesday 31/03/2010

Wind ruins qualifying hopes

A strong cross wind ruined any hopes some athletes may have had of using Tuesday night's Yellow Page's athletics meet at Stellenbosch to secure qualifying standards for the Commonwealth Games in India, in October.

The Stellenbosch venue offered middle and long distance athletes hopes of improving personal bests as well as notch more Commonwealth Games qualifying marks, but all that came to nought.

Some senior athletes will now pin their hopes of attaining qualifying marks at next week's final meet in Germiston, where the curtain will down on the local season. Some athletes may be forced to go abroad in an effort to qualify for India.

Gauteng star Ruben Ramolefi, a finalist at the Beijing Olympics two years ago, led from start to finish in the 3000 metres steeplechase. But the adverse conditions ruined any hopes he had of improving on his gold medal-winning performance at the recent national championships in Durban, where he clocked 8:21.74. His winning time was 8:35.63, but he has already secured his passage to India.

South African 100m sprint champion Simon Magakwe of Dreamveldt Pukke and Leigh Julius of Nelson Mandela Metro University renewed their rivalry but any hopes of clocking creditable times were blown away by the wind blowing into their faces.

Julius won the event in 10.73 seconds while Magakwe who clocked 10.98 for a fourth-placed finish seemed to pull up just ahead of the end of the race.

Reigning SA 100m champion Cindy Stewart made it a double 100m triumph for the Port Elizabeth University when she won the women's sprint in a time of 12.31 seconds.

One athlete who held out hopes of notching a qualifying time was 1500m national champion Rene Kalmer. She just missed out on the qualifying 4:08.42 mark in Durban when she clocked 4:08.61. Klamer who has a personal best of 4:06.71 left the opposition for dead as she bravely battled the elements but had to settle for an average 4:17.58.

During this season's five Yellow Pages series events as well as the SA Senior Track and Field Championships held in Durban, all of LJ van Zyl (400m hurdles), Cornel Fredericks (400m hurdles), Ruben Ramolefi(3000 metres steeplechase), Robert Oosthuizen (javelin), Hardus Pienaar (javelin), Tumelo Thagane (Triple Jump), Setone Tshamano (5000m), Elroy Galant (5000m), Estie Wittstock (400m), Elizna Naude (discus), Sunette Viljoen (javelin), Justine Robbeson (javelin), Tebogo Masehla (3000m steeplechase) and Myrette Filmalter (3000m steeplechase) have produced Commonwealth qualifying efforts to date.

Wind and chill takes its toll in Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch, South Africa - National champions Ruben Ramolefi, Rene Kalmer, and Cornel Fredericks braved the weather conditions to win their respective events at the Yellow Pages Series meet in Stellenbosch on Tuesday (30).

A warm and sunny afternoon suddenly gave way to gusty and chilly wind in the early evening. The sudden change of weather dampened the hopes of several athletes hoping to qualify for the Africa Senior Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Technical workout for Ramolefi

Ramolefi seemed unperturbed by the chilly wind when he surged to the front right from the starter’s gun. Only Edwin Molepo stayed in contact with him until 2000 metres, before he began to fade rapidly. Ramolefi covered the distance in a decent 8:35.63.

“After the first three laps I realised it would be hard to run a fast time as I had planned because of the chilly headwind,” Ramolefi said. “So I focused on polishing up my hurdling technique. In particularly I wanted to clear my last two water jumps well as I have lost valuable time there.”

“A sub 8:40 in these weather condition is good. I think I will improve my national record (8:11.63) sometime this year,” Ramolefi asserted.

Buoyed by her 5000m and 1500m victories at the national championships last week Kalmer came to the Stellenbosch meet convinced she could break the 4:08.42 Commonwealth Games 1500m qualifier. However, like many other athletes she had to be content with her 4:17.58 run.

“It was not just the wind on the home straight that bothered me,” Kalmer said. “As you entered the back straight the chill hits us from the side. It is so uncomfortable especially to the ears. Anyway I will now go back to build endurance and weight for the European outdoor circuit.”

Spurred on by a partisan crowd Cornel Fredericks gave the Stellenbosch fans something to cheer in 400m Hurdles. Starting out cautiously Fredericks made his move on the back straight. The fans erupted in celebration as he surged past Wouter le Roux on the ninth hurdle and held on to win in 50.78, to Le Roux’s 51.95.

Mark Ouma for the IAAF

Ramolefi, Kalmer, Fredericks win in Stellenbosch

All Athletes are South African unless otherwise mentioned.
MEN
100m A (-2.1)
1 Leigh Julius 10.31; 2 Hannes Dreyer 10.79; 3 Brent Stevens 10.83; 4 Simon Magakwe 10.98; 5 Sergio Mullins 11.01; 6 Roscoe Engel 11.01; 7 Kagiso Kumbane 11.04; 8 Krabbe (Denmark) 11.23
100m B (-0.8)
1 Henrico Bruintjies 11.17; 2 Ethan Fourus 11.21; 3 Denver Miller 11.30; 4 Heinrich Fortein 11.32; 5 Gueron Kulsen 11.38; 6 Pieter Schoeman 11.44; 7 William Duckitt 11.86
200m (-3.0)
1 Hannes Dreyer 21.35; 2 Brent Stevens 21.65; 3 Roscoe Engel 21.66; 4 Sergio Mullins 21.87; 5 Anthony 21.98; 6 Pieter Schoeman 22.80
400m
1 Ofentse Mogawane 47.12; 2 Sibusiso Sishi 47.72; 3 Shaun de Jager 47.95; 4 Jacques de Swardt 48.78; 5 Anrich Visser 48.89; 6 Rifaat Jappie 49.77; 7 Jody Isaacs 49.99; 8 Travis
110m Hurdles (-1.3)
1 Louw Smit 14.54; 2 Sors Joubert 14.70; 3 Ruan de Vries 15.01; 4 Drikus Viljoen 15.47
400m Hurdles
1 Cornel Fredericks 50.78; 2 Wouter le Roux 51.95; 3 Johan Hanekom 52.84; 4 Francois Retief 53.56; 5 Leeroy Bitterhout 54.04; 6 Leeroy Bock 54.47; 7 Herman Langenhoven 55.54; 8 Wiekus Jonck 55.97
800m
1 Adriaan van Wyk 1:49.94; 2 Vuyolwethu Kayi 1:50.83; 3 Rick Hambridge 1:51.80; 4 Dumisani Hlaselo 1:51.83; 5 Nathan Beukes 1:53.42; 6 Adriaan Geldenhuys 1:55.91; 7 Marshal Rooi 1:58.17
1500m
1 Mbulaeni Mulaudzi 3:47.02; 2 Molefe Molefe 3: 47.66; 3 Ratlale Mokone 3:48.32; 4 Windy Jonas 3:50.49; 5 Dumisani Hlaselo 3:51.21; 6 Jacques Pretorius 3:52.44; 7 Mthobisis Baloyi 3:56.03; 8 Armin Botha 4:02.42; 9 Duran Faro 4:11.08; 10 Hilton Persons 4:19.36
3000m Steeplechase
1 Reuben Ramolefi 8:35.63; 2 Edwin Molepo 9:00.91; 3 Dicardo Jacobs 9:08.25; 4 Sikhumbuzo Seme 9:28.03; 5 Virgin Ngudlumana 9:32.55; 76 Tom Lusaseni 9:36.85; Graven Galant 10:46.92
Long Jump
1 Keenan Watson (+2.9) 7.73; 2 Zarck Visser 7.47 (+0.8); 3 Regan Julius 7.25 (+2.6); 4 Thomas van der Plaertsen 7.10 (+2.6); 5 Clint Johnson 7.04 (+3.4)
Discus
1 Victor Hogan 55.84; 2 Wynand Coetzee 52.35; 3 James Sinclair 51.64; 4 Burger Lambrechts 49.51
WOMEN
100m (-6.0)
1 Cindy Stewart 12.31; 2 Estie Wittstock 12.44; 3 Stacey Gardiner 12.75; 4 Melissa Hewitt 12.80; 5 Anre Zanberg 13.04; 6 Srabani Nanda (India) 13.04; 7 Bernice Roman 13.11; 8 Maryke Brits 13.26
200m (-4.1)
1 Srabani Nanda (India) 25.25; 2 Melisa Hewitt 25.45; 3 Lynette Morgan 25.67; 4 Stacey Welsh 26.06; 5 Bernice Roman 26.35; 6 Colleen Mey 27.08; 7 Tamryn Botes 27.09
400m
1 Estie Wittstock 53.42; 2 Sonya van der Merwe 55.43; 3 Chanelle Anderson 58.30; 4 Saskia Kotze 58.61; 5 Annika van Huyssteen 59.92; 6 Sunelle Jacobs 1:00.02; 7 Keasha Wentzel 1:00.88
100m Hurdles (-2.7)
1 Janet Wienand 14.20; 2 Erika Kleynhans 14.40; 3 Marike Walters 15.00
400m Hurdles
1 Wenda Theron 1:00.34; 2 Anneri Ebersohn 1:03.92; 3 Megan Goddard 1:04.65; 4 Ane Fourie 1:05.49; 5 Alix Moreillon 1:07.17; 6 Sumarie Claassen 1:07.88
1500m
1 Rene Kalmer 4:17.58; 2 Mapaseka Makhanya 4:21.73; 3 Mandie Brandt 4:30.77; 4 Violet Raseboya 4:32.92; 5 Maxine Heine-Wacker 4:33.55; 6 Dominique Scott 4:37.48; 7 Christine Kalmer 4:41.06; 8 Mia Pienaar 4:42.80;
Long Jump
1 Janice Josephs 6.39 (+3.1); 2 Birdie Carstens 6.00 (+3.4); 3 Samantha Pretorius 5.89 (+2.2); 4 Maryke Brits 5.81 (+3.6); 5 Janet Wienand 5.73 (NWR); 6 Tamryn Cupido 5.68 (+3.4); 7 Vanturio 5.51 (+3.1); 8 Nicole Dirk 5.29 (+2.6); 9 Nicola Orffner 4.98 (+2.4)
Pole Vault
1 Deone Joubert 3.60; 2 Monique Jan van Noordwyk 3.50; 3 Janita Stander 3.20; 4 Taahirah Kozain 3.00; 5 Talita Lombaard 3.00
Discus
1 Elizna Naude 57.77; 2 Juanita Gerstner 38.67; 3 Annalene Gerstner 33.52
Hammer
1 Annemie Smith 51.16; 2 Karin le Roux 49.96; 3 Marizette Badenhorst 48.81; 4 Magdaleen Louw 47.89; 5 Marlize Coetzee 41.76

Scorching 58:23 World Half Marathon record by Tadese in Lisbon!

Monday 23/03/2010

Scorching 58:23 World Half Marathon record by Tadese in Lisbon!

Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea smashed the World record in the Half Marathon today, clocking 58:23* at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon.

Tadese, the winner of four successive World Road Running and World Half Marathon titles, eclipsed the mark of 58:33 set by Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru in 2007.

Following the uncooperative weather the day before this IAAF Gold Label Road Race, nobody expected great things from the race today, but the Gods protecting this event came through. After a little bit of fog appeared on Lisbon’s famous 25 Abril Bridge, the sun was smiling through the clouds throughout the race.

So, that was the perfect signal everybody wanted as the race commenced. With the start at sea level (without crossing the bridge) the elite field ran against the clock as the organisers predicted.

By the 10th kilometre (27:53), the race was practically defined. By then, Tadese was running alone against the clock - the rabbits lasted for only nine kilometers – and produced the race of life. So far, that is!

20Km World record first to fall

Inside of World record pace, even when he reached 15Km in 41:33 (four seconds behind Felix Limo’s 41:29 World record set in 2001), Tadese forced the pace to another level. The Half Marathon World record was well within reach when he crossed the 20Km marker in 55:21*, 27 seconds faster then Haile Gebrselassie’s World record of 55:48 set in 2006.

The reigning World silver medallist in the 10,000m forged onward to clock 58:23, smashing by 10 seconds Wanjiru’s mark set at The Hague in 2007.

“I felt very good, and looking for a performance just like that,” said Tadese, who had a previous personal best of 58:59 over the distance set at the 2007 World Half Marathon Championships in Udine, Italy.

“I’m in a good shape. Kilometre after kilometre I achieved more courage and determination and always believed that I can get the world record.”

Afterwards, Tadese opened the window to the near future. “I hope to be in the same shape and to use the same skills to try for the world record in the London Marathon.” Impressed the event’s organisation, Tadese promised to return to what he described as “ a marvelous city and course!”

By the 10th kilometre is was clear that there were two races today, Tadese’s run against the clock, and the one for the runner-up spot. By the 15th kilometre Kenyan Sammy Kitwara, the winner of 2009 Rotterdam Half Marathon and the 2008 Paris Half Marathon, was 24 seconds behind Tadese, and by the finish the margin didn’t change. He was second in 59:47, a personal best, ahead of his compatriot Emmanuel Mutai, the 2009 World silver medalist in the Marathon, who clocked 1:00:03, also a personal best.

Duncan Kibet (1:00:21) was fourth and Gilbert Masai (1:00:28) fifth, both with personal bests.

Two-time World Marathon champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco was still in contention for a podium spot at 15Km, but faded in the waning stages to finish a distant sixth in 1:00:33.

Amid the African domination, former European 10,000m champion “Chema” Martinez of Spain was the first European across the line, finishing 11th in 1:02:52, 46 seconds ahead of the first Portuguese, Hermano Ferreira, who was 13th with 1:03:38.

Arusei dominates women’s race

With the spotlight on the men contest, the women race didn’t get quite the same attention, with the results considerably more modest.

As in the men’s race, Peninah Arusei was in the lead from the early stages, and passed 15Km in 48:14, more than 1:30 ahead of her closest pursuer. The winner of the 2010 Koyang Half Marathon and 2009 Berlin Half Marathon, didn’t falter en route to her 1:08:38 victory, eight seconds slower than American Kara Goucher’s course record set last year. But she was well clear of the runner-up Askale Tafa of Ethiopia who clocked 1:10:46.

Finishing off the podium, at age 40, was local heroine Fernanda Ribeiro. The former Olympic, World and European 10,000m champion clocked 1:12:17.

“It is fantastic being in the podium of a race of this dimension,” said Ribeiro, who is still very much revered in Portugal. “I’m very happy to be here, and achieving this podium for the third time in my career.” In previous appearances, Ribeiro finished second in 1999, third in 2000, and fourth in 2006.

IAAF President Diack pleased with race organisation

Among the guests this year was IAAF President Lamine Diack, who was invited to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the race. Diack was especially pleased to be on hand to witness Tadese’s World record on his first visit to this race.

Among the runners was Portuguese Prime Minister José Socrates.

António Manuel Fernandes for the IAAF

Leading Results -

Men -
1. Zersenay Tadese ERI 58.23 WR*
2. Sammy Kitwara KEN 59.47 PB
3. Emmanuel Mutai KEN 1.00.03 PB
4. Duncan Kibet KEN 1.00.21 PB
5. Gilbert Masai KEN 1.00.28 PB
6. Jaouad Gharib MAR 1.00.33
7. Gedion Ngatuny KEN 1.01.07
8. Mathew Kisorio KEN 1.01.10
9. Samuel Kosgei KEN 1.01.57
10. Ernest Kebenei KEN 1.02.01
11. “Chema” Martinez ESP 1.02.52
12. Silas Sang KEN 1.02.57
13. Hermano Ferreira POR 1.03.38
14. Alberto Chaíça POR 1.03.52
15. Luís Feiteira POR 1.04.38

Women -
1. Peninah Jerop Arusei KEN 1.08.38
2. Askale Tafa ETH 1.10.46
3. Fernanda Ribeiro POR 1.12.17
4. Maria Jose Pueyo ESP 1.13.21 PB
5. Olga Glok RUS 1.14.00
6. Ksenia Agafonova RUS 1.14.24
7. Elizaveta Grechishnikova RUS 1.14.30
8. Mónica Rosa POR 1.14.35
9. Constantina Dita 1.14.39
10. Cruz Nonata da Silva BRA 1.14.59 PB

Impressive doubling in eThekwini - South African champs

Triple jumper Tumelo Thagane and distance runners Stephen Mokoka and Rene Kalmer stole the limelight at the South Africa Yellow Pages Senior Track and Field Championships in eThewkini over the weekend.

The two day event (20-21 March) was billed as a trial for the Africa Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, in July and the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, in October. Several athletes just out of their junior ranks captured senior titles. Such was the intensity of the contest that only three athletes managed to win two individual titles.

Thagane breaks through 17m barrier in Triple Jump

After many years of showing potential, Thagane finally realised his dream of breaking the 17m barrier. The question was not if he would win, but by what margin would he prevail over the rest of the field. In his final attempt, Thagane had a legal jump of 17.05m to improve on his career best of 16.69m. Thagane is the second South African to surpass the 17m barrier after record holder Godfrey Khotso Mokoena (17.25m).

“Surely, I did not expect such a huge jump so soon,” Thagane said. “I was confident I would win which gave me a relaxed feeling and probably contributed to this huge jump. Now that my dream of a 17 metre jump has been achieved, I can set my sights on breaking the national record and winning some silverware in Nairobi and New Delhi.”

Still on the infield Mokoena prevailed in the Long Jump with a leap of 8.01m. “I feel a little tired after the World Indoor Championships barely a week ago. So I hope to improve my distances as the season unfolds,” said Mokoena.

1500/10,000m double for Mokoka...

The most thrilling event of the championships was the men’s 1500m where Stephen Mokoka prevailed. On Saturday in his heat he surprised his opponents with a sprint for the finish line to set a lifetime best of 3:42.81. Barely 45 minutes later he went on to win the 10,000m in a life time best of 28:18.54. Second placed Gladwin Mzazi (28:20.40) also ran a personal best.

It is the 1500m final on Sunday that had fans guessing who would win. The lead changed several times between Mokoka, Juan van Deventer, Parson Mgagane, Mthombisi Baloyi, Molefe Molefe, Windy Jonas, and Dumisani Hlaselo.

Coming into the home straight Van Deventer looked set to win. However Mokoka moved out to lane four and mounted his devastating sprint for the finish line to carry the day in a life time best of 3:38.55.

“There was a lot of shuffling and elbowing throughout the race and I did not want to trip over and fall,” Mokoka said. “So I had to run carefully. I hope this leg speed will carry me to a good position at the World Cross country Championships next weekend in Poland.”

... and 1500/5000m double for Kalmer

Fresh from her World indoor debut Rene Kalmer began her weekend by winning the 5000m (15:51.32). Then she returned on Sunday to claim victory in 1500m in 4:08.61. Such was the pace that Lebogang Phalula who as second recorded a career best of 4:11.10 from 4:12.34.

“The scorching heat was far too hot for me,” Kalmer said. “So I decided to run a tactical race. Running a marathon (She won her debut at the Soweto marathon last November) has given me enormous strength. I look forwards to fast times in the 5000m this year.”

Elsewhere...

Sunette Viljoen (63.45m) posted her best throw in the javelin this year. The World Student Games, Africa, and Commonwealth Games champion is certain about something. “This year I will break the 65.43m record I set at the World Student Games in Belgrade (Serbia) last year.”

Other notable performances came from Reuben Ramolefi (8:21.74) and Teboho Masehla (10:00.84) in the men’s and women’s 3000m steeplechase respectively and by Mapaseka Makhanya (2:04.07) and Tshamano Setone (13:45.71) in women’s 800m and men’s 5000m. Cornel Fredericks (49.70) won the 400m Hurdles. Ofentse Mogawane (45.91) and Namibian Tjipekapora Herunga (52.59) claimed titles in the men’s and women’s 400m.

Cindy Stewart who took the 100m and 200m titles in 11.57 and and 23.42, was the third double winner of the weekend. Although their efforts were wind assisted defending champions Simon Magakwe (10.22) and Thuso Mpuang (20.57) were worthy victors in 100m and 200m respectively.

Veteran hammer thrower Chris Harmse (73.54m) extended his streak to 15 national titles in a row, a record unprecedented in South African athletics history. “I hope to get up to 77 metres so that I am within the medal bracket at the Commonwealth Games,” said Harmse, who is also the Africa record holder in the event.

Mark Ouma for the IAAF

Mokoka kicks past Juan to secure double

Stephen Mokoka produced a stunning turn of speed to spring the surprise of the meeting and secure a rare double on day two of the Yellow Pages South African Athletics Championships at Kings Park in Durban on Sunday.

Mokoka, who had set a personal best in the 1 500m heats and won the 10 000m final within 90 minutes on Saturday, outsprinted Olympic finalist Juan van Deventer to win the metric mile in 3:38.55, improving his personal record by another four seconds.

After taking control early on, Mokoka was passed by Van Deventer, who dragged the rest of the field past him at the bell, and Mokoka appeared to have fallen out of contention. But with less than 100m to go he tore past on the outside to clinch gold by 0.18 seconds.

"The first lap was slow, so I went to the front and picked up the pace," Mokoka said after the race.

"There was lots of pushing at the front, so with a lap to go I let them go past, but I knew I had enough left to catch them again."

Rene Kalmer added the 1 500m title to the gold she won over 5 000m on Saturday, pulling clear of twin sisters Lebo and Lebogang Phalula to take victory in 4:08.61.

Ruben Ramolefi made a brave attempt at his national 3 000m steeplechase record, but eventually fell well short in a solo effort, while Tebogo Masehla was made to work hard in defence of her women's title.

Ramolefi went out hard from the start in a pre-planned attempt to better his 8:11:63 South African record but, with nobody to help with the pace, he missed the mark by more than 10 seconds, although he retained his national title in 8:21:74. Edwin Molepo was second in 8:38:53.

Two seconds ahead of schedule with three laps to go, Ramolefi said he had taken his foot off the pedal.

"I think I slowed down too much when I realised I was ahead of the plan, and that‘s where I lost it," he said.

"It's very hard to get back on schedule once you fall behind."

Myrette Filmalter almost caused an upset after Masehla also went after her national record of 9:55:11 in the women's race.

She gradually closed the gap which Masehla had opened early on and eventually caught and passed the defending champion going over the water jump with a little less than 1 000m to go.

But Masehla held on and regained the lead on the last lap, pulling away to win in 10:00.84. Filmalter improved her personal best by more than 10 seconds, taking the silver medal in 10:03:07.

Cindy Stewart secured the women's sprint double, winning the 100m in 11.57 and returning three hours later to clinch gold over 200m in 23.42.

Thuso Mpuang retained his men's 200m title in 20.57, narrowly defeating Wilhelm van der Vyver by 0.03 seconds, with Simon Magakwe defending his 100m title in 10.22.

Sunette Viljoen produced the most impressive performance in the throwing events, which were negatively affected by a strong wind, with a 63.45m season's best to win the women's javelin. Tazmin Brits sprung a surprise to take the silver medal (56.18m) ahead of former African champion Justine Robbeson who placed third in 55.90m.

Hardus Pienaar set a season's best to win the men's javelin throw with a best effort of 79.22m, relegating defending champion Robert Oosthuizen to second place with a best of 77.80m.

Commonwealth women's discus champion Elizna Naude was nowhere near top form - falling more than seven metres short of her season's best - but nonetheless won her event comfortably with a best distance of 57.47m.

Another Commonwealth champion, however, fell prey to a new rule that no longer allows athletes a warning in the case of a false start. LJ van Zyl left his blocks early in the men's 400m hurdles final and was forced to watch from the sidelines as 20-year-old Cornel Fredericks secured gold in a personal best 49.70.

Six athletes reached the A qualifying standards in their events for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October, bringing the tally of South African qualifiers to 15, including those who had already met the standards before the national championships.

RESULTS

Men: 100m:
1 Simon Magakwe (ACNW) 10.22
2 Leigh Julius (EPA) 10.31
3 Thuso Mpuang (AFS) 10.36

200m:
1 Thuso Mpuang (AFS) 20.57
2 Wilhelm van der Vyver (BOLA) 20.60
3 Simon Magakwe (ACNW) 20.74

400m:
1 Ofentse Mogawana (ANWN) 45.89
2 Sibusiso Sishi (CGA) 46.09
3 Willie de Beer (AGN) 46.86

800m:
Ettienne Plaatjies (ACNW) 1:47.67
2 William Mothosola (AFS) 1:48.20
3 Jan Masanamela (AMPU) 1:48.21

1 500m:
1 Stephen Mokoka (AGN) 3:38.55
2 Juan van Deventer (CGA) 3:38.73
3 Pharson Magagane (LIMA) 3:39.50

5 000m:
1 Tshamano Setone (CGA) 13:45.71
2 Elroy Gelant (ACNW) 13:45.84
3 Olebogeng Masire (ACNW) 13:46.32

10 000m:
1 Stephen Mokoka (AGN) 28:18.54
2 Gladwin Mzazi (AVT) 28:20.40
3 Lungisa Mdedelwa (ATRA) 28:32.18

110m hurdles:
Andre Storm (ACNW) 13.86
2 Louw Smit (BOLA) 14.01
3 Ruan de Vries (AGN) 14.19

400m hurdles:
1 Cornel Fredericks (BOLA) 49.70
2 Wouter le Roux (AGN) 50.34
3 Johan Hanekom (AGN) 51.23

3 000m steeplechase:
1 Ruben Ramolefi (CGA) 8:21.74
2 Edwin Molopo (ACNW) 8:38.53
3 Tisetso Masehla (CGA) 8:51.23

20km walk:
1 Thami Hlatwayo (AGN) 1:30:46
2 Pierre de Villiers (CGA) 1:35:26
3 Werner Appel (CGA) 1:35:28

Decathlon:
1 Sors Joubert (BOLA) 7 323
2 Zavion Kotze (ACNW) 6 665
3 Willem de Bruin (CGA) 6 539

High jump:
1 Calvin-Lee Maclangwe (CGA) 2.15
2 Hurbert de Beer (AGN) 2.10
3 Ruan Claasen (CGA) 2.05

Pole vault:
Johan du Plessis (BOLA) 4.80
2 Riaan Botha (AGN) 4.80
3 Eben Beukes (CGA) 4.70

Long jump:
1 Khotso Mokoena (AGN) 8.01
2 Keenan Watson (WPA) 7.75
3 Zarck Visser (CGA) 7.70

Triple jump:
1 Tumelo Thagane (ACNW) 17.05
2 Rodger Haitengi (CGA) 16.14
3 Charles le Roux (AGN) 15.85

Shot put:
1 Roelie Potgieter (AGN) 19.38
2 Burger Lambrechst (AGN) 18.46
3 Orazio Cremona (AGN) 17.87

Discus throw:
1 Victor Hogan (BOLA) 55.93
2 Dean Wattrus (ACNW) 53.60
3 Dewald van Heerden (CGA) 52.69

Hammer throw:
1 Chris Harmse (AFS) 73.54
2 Johan Kruger (BOL) 60.39
3 Douw Steenkamp (AMPU) 60.18

Javelin throw:
1 Hardus Pienaar (AGN) 79.22
Robert Oosthuizen (BOLA) 77.80
3 Tobie Holtzhauzen (ACNW) 71.94

Women: 100m:
Cindy Stewart (EPA) 11.57
2 Carina Horn (AGN) 11.74
3 Stacey Gardiner (INWPA) 11.83

200m:
1 Cindy Stewart (EPA) 23.42
2 Carina Horn (AGN) 23.86
3 Sonja van der Merwe (WPA) 24.30

400m:
1 Estie Wittstock (AGN) 52.72
2 Alet van Wyk (AGN) 53.66
3 Sonja van der Merwe (WPA) 54.06

800m:
Maphaseka Makhanya (CGA) 2:04.07
2 Mandi Brand (CGA) 2:05.90
3 Anuscha Nice (AGN) 2:06.92

1 500m:
1 Rene Kalmer (CGA) 4:08.61
2 Lebogang Phalula (CGA) 4:11.10
3 Lebo Phalula (CGA) 4:13.98

5 000m:
1 Rene Kalmer (CGA) 15:51.32
2 Lebo Phalula (CGA) 15:58.34
3 Thozama April (AGN) 16:12.69

10 000m:
1 Irvette van Blerk (CGA) 34:20.17
2 Thozama April (AGN) 34:35.27
3 Mpho Mabuza (CGA) 35:05.62

100m hurdles:
Rikanette Steen amp (AGN) 13.66
2 Janet Wienand (BOLA) 13.70
3 Janice Josephs (BOLA) 14.13

400m hurdles:
1 Wenda Theron (AGN) 57.32
2 Mariska Meintjies (AVT) 59.51
3 Jana Theron (ACNW) 59.79

3 000m steeplechase:
1 Tebogo Masehla (CGA) 10:00.84
2 Myrette Film alter (AGN) 10:03.07
3 Nolene Conrad (CGA) 10:35.52

20km walk:
1 Susan Swanepoel (AGN) 1:50:22
2 Nomsa Buthelezi (CGA) 1:52:01
3 Michelle Hopkins (CGA) 1:53:19

Heptathlon:
1 Janet Wienand (BOLA) 5 043
2 Bianca Erwee (ACNW) 4 650
3 Bianca Erasmus (AGN) 4 300

High jump:
1 Marcoleen Pretorius (ACNW) 1.75
2 Rene Oosthuizen (AGN) 1.75
3 June Roelofse (AGN) 1.70

Pole vault:
1 Deone Joubert (CGA) 3.80
2 Honorata Saar (AGN) 3.70
3 Monique van Noordwyk (BOL) 3.60

Long jump:
1 Janice Josephs (BOLA) 6.32
2 Delia Smith (AMPU) 6.19
3 Patience Ntshingila (ACNW) 6.18

Triple jump:
1 Patience Ntshingila (ACNW) 12.83
2 Cindy Peters (CGA) 12.68
3 Kelly Kingwell (CGA) 12.23

Shot put:
1 Bianca van Rooyen (CGA) 14.03
Sonia Smuts (AGN) 13.81
3 Justine Robbeson (ACNW) 13.39

Discus throw:
1 Elizna Naude (AGN) 57.47
2 Maryke Oberholzer (AGN) 48.49
3 Simone Meyer (KZNA) 46.59

Hammer throw:
1 Annemie Smith (ASWD) 52.75
2 Karin le Roux (BOL) 52.03
3 Magdaleen Louw (EPA) 50.00

Javelin throw:
1 Sunette Villon (ACNW) 63.45
2 Tazmin Brits (ACNW) 56.18
3 Justine Robbeson (ACNW) 55.90

Kamais and Yamauchi Triumph at NYC Half-Marathon















Peter Kamais of Kenya and Mara Yamauchi of Great Britain won the 2010 NYC Half-Marathon on Sunday morning on a day made for fast, competitive distance running.

Kamais, 33, ran 59:53 to score a surprise victory against a field that included multiple World record-holder and 2007 NYC Half champion Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, who dropped out. Yamauchi, 36, passed Olympic medallist and U.S. Marathon and Half Marathon record-holder Deena Kastor in the 12th mile to take the victory in an event-record time of 1:09:25.

Gebrselassie, the heavy favorite, led the field through a 14:33 opening 5Km, accompanied by Kamais, Moses Kigen Kipkosgei of Kenya, Mohamed Trafeh of the United States, and Bekana Daba of Ethiopia.

Gebrselassie and Kamais gradually pulled away and ran together over the undulating park terrain. But the legendary Gebrselassie, who set the event record of 59:24 here in 2007, didn’t look entirely comfortable, and after exiting the park in the eighth mile he stepped to the side of the road, holding his chest. Kamais surged into the lead.

“After 10K I knew that I’d win this race. I was feeling comfortable,” said Kamais, who ran 27:09 to win the Brabants Dagblad 10K in Tilburg, The Netherlands, last year. He continued unopposed through Times Square, west on 42nd Street to the flat West Side Highway, and south to the finish in Lower Manhattan.

Gebrselassie briefly rejoined the race before dropping out in the ninth mile; he had been suffering from a cold in the days leading up to the race. The race for second place was a nail-biter, with Kigen prevailing over Trafeh by one second, 1:00:38 to 1:00:39, in a sprint finish.

Yamauchi ran a smart, patient race, dropping off the torrid 5:05-per-mile pace set by Kastor early on and then gradually reeling in the American over the final miles.

“My race went from bad to good today,” said Yamauchi, who is based in Japan but has been training in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “When Deena took off, I thought well, that’s too bad. Then, when I saw Deena again, I thought, maybe this isn’t so bad. But I didn’t think it was going to go well until that last long stretch at the end, and I’m really pleased with the time.”

Yamauchi’s winning 1:09:25 put her 18 seconds ahead of Kastor, who tied Catherine Ndereba’s 2006 event-record time of 1:09:43. Madai Perez of Mexico finished a close third in 1:09:45. Yamauchi and Kastor will meet again next month at the Virgin London Marathon; Perez will run the Boston Marathon on April 19.

This was the fifth edition of the NYC Half-Marathon and the first springtime running; the race took place in the summer from 2006 through 2009. A record 11,494 people finished the race.

New York Road Runners (organizers) for the IAAF

Surprise in Seoul – Teimet clocks 2:06:49 – Seoul International Marathon

Kenyan Sylvester Teimet took a surprise and fast victory at the Seoul International Marathon today, clocking a course record 2:06:49.

As promised, the 81st edition of the Dong-A Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race also called the Seoul International Marathon, was a fast one at the top end, with the runner-up Gilbert Kiwa also dipping under 2:07 with his 2:06.59 run. Amane Gobena of Ethiopia won the women’s race in 2:24:13, well ahead of China’s Zhou Chunxiu who clocked 2:25:01.

The men’s race began with a fast pace from the start with the first 5Km reached in 15:10. Already the second 5Km was enough to drop most runners from the lead group with only nine left in contention after 10Km. The leaders reached the marker in exactly 30 minutes, with the second 5Km run in 14:50. The next 5Km (15:32) was the slowest in the race, leaving the same group of nine at the front.

Two more were dropped by 20Km (1:00:35) with four Kenyans, two Koreans and Yared Asmeron of Eritrea still in the hunt. The next 5Km was the fastest of the race in 14:43 and although the pace dropped a bit before 30Km (1:30:31), only five were running for the win at this stage. With the pace this good, dramatic changes in the lead were afoot. At 35Km only three Kenyans - Teimet, Kirwa and Paul Kirui were left with compatriot David Kiyeng lagging four seconds. Asmeron suffered badly from 30-35km, losing almost a minute, and the Koreans were going downwards fast too.

Again another fast 5km towards the end (35-40Km) in 14:48 saw former World Half Marathon champion Kirui fall back, leaving on Teimet and Kirwa. Some of the leading Koreans who had been amongst the leaders just a while earlier lost two to three minutes during this 5Km.

The 26-year-old Teimet, who finished third in this race last year, dropped Kirwa over the final couple of kilometers to clinch the victory, lowering his personal best by an unthinkable three minutes and four seconds to 2:06:49. Kirwa ran a season’s best 2:06:59 losing by 10 seconds in the end to join Teimet as the first sub-2:07 runners in Korea. The 30-year-old Kirui was third in 2:07:35, his fastest time in three years and David Kiyeng completed a Kenyan 1-2-3-4 with a 2:09:00 season’s best.

Asmeron lost a lot of ground in the second half of the race finishing in fifth place in 2:11:46, The best Korean was Park Young-Min, who clocked 2:12:43 for sixth. Kim Min in seventh and Yu Young-Jin eighth both set personal bests 2:13:11 and 2:13:13 respectively.


32-year-old Kenyan William Kipsang, a winner here five years ago, ran his first marathon since 2008, but didn’t do well finishing well back in 33rd with a time of 2:24:11.

Gobena strikes in 35th kilometer - women’s race

The women’s contest was run with a very even pace which didn’t promise anything like the sub-2:20 Zhou Chunxiu had clocked here before. Still the race started with a pace well below a 2:25 target with the top runners passing 10Km 33:37. But the next 5Km killed the thoughts of a fast time, a minute slower than the first two in 17:50 and at 15Km there were five runners left at the top.

Again the pace picked up a bit during the next 10Km, which first dropped 20-year-old Korean Kim Sung-Eun and then 23-year-old Chinese Wang Xueqin from the leading trio. By 25Km (1:25:03) only the two main favourites - Chinese Zhou Chunxiu and Ethiopian Amane Gobena, who had already won the Osaka Marathon in January – were left. Kenyan Caroline Kilel was already 14 seconds behind the leading pair and lost more than a minute from 25 to 30Km.

Gobena and Zhou were still together at 30Km, but then the 27-year-old Ethiopian made here move gaining a massive 45 seconds before the 35th kilometre to bag her second major Marathon win this year. Gobena lowered her personal best to 2:24:13 with Zhou, not losing more in the last seven kilometres, in second with a 2:25:01 clocking, her fastest time since 2007.

Kilel held on for third in 2:26:58 and Wang Xueqin set a personal best 2:28:17 for fourth. The young Kim Sung-Eun clocked 2:29:27, also a PB, for fifth. Kenyan Martha Komu was sixth in 2:30:36.

Mirko Jalava for the IAAF

Blackburn 1 - 1 Chelsea

El-Hadji Diouf's header earned a point for Blackburn as Chelsea's title aspirations took a blow at Ewood Park.


















Thursday 25/03/2010

Van Zyl back to winning ways

Commonwealth champion LJ van Zyl bounced back from the disappointment he faced at the South African Athletics Championships last weekend, taking revenge over national champion Wouter le Roux by winning the men's 400m hurdles race at the fourth Yellow Pages Series meeting at the University of Johannesburg on Wednesday evening.

In Durban on Sunday, Van Zyl was disqualified after a false start and was forced to watch from the sidelines as Le Roux defended his national crown. But, three days later, he made no mistakes, setting a season's best of 49.45 to beat Le Roux by 0.63 seconds, restamping his authority as South Africa's best one-lap hurdler.

Few others took advantage of the cool and overcast conditions, however, with the nation's top athletes clearly still recovering from the performances they put in at the weekend.

One-lap specialist Estie Wittstock dropped down in distance to snatch the short sprint double.

She won the 100m in 11.75 seconds, with Carina Horn taking second in 11.95 and India's Srabani Nanda placing third a further 0.08 seconds behind. And 90 minutes later, Wittstock returned to add the 200m victory in a time of 23.66, with Namibian Tjipekapora Herunga taking second in 24.14. National champions Simon Magakwe (10.35) and Thuso Mpuang (20.82) won the men's 100m and 200m sprints respectively.

Teenager Rikenette Steenkamp, 17, improved her personal best in the women's 100m hurdles, clocking 13.61 and falling only 0.13 seconds shy of the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard, with Janet Wienand taking seconds in 13.69. South African champion Wenda Theron missed the qualifying standard by 0.39 seconds in the women's 400m hurdles with a season's best of 57.06, easily defeating Olga Razanamalala of Madagascar who placed second in 59.16.

Cindy Peters produced the best jump of her life in the women‘s triple jump, leaping 12.91m to beat national champion Patience Ntshingila by only 1cm.

Windy Jonas tore away from the field to comfortably win the men's 800m by almost three seconds in 1:46.77, relegating Botswana's Onalenna Baloi into a distant second in 1:49.50. And Lebogang Phalula put on a superb display of front running to win the women's 800m in 2:04.59, easily defeating national champion Maphaseka Makhanya, who finished second in 2:06.21, and Rene Kalmer who was third in 2:07.05.

African record holder Sunette Viljoen narrowly edged Justine Robbeson in a closely fought contest in the women's javelin throw, although their performances were poorly affected by the overcast conditions.

Viljoen won with a best effort of 57.82 metres, and Robbeson took second with 57.40m.

The Yellow Pages series now moves on to the fifth event in Stellenbosch on March 30 before the sixth and final meeting in Germiston on April 6.

RESULTS

Men:

100m:
1 Simon Magakwe 10.35,
2 Hannes Dreyer 10.39,
3 Kagiso Kumbane 10.41

200m:
1 Thuso Mpuang 20.82,
2 Snyman Prinsloo 20.95,
3 Hannes Dreyer 20.98

400m:
Sibusiso Sishi 46.32,
2 Sakara America (BOT) 46.40,
3 Thapelo Ketlogetswe (BOT) 46.52

800m:
1 Windy Jonas 1:46.77,
2 Onalenna Baloi (BOT) 1:49.50,
3 Adriaan van Wyk 1:49.57

3 000m:
1 Olebogeng Masire 8:05.12,
2 Mthobisi Baloyi 8:06.39,
3 Gladwin Mzazi 8:06.57

110m hurdles:
1 Andre Storm 13.95,
2 Louw Smit 13.98,
3 Ruan de Vries 14.00

400m hurdles:
1 LJ van Zyl 49.45,
2 Wouter le Roux 50.08,
3 Kurt Couto (MOZ) 51.18

High jump:
1 Hurbert de Beer 2.10,
2 (tie) Onnanye Ramohube (BOT)/Saloman Tauire

Pole vault:
1 Ruan van Wyk 4.80,
2 (tie) Riaan Botha/Eben Beukes 4.60

Long jump:
1 Keenan Watson 7.89,
2 Zarck Visser 7.55,
3 Stefan Brits 7.53

Triple jump:
Tumelo Thagane 16.78,
2 Roger Haitengi 16.38,
3 Apelele Rasmeni 15.50

Shot put:
1 Roelie Potgieter 19.02,
2 Orzio Cremona 18.93,
3 Burger Lambrechts 18.73

Hammer throw:
1 Chris Harmse 72.82,
2 Kristiaan Bekker 64.94,
3 Johan Kruger 64.57

Women:

100m:
1 Estie Wittstock 11.75,
2 Carina Horn 11.88
3 Srabani Nanda (IND) 11.95

200m:
1 Estie Wittstock 23.66,
2 Tjipekapora Herunga (NAM) 24.14,
3 Bevan Smith 24.28

400m:
1 Alet van Wyk 53.65,
2 Sonja van der Merwe 54.90,
3 Eugenie Wicksell 55.46

800m:
1 Lebogang Phalula 2:04.59,
2 Maphaseka Makhanya 2:06.21,
3 Rene Kalmer 2:07.05

3 000m:
Irvette van Blerk 9:46.13,
2 Thozama April 9:51.30,
3 Christine Kalmer 9:52.05

100m hurdles:
1 Rikenette Steenkamp 13.61,
2 Janet Wienand 13.69,
3 Erika Kleynhans 14.26

400m hurdles:
1 Wenda Theron 57.06,
2 Olga Razanamalala (MAD) 59.16,
3 Jana Theron 59.51

Pole vault:
1 Deone Joubert 3.75,
2 Honorata Saar 3.60,
3 Nishikori Creighton 3.60

Triple jump:
1 Cindy Peters 12.91,
2 Patience Ntshingila 12.90,
3 Matsi Dikotla 12.58

Shot put:
1 Lizaan Jordaan 13.01,
2 Sonnika Knoetze 13.72,
3 Bianca van Rooyen 13.88

Javelin throw:
1 Sunette Viljoen 57.82,
2 Justine Robbeson 57.40,
3 Gezelle Bernard 52.13

Race no 22739!

Monday 02/03/2009

I am still sick from Peninsula so opted not to do the Koeberg 15km this weekend. 

The runners that ran the Cango 42/21 had perfect weather and PB runs! Thanks Bellville AC for the photo's!

I've entered the Two Oceans ultra and saw the nice t-shirts the ultra runners will be getting this year!








Reuben Ramolefi, Janus Robberts sparkle in Stellenbosch

Full results!

WPA Senior Track & Field Team

The Western Province team to represent the province at the SA Senior Track & Field Championships has been announced.

Tuesday 03/03/2009

Got any friends doing the Cape Argus / Pick & Pay Cycle Tour this Sunday? Cornel & Smuts will. Best of luck guys!!!!!!!!

Found some pictures of the fire we saw in Lourensford while attending a funeral Saturday.

Friday 06/03/2009

Radcliffe out of London Marathon

Britain's Paula Radcliffe was on Thursday ruled out of next month's London Marathon with a broken toe and will contemplate surgery in order to be fully fit for August's world championships in Berlin.

World record holder Radcliffe, who was aiming to win her fourth London title on April 26, sustained an injury to her right second toe while altitude training in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday.

"I am desperately disappointed that I have to pull out of this year's race," Radcliffe, who was London Marathon champion in 2002, 2003 and 2005," said in a statement.

"I was looking forward to running in front of the amazing crowds of spectators in London that always offer such great support."

She added: "I am considering surgery to get myself totally healthy as soon as physically possible and ultimately prevent the bunion causing any future problems."

Mokoena up against top African long jumper

South Africa's Olympic silver medallist Khotso Mokoena will have his work cut out on Friday night in Germiston at the Yellow Pages Series final when he will be tested by one of Africa's best long jump athletes, Ndiss Kaba Badji.

The high ranking Senegalese, with a career best distance of 8,20m to his credit in the long jump, finished sixth at the Beijing Olympic Games with a distance of 8,16m and will provide Mokoena, who has already jumped 8,15m this year, with much needed competition.

The long jump will be one of the many highlights at the meeting as South Africa's best athletes will be striving to achieve a qualification standard for the IAAF World Championships in Berlin in August.

The meeting will also see participation by a number of top international athletes from Germany, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Mauritius, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi in his first outing in the 800m event will be up against his old rival, Hezekiel Sepeng, as well as a number of the young lions who have impressed so far this season.

Zwartberg Runners uploaded their Cango marathon photos!