The International Half Marathon of Rabat in its
5th edition was a real success in terms of achieved results. The 5,000
participants men and women benefited from a wonderful day and course of their
choice, beside an organisation which is getting better each year.
Right after departure, the Moroccans Beday and
Mobsit were at one side in front and at the other side there were Chebet from
Kenya and Tujuba Megersa from Ethiopia and it was only along the last 3,000m
that Chebet managed to project ahead and imposed himself in 60 min 41, a performance rather
normal for Chebet who achieved more than once performances under 60mn. Beday Ahmed from Morocco will profit by this
competition to achieve a performance of 61mn 03.
As for women, Asmae Laghzaoui from Morocco with
2 min before the ladies behind her had no difficulty in imposing herself.
Women
PL.
Name
country
1
Asmaa Laghzaoui MAR
1: 10: 28
2
Irene
Kwambai
KEN
1: 12: 14
3
Atsede Baysa ETH
1: 12: 21
4
Assahsah Malika
MAR
1: 13: 42
5
Samira Raif
MAR
1: 15: 02
6
Emily
Chemutai KEN
1: 16: 15
7
Fila
Laila
MAR
1: 16: 54
8
Bazodi Hanane MAR
1: 17: 00
9
Hafida Naghmouch
MAR
1: 17: 17
10 Ghanani
Bitita
MAR
1: 18: 09
Men
PL.
Name
country
1
Wilson Chebet
KEN
1: 00: 41
2
Baday Ahmed
MAR
1: 01: 03
3
Tujuba
Megersa
ETH 1: 01: 34
4
Najim
Elqaby
MAR
1: 01: 51
5
Abdellah
Taghrafet MAR
1: 02: 00
6
Mohsin
Moubsit
MAR
1: 03: 15
7
Adam
Khamis BHR
1: 03: 27
8
Riyad ElMostapha MAR
1: 03: 32
9
Ali Mabrouk El Zaidi
LBA
1: 03: 33
10 Wesely
Langat
KEN
1: 03: 44
12/05/2009 Rwanda: Disi Out of Kigali Marathon
Rwanda's top long distance runner
Dieudonne Disi will not take part in this year's Kigali international marathon
scheduled for May 24, informs The New Times.
Disi told Times Sport over the
weekend through e-mail that he will not take part in the marathon because he is
still nursing a leg injury he sustained during the Paris marathon last month.
"I will just be a spectator because I can't run," Disi said.
The 28-year-old however, expects to
be fit for the Berlin Marathon slate for August in Germany.
Last year's event was won by Kenyan
trio of Jacob Kenfagor, Maisei Kiplimo and Micah Kipserem.Kenyans were also
impressive in the women's full marathon, taking the first three slots.
11/05/2009 Kiplagat impresses in Eldoret - AK weekend meet #5
Eldoret, Kenya - The cream of Kenyan track stars was in Qatar for the Doha Super Grand Prix on Friday, but that did not take the shine off the fifth New KCC/Athletics Kenya weekend track and field meet at the Eldoret Municipal Stadium.
Considering that the competition was at the hub of Kenya’s distance running, it was always going to be a spectacular weekend alike for upstarts and seasoned runners shaking off the pre-season dust and trying to get into shape to fight for tickets at next month’s highly competitive Kenyan trials for the IAAF World Championships in Berlin.
350 turn out for men’s 5000m!
And what an amazing turnout in was!
The men’s 10,000m, 5,000m, 1,500m and 800m races were all run in separate heats due to the large number of athletes these races attracted. In the 10,000m, 100 athletes turned out forcing the organisers to split the race into three heats with the winners picked by the best times. The men’s 5000m drew a massive 350 athletes while 205 runners showed up for the 800m, turnouts that would make any country seeking to break into distance running green with envy.
Among the stars of the weekend was World Cross Country Championships’ senior women’s champion Florence Kiplagat who has been nursing a nagging ankle injury she picked up in the build-up to the Amman championships in March.
Good speed workout for Kiplagat
Kiplagat chose to compete in the 1500m to pick up speed as she prepares to shift to the 10,000m and challenge for a place in the Kenyan team to Berlin.
She won the race in 4:22.8 seconds, after a sprint finish that stunned pre-race favourites Janet Kiptoo and Jebichii Yator.
Running for the Kenya Police team, for whom she also won the national cross country title earlier this year, Kiplagat, married to Kenya’s senior men’s cross country champion Moses Mosop, was cautious until the final 50 metres when she blasted away from the pair to cheers from the 4000-strong crowd that flocked the murram track stadium named after Kenya’s Olympic legend and chairman of the country’s Olympics committee, Kipchoge Keino.
The mother of one said she would gradually shift up to the 10,000m after completely shaking off her injury.
“I’m happy to have won today’s race and I’m now taking 10,000 metres race as my priority for the World Championships in Berlin because the 5,000 metres will be so crowded and too competitive,” Kiplagat explained her programme after Saturday’s win.
The women’s 800m did not have Olympic champion and 2008 Golden League Jackpot winner, Pamela Jelimo, or World champion and Olympic silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei with the latter still slowly building up her season and the former in Doha where she finished 11th in the 1500m.
This gave the chance to 1500m specialist, Irene Jelagat, to win a tactical race in 2:09.0 after a 54-second first lap.
“The race was tactical and the win did not come as any surprise to me because I’ve have been doing a lot of practice,” Jelagat said.
“I’m now focusing on the national trials in my 1500m speciality,” added Jelagat who trains at the high altitude Global Training Centre in Kaptagat near Eldoret.
Peninah Jepchumba of Golazo Club won the 5000m after clocking 16:57.3 and finishing ahead of Esther Jemutai (Riruta Club, Nairobi) , timed at 17:14.2.
Halson Ruto, also of Golazo Club, completed the podium places in 17:14.6.
Elizabeth Rumokal won the 10,000m, run on Friday, in 34:13.7.
Ebuya and Kemboi upstaged in 1500m by newcomer Silas Kiplagat
The men’s races were not short of upsets either as rookie Silas Kiplagat floored seasoned runners and pre-race favourites Joseph Ebuya, Sammy Kitwara and Nicholas Kemboi to win the 1500m final.
His training under former World 3000m Steeplechase record holder Moses Kiptanui seems to be paying dividends as Kiplagat blasted away with 120 metres to go to win in three minutes and 45 seconds.
Silas Kosgei, running for the Administration Police team clocked 9:04.3 to win the competitive 3,000m steeplechase ahead of Hillary Yegon of Sikowet Club (9:07.1) and David Kilimo (9:07.4), who entered the race as an individual.
Another Administration Police runner, Wilson Kiprop, took the 10,000m title in 29:24 with Peterson Wachira of Isiolo Club and Kenneth Mutai of Golazo Club following in second and third placed in 29:45.4 and 29:49.0 respectively.
The next weekend meeting will be in Mombasa on 15 and 16 May.
Elias Makori for IAAF
Olympic triple jump winner Françoise Mbango is pressing charges against her
cousin, sprinter Félicité Engomé for alleged theft of precious sporting gear.
Engome is in jail, informs africathle twitter.
The organisers of Bosele marathon,
Botswana's premier athletics' event, expect this year's edition to be bigger
and better.
Last Wednesday, the organisers said
they have adopted the slogan: 'The Cresta Bosele Phikwe Marathon 2009 - The
Biggest Race in Botswana', for the race.
A press release from the marathon
organisers said invitations have been extended to all athletes across the
country.
"It is anticipated that this
year, the enrolment will increase since companies are now realising that
engaging their staff in sports does not only keep them healthy but is also a
team building exercise," said the release. Participation at the marathon
has more than doubled over the years.
On the race course, Gaborone runners
are expected to dominate the race that has been graced by names like Tiyapo
Maso, Ndabili Bashingili, Glody Dube, Kabo Gabaseme and James John. Defending
champion, Keineetse Moswasi of Kgale View Sports Club leads a star-studded
line-up expected at this year's event. In 2008, Moswasi emerged victorious in a
time of 2:21:52 hours, well below the race record of 2:14:57 hours recorded by
John in 2005.
The 24-year-old race was started in
1985 by Phil Roberts, a former Selebi-Phikwe Senior Secondary School teacher,
as a social event.
