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Shobukhova wins Prague Half-Marathon in photo finish

Posted March 25th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Liliya Shobukhova made her half-marathon debut a memorable one, winning the Hervis Prague Half-Marathon today by an eyelash over defending champion Caroline Kwambai.

Both women were timed in 1:11:14, well off of Kwambai’s course record of 1:10:08 set last year. Shobukhova, the 2006 IAAF World Indoor Championships silver medalist at 3000m from Russia, used her 4:03.78 1500m speed to touch the finish tape just centimeters ahead of Kwambai from Kenya.

In the men’s race, Patrick Ivuti broke Silas Kirui’s course record, breaking the finish tape in 1:01-flat. Defending champion Stephen Kibiwott finished third in 1:01:54, with Jacob Yator sandwiched between his two Kenyan compatriots in 1:01:20.

Unlike the conditions faced by the athletes running today’s IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Mombasa, the weather in Prague was windy, cool and damp, around 10°C (50°F). Nonetheless, the event had a record 5700 entrants (finishers not available yet).