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Lead Stories: Saturday, September 6, 2008

Kirui Sets Course Record at Vienna City Marathon

Posted April 27th, 2008 at 1:35 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Kenyan Abel Kirui set a course record winning today’s Vienna City Marathon in warm conditions, while Romanian Luminita Talpos defended her title.

Kirui crossed the finish line in 2:07:38, smashing Moroccan Lahoussine Mrikik’s 2006 course record of 2:08:20, and coming within five seconds of Ukrainian Aleksandr Kuzin’s Austrian all-comers record of 2:07:33 set in Linz in 2007. Kenyans took the top-6 positions, with debutant Duncan Kibet finishing second in 2:08:33 and Paul Biwott in third in 2:08:53.
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Lel Takes London Record in History-Making Race

Posted April 14th, 2008 at 10:20 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Like a bull at a rodeo, the men’s field at the 28th Flora London Marathon bolted out of the gate with reckless abandon. The athletes who were strong enough to hang on were rewarded with personal and national records, while others were thrown to the street, their hopes of victory incinerated by the fast pace.

But when the dust had settled at the grand finish line on The Mall, race director David Bedford’s bold experiment in aggressive pacemaking yielded –by several measures– the fastest men’s marathon of all-time, with three men cracking 2:06:00, and six men breaking 2:07:00, for the first time ever in a single race. Those times came after a breathtaking 62:12 first half which left some of the world’s best marathoners well off the pace.

“It was crazy,” said last year’s runner-up, Abderrahim Goumri, of the 14:21 (downhill) first 5-K.

But the fast pace, coupled with a cold and drenching rain which fell from the 18th through the 23rd miles, did little to knock defending champion Martin Lel (Pictured above) off of his game.
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Ryan Hall Takes Fifth at 2008 Flora London Marathon

Posted April 14th, 2008 at 5:46 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Marathons

U.S. marathon phenom Ryan Hall (Big Bear Lake, Calif.) on Sunday ran 2:06:17 to finish fifth at the Flora London Marathon, the opening race of the 2008 World Marathon Majors series. Martin Lel (KEN) successfully defended his title running a new course record of 2:05:15, American Khalid Khannouchi’s mark by 23 seconds.

Hall’s time makes him the second fastest American all-time for the marathon behind Khannouchi.
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2008 London Marathoners Assault Alltime List

Posted April 13th, 2008 at 7:36 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The 2008 Flora London Marathon produced 5 of the 22 fastest marathon times of all time, including the 5th, 6th and 7th fastest of all time (Martin Lel’s 2:05:15, Samuel Wanjiru’s 2:05:24 and Abderrahim Goumri’s 2:05:30). Not too far back were Emmanuel Mutai and Ryan Hall with the 17th and 23rd fastest times of all time, Mutai running a 2:06:15 and Hall just two seconds back in 2:06:17. Hall’s performance makes him the 2nd fastest American of all time, only 38 seconds behind Khalid Khannouchi’s 2:05:38 and the fastest American born marathoner of all time. Hall also became the 3rd fastest non-African marathoner of all time, behind only Brazil’s Ronaldo da Costa (2:06:05) and Japan’s Toshinari Takaoka’s (2:06:16). Hall also becomes the 17th fastest marathoner of all time. Here are the top marathers off all time:

01. 2:04:26 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) Berlin, 09/30/2007
02. 2:04:53 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) Dubai, 01/18/2008
03. 2:04:55 Paul Tergat (KEN) Berlin, 09/28/2003
04. 2:04:56 Sammy Korir (KEN) Berlin, 09/28/2003
05. 2:05:15 Martin Lel (KEN) London, 04/13/2008
06. 2:05:24 Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) London, 04/13/2008
07. 2:05:30 Abderrahim Goumri (MAR) London, 04/13/2008
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Kenya’s Lel Smashes Flora London Marathon Course Record

Posted April 13th, 2008 at 7:05 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

Kenya’s Martin Lel defended his title and smashed Khalid Khannouchi’s Flora London Marathon course record here today, clocking 2:05:15, a personal best. His compatriot, Samuel Wanjiru, stayed with Lel until the final turns before the finish, but was out-sprinted in the last 400m by the World Marathon Majors points leader. He finished second in 2:05:21, also a personal best. Abderrahim Goumri, last year’s runner-up, finished third in a Moroccan record 2:05:30.

American Ryan Hall, who fell back in the middle stages of the race after the blistering 62:12 first half began to take its toll, rebounded in the second half to finish fifth in 2:06:16 (unofficial), becoming the second-fastest American of all-time behind Khannouchi. Kenyan Emmanual Mutai held off Hall in the final sprint to take fifth in 2:06:14 (unofficial). With Deribe Merga taking sixth in 2:06:39 (unofficial), six men broke 2:07, the first time that has ever happened in marathon running.
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Martin Lel Earns Third London Marathon Title; Ryan Hall Sets PR & Finishes 5th

Posted April 13th, 2008 at 7:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

Martin Lel has earned his third Flora London Marathon championship; finishing in 2:05:15. Lel was followed by fellow Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru (2:05:25) and Abderrahim Goumri (2:05:31); marking the first time in history that three runners finished under 2:06.

Lel’s time set a new London Marathon course record; breaking the previous record set by American Khalid Khannouchi.

Although the elite men had been on pace for a new world record, they began to fall off their blistering pace just pass the half-way mark. This early, and almost a historical pace, caused a large divide between the top six finishers and the next large pack of leaders that included Kenya’s Felix Limo.

Ryan Hall, who 2004 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Stefano Baldini dubbed the future of the sport, set another PR with a time of 2:06:17 and finished in fifth place. Hall came in just one second behind fourth place finisher Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya.
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Gilmore Wins, Sets Course Record at Surf City USA Half-Marathon

Posted February 6th, 2008 at 12:45 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Peter Gilmore [MarathonGuide.com] of San Mateo, CA started his year and preparation for April’s Flora London Marathon with a victory at the Surf City USA Half Marathon on Sunday.

Gilmore edged Russia’s Dmitry Safronov by 11 seconds and set a new course record despite the poor weather conditions with a time of 1:03:53.

Although the race was largely a tune-up for London, Gilmore’s record-setting time and first place finish were welcome successes after being forced to drop out of the U.S. Olympic Men’s Marathon Trials last November due to illness.

With a win and successful 2008 debut under his belt, Gilmore now faces the arduous task of going up against an extremely competitive elite men’s field in London that includes reigning World and Olympic marathon champions Luke Kibet and Stefano Baldini, former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat, defending London and 2005 champion Martin Lel, world half-marathon record holder Sammy Wanjiru, former double World Champion Jaouad Gharib, and fellow Americans Ryan Hall and Olympic silver medalistMeb Keflezighi.
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Defending Champions to Return to Boston Marathon

Posted January 23rd, 2008 at 12:06 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Organizers of the Boston Marathon announced today that Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Lidiya Grigoryeva, their 2007 champions, planned to return to the race this year to defend their titles.

“We are very excited to have both of our defending champions returning for the 112th Boston Marathon,” said Guy Morse, executive director of the Boston Athletic Association through a media release sent by John Hancock Financial, the principal sponsor of the race. “Robert and Lidiya showed their strength by winning in difficult conditions in 2007. We look forward to seeing how they follow up on those victories in 2008.”

Cheruiyot, the 2006/2007 World Marathon Majors champion and Boston Marathon course record holder, got his third Boston victory in last year’s windy and rainy race, crossing the finish line in 2:14:13, the slowest winning time in 30 years. As in his previous Boston victories, Cheruiyot, 29, timed effort to perfection.
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Kogo Sets Course Record
in Houilles

Posted December 31st, 2007 at 12:54 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

Kenya’s Micah Kogo defended his title at yesterday’s Corrida Pedestre Internationale de Houilles in France, shaving one second off of eight-time winner Khalid Skah’s course record.

The 21 year-old Kogo clocked 27:56 for 10 km, just two seconds ahead of Ukrainian Sergey Lebid. His Kenyan compatriot, Paul Kosgei, was third in 28:02. Interestingly, Lebid is scheduled to run another 10-K today in Bolzano, Italy.
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Thrilling Finishes & Record- Breaking Performances Help World Marathon Majors Usher in Brand New Era

Posted December 12th, 2007 at 12:15 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Marathons

World, national and course records, thrilling finishes, more than 300,000 participants, and a championship race that went down to the final day highlighted the inaugural 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors Series, and ushered in a brand new era of growth and excitement in the sport.

After a six month break, the excitement will continue at the 2008 Flora London Marathon on April 13, followed eight days later by the 112th Boston Marathon on April 21.

Here is a look back at some of the many highlights from the 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors Series:

Record Breakers:

* 2006: Robert K. Cheruiyot (KEN) sets a course record of 2:07:14 at the 110th Boston Marathon.
* Deena Kastor (USA) sets a new American record of 2:19:36 in winning the 2006 Flora London Marathon, becoming the eighth woman to break 2:20:00.
* Ethiopians Haile Gebrselassie (2:05:56) and Gete Wami (2:21:34) each set national records in victory at the 2006 real,-BERLIN-MARATHON.
* Gebrselassie sets a new world record of 2:04:26 at the 2007 real,-BERLIN-MARATHON.
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