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Lead Stories: Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Despite Windy Conditions, Six Under One Hour in Rotterdam

Posted September 15th, 2008 at 9:22 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Despite a “flag cracking wind,” as agent Zane Branson described it, six men managed to break the one hour barrier at yesterday’s Fortis Rotterdam Half-Marathon in the Netherlands. Temperatures, however, were comfortably cool.

Patrick Makau Musyoki edged Kenyan compatriot Evans Cheruiyot to take the win, reversing the order of finish from last year. Both men were clocked at 59:29, 17 seconds off of Cheruiyot’s 2007 course record. Four more Kenyans also got under one hour: Wilson Chebet (59:33 PB), Paul Kosgei (59:37), Charles Munyeki (59:44) and Joseph Maregu (59:52).
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Kiplagat Nails Beijing Qualifier Behind Tufa’s 30:38.33 Victory in Nijmegen

Posted June 27th, 2008 at 12:12 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

The third time was a charm for two-time defending world road running champion Lornah Kiplagat.

The Kenyan-born Dutchwoman clocked 31:04.04 in the 10,000m at the Asics Nijmegen Global Athletic meet in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, on Wednesday, well under the Dutch Olympic selection standard of 31:22. She will now join her cousin, Hilda Kibet, on the Beijing squad.

Kiplagat, the world record holder in the half marathon, fell short of the standard at the European Cup 10,000m in Istanbul in April, and dropped out of another race in Utrecht on May 30. She was ill in early June, forced to spend some time in a hospital in Kenya.
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Dutchwoman Kibet Is First at 37th New York Mini 10-K

Posted June 7th, 2008 at 1:20 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Road Racing

In hot and sticky conditions, the Netherlands’ Hilda Kibet won the 37th edition of the NYRR New York Mini 10-K, adding her name to the list of stars who have won what is the oldest and most famous all-women’s road race in the world.

Kibet, who just qualified for the Dutch 10,000m team for the Beijing Olympics at a race in Utrecht last Saturday, was in a group of four women through the half-way mark on the winding and hilly course in Central Park (16:12). Kenya’s Everlyne Lagat was the first to fall back from this group, then a little injection of pace in the seventh kilometer put USA marathon record holder Deena Kastor a few steps behind.

Kibet was then left to battle with Mexico’s Madai Perez for the last two kilometers. With 800m to go Kibet pushed one more time, and it was enough to secure her second New York City road racing victory in her last two starts (she won the NYC Half-Marathon presented by NIKE last August).
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Jelimo, Gebrselassie Steal the Show in Hengelo

Posted May 24th, 2008 at 5:33 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Those fortunate enough to secure a ticket to this afternoon’s 26th edition of the Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in Hengelo witnessed a pair of stellar performances that will not be quickly forgotten: a legend of the sport who stubbornly and thankfully refuses to step aside, and the possible birth of another.

14 years after setting his first world record on the Hengelo track, Haile Gebrselassie (Pictured) returned to the venue carrying the role of sentimental favorite in the 10,000m, but in reality was an underdog in his quest to achieve a qualifying performance for a fourth consecutive Olympic team berth.
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Led by Kiplagat, Strong 10,000m Race Developing
in Utrecht

Posted May 13th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Double world record holder Lornah Kiplagat (Pictured) and her cousin Hilda Kibet plan to compete at the 2008 Utrecht Night of the 10,000m in the Netherlands on 30-May so they can qualify for the Beijing Olympics, event organizers announced yesterday.

Both Kiplagat, who holds the IAAF world records for both 20 km and the half-marathon, and Kibet need to run 31:22.00 or better in order to qualify for the Dutch Olympic team for Beijing, much faster than the IAAF Olympic Games “A” standard of 31:45.00. Both athletes had hoped to achieve the Dutch federation standard at the European Cup 10,000m in Istanbul last April, but fell short. Kiplagat finished second in 31:53.72 and Kibet third in a personal best 32:05.49.
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ChampionChip Develops New Permanent Timing System for Outdoor Sports in U.S.

Posted November 8th, 2007 at 4:03 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Gear & Apparel, Miscellaneous

ChampionChip has developed a new permanent timing system that can be incorporated in any outdoor sports setting; such as a track or public park. Called TimePoint, the system is currently installed in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. TimePoint is now available for U.S. installations.

The TimePoint system comprises three parts: ground antennas, the housing and a scoreboard display that shows an athlete his or her time as soon as he or she passes the system. The display is optional, but certainly adds a huge “wow” benefit to the system as athletes can see their time instantly displayed.

Additionally, run times are sent to the Internet and athletes can check the www.mychampionchip.com Web site for laps and training progress. They can compare and share their data with other athletes around the world.
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Amsterdam Marathon Ranked Number One For Speed

Posted November 7th, 2007 at 6:17 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Despite World Record holder Paula Radcliffe’s best efforts to tear up the tarmac in New York, the Amsterdam Marathon remains at the top of the World rankings of fastest marathon cities of 2007.

Frankfurt was fast enough to challenge the all-time fastest city Berlin, but Amsterdam has shaken off it’s laid back image to hold on to it’s dominant 1.83 minute lead at the top of the rankings.

The course that saw Kenyan winner Emmanuel Mutai smash his personal best from 2:13.06 to 2:06.29, also brought national success for Kamiel Maase, who bettered his own Dutch record by 10 seconds as the first European home in ninth place at 2:08.21.

2007 Rankings:
(Average times for the World rankings of fastest Marathon cities are calculated by the average of the 10 fastest finishers.)

1. Amsterdam 2.07.52
2. Frankfurt 2.09.35
3. Berlin 2.09.38
4. Hamburg 2.09.41
5. London 2.09.55
6. Paris 2.10.34
7. Eindhoven 2.11.51
8. New York 2.12.25
9. Rotterdam 2.12.28
10. Lake Biwa/Otsu 2.13.02
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VIDEO: Jeremy Wariner edges Gary Kikaya in the 400m

Posted May 28th, 2007 at 4:01 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

World and Olympic 400m champion Jeremy Wariner missed a $10,000 bonus after missing the 44 second barrier, but won his specialty handily in 44.43, well outside his season’s best and world-pacing 44.03 from Osaka. Gary Kikaya of the Democratic Republic of Congo was second.

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VIDEO: Hellebaut wins high jump at Dutch meet in IAAF World Athletics Tour

Posted May 27th, 2007 at 10:01 PM by Steven Schiff

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

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Gebrselassie; Bekele show excellent form in Hengelo

Posted May 27th, 2007 at 1:37 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

It has been nearly three years since he raced on the track, but Haile Gebrselassie showed excellent form tonight in Hengelo, breaking the 27 minute barrier for the eighth time in his illustrious career.

Gebrselassie, whose official age is 34 but many observers believe he is at least a few years older, finished fifth in 26:52.81. The race was won by his compatriot Sileshi Sihine who ran the second-fastest 10,000m of his career: 26:48.73. Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya was third in a personal best 26:49.01 and Moses Mosop was fourth in 26:49.55, also setting a personal best.

Gebrselassie has broken 27 minutes more times than any other runner. World record holder Kenenisa Bekele is next on the list with five sub-27:00 clockings, while Sihine is third with four.

Speaking of Bekele, he easily won the two-mile event in Hengelo, covering the last lap in about 55 seconds. A recent story in the Kenyan press about Bekele’s struggle to regain his form after the IAAF World Cross Country Championships may have overstated the depth of his problems. He clocked 8:13.51 to Edwin Soi’s 8:16.98.
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