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Lead Stories: Sunday, October 12, 2008

Takaoka & Tola Lead Paris Marathon Fields

Posted April 3rd, 2008 at 11:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Sunday’s Paris International Marathon is packed with talent, reports elite athlete coordinator René Auguin, with Japanese record holder Toshinari Takaoka leading the men’s field and Ethiopian Worknesh Tola leading the women’s.

Takaoka, with a 2:06:16 personal best, will wear the #1 men’s bib. His key rivals will be Ethiopian Tesfaye Tola (2:06:57 PB) and Kenyans James Rotich (2:07:12), Philip Manyim (2:07:41), and Joseph Ngolepus (2:07:57). The top Europeans entered ast Oleksandr Kuzin of Ukraine (2:07:33) and Alberico Di Cecco of Italy (2:08:02).
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2:06:39 debut victory for Wanjiru in Fukuoka

Posted December 2nd, 2007 at 6:00 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Samuel Wanjiru, the World Half Marathon record holder, won the 61st Fukuoka Marathon with a course record time of 2:06:39, thus fulfilling both of his goals – winning his debut over the distance and setting a course record.

Deriba Merga of Ethiopia, who was the only runner to stay with Wanjiru past the 40th kilometre, finished second in 2:06:50, also under the previous course record of 2:06:51 set by Atsushi Fujita in 2000. It was a huge personal best for Deriba which knocked more than six-and-a-half minutes from his previous best, set in Paris earlier this year.
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TFS News Briefs: 11/30/07

Posted November 30th, 2007 at 1:15 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, TFS News Briefs, Trail / Ultra, Masters

Blazing-Fast Fukuoka Marathon Expected
Samuel Wanjiru, the world record holder in the half-marathon, will be making his debut in the marathon at Fukuoka. He hopes to break Atsushi Fujita’s course record of 2:06:51. Fujita and Toshinari Takaoka, the Japanese national record holder at 2:06:16, will be challenging Wanjiru for the victory. It should be one of the 4 fastest marathons of 2007Read more at: [IAAF]

Ultramarathoner Learns Life Lessons in Latest Race
Ultrarunner Kevin Patrick explains the life lessons he took away from his latest race, a 24-hour trail ultra. Writes Patrick, “Ultra marathons demand that you look inward. That you “dig deep.” That you keep pushing when you think you have nothing more to give. But I’m also learning that they demand honest and accurate self-assessments.” Read more at: [Runner’s World]

Preview of Spanish, German Teams at European X-C Championships
European Athletics has previews of the German and Spanish cross-country contingents hoping to win the European Cross-Country Championships in Toro, Spain next weekend. Read more at: [European Athletics: Spain | Germany]

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Published Report: Paul Tergat Out of Fukuoka Marathon

Posted November 27th, 2007 at 3:45 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Former world record holder in the marathon, Paul Tergat, has abruptly withdrawn from Sunday’s Fukuoka Marathon, according to a published report on the website of Japan’s largest English language newspaper, The Daily Yomiuri.

According to the report, Tergat was called to attend a special Kenyan armed forces training camp. The report said that the information came from the organizers of the marathon itself.

Tergat, 38, was the headline athlete for what is widely regarded as Japan’s most competitive men’s marathon. The race will be held for the 61st time on Sunday. Organizers have used a time-honored formula of inviting a handlful of top overseas athletes, combining them with a group of Japanese stars, and leading them along the course through 30 km with pacemakers who try to help the top runners to a sub-2:07 finish time. In a typical year, only about 300 athletes compete at Fukuoka, and it was to be Tergat’s Fukuoka debut.
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