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Pre-Olympic Marathon
The last time that Stephen Rugut ran the Athens Classic Marathon two years
ago, there was a flash flood at the start, and he dropped out shortly
afterwards. The Kenyan lasted the whole course this time, leading most of
the way on Sunday morning. But when Zebedayo Bayo of Tanzania poured on the
pace in the last kilometre, Rugut had to give best.
Bayo, one of the favourites for this 21st edition of the race on next
year's Olympic course, won in 2hr 16min 59sec, with Rugut second in
2.17.06, and another Kenyan Elias Chebet third in 2.18.22.
The temperatures rose to 25 degrees centigrade at the finish, to add to the
difficulty of the course, which rises and falls, but most rises from the
ancient site at Marathon - which gives the race its name - to the marble
Panathenaikon Stadium, built in Athens for the 1896 Olympics.
"It's a very tough course," said Bayo, "the toughest I've ever run. But I
was able to kick away at the end, I enjoyed that". Testament to the
difficulty of the course - a warning to runners in next year's Olympic race
- is that Bayo's time is just over eight minutes slower than his best of
2.08.51, set when finishing third in New York five years ago.
Christos Vardzakis' memory goes back a little longer. Vardzakis, aged 93
won two Balkan and four Greek marathon titles back in the 1930s. He was due
to run the accompanying 10k race yesterday, but after an injury had to be
content watching his protegé, Nikos Polias win his seventh national
marathon title, in 2.23.16. "But I'll be back to run the 10k next year,"
promised Vardzakis.
ATHENS CLASSIC MARATHON RESULTS
MEN
NAME COUNTRY TIME PRIZE (EUROS)
1 Zebedayo BAYO TANZANIA 2.16.59 6,000
2 Stephen RUGUT KENYA 2.17.06 5,000
3 Elias CHEBET KENYA 2.18.22 4,000
4 Frederick CHUMBA KENYA 2.18.33 3,000
5 Paul ATUDONYANG KENYA 2.19.30 2,000
6 John MOIBEN KENYA 2.19.49 1,000
7 David BUSIENEI KENYA 2.21.54
8 Nikos POLIAS GREECE 2.23.16
9 Gerasimos KOKOTOS GREECE 2.26.02
10 Wesley CHELULE KENYA 2.28.18
WOMEN
NAME COUNTRY TIME PRIZE
1 Nadja WIJENBERG NETHERLANDS 2.43.16 6,000
2 Georgia APATZIDOU GREECE 2.46.47 5,000
3 Margaret KARIE KENYA 2.48.48 4,000
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